For many people, retirement is a shock and does not seem to be what they expected. Not having planned ahead, they don’t know what to do with themselves. Time passes and they feel they have no purpose and wonder why they left. This does not have to be the case.
Many realize after retirement that their social life was tied to their professional life. This is particularly true of men who sometimes don’t have close male friends. As a result, they feel lonely and have feelings of isolation. Retirement planning is necessary for mental, psychological, and financial reasons. But people often spend more time planning a two-week vacation than planning their retirement.
Crucial to retirement is having a social network, purpose, lifelong learning, and interests and/or hobbies. It will be vital to cultivate friends with whom to do things, for example: play golf, go for walks, play bridge or just socialize. Social interaction is the main difference between enjoying retirement or not; or be happy, healthy and active.
Some delay retirement due to insufficient retirement funds, or at least fear that there won’t be enough money to live as they want and perhaps be able to travel as well. Planning to be financially comfortable in retirement should start young, in your late twenties or early thirties at the latest.
The retirement phase of life is a different lifestyle. How do you spend leisure? Do you get bored easily? What can you do to gain satisfaction from your retirement years? Some couples find that too much togetherness in their relationships can present problems. Both must develop their own interests. It is necessary to get involved in life so that time does not drag on. Those who are most satisfied in retirement have found things to do outside the home that are meaningful to their lives. And it is they who maintain a healthy lifestyle by being physically active.
For those who have planned for retirement and are financially secure, traveling can be fulfilling and educational. Traveling is actively participating in life and meeting other people who have similar interests. There are many different types of travel options, enough to suit all individual tastes and styles.
Others who have planned their retirement and have looked forward to it, enjoy a lifestyle in which they have freedom and time to spend with friends, to enjoy activities for which they previously had little time, such as pursuing educational interests, learning a instrument, a new language or become more physically active. Maybe you’ve always wanted to run a marathon, maybe now is the time to do it. They may have wanted to volunteer, spend more time with their grandchildren, write their memoirs, get involved in genealogy, plant a garden, or have more time to read. There is no limit to what you can do if you have the time to do it.
A successful retirement depends on being adequately prepared. You also need to determine what you want to do in this phase of your life that will give you purpose. But before you take that step, make sure you have a strong social network. After that, enjoy your retirement and all the things you can do with the extra time you have. Retirement should and can be a very happy time in your life.