For millions of people who are still working, the mere thought of retiring brings a momentary sense of bliss. It conjures up images of sleeping in, doing as one pleases and generally living a life of ease.
This isn’t necessarily an accurate portrayal of retirement life, as many who’ve actually retired can attest. In recent years there’s been a trend of “unretiring”—people going back to work on at least a part-time basis after they’ve retired.
In fact, an analysis by Pew Research Center revealed that workers ages 75 and older are the fastest-growing age group in the workforce. While some are returning to the workplace for financial reasons, others are seeking a sense of purpose, a way to connect socially or relief from boredom.
Advice for Retirement Isn’t a One-Size-Fits-All Toolset
You can find plenty of books filled with retirement advice and countless online articles chock full of suggestions for enjoying retirement. The truth is even the most well-intended recommendations on how to retire may not work out as anticipated because, well, life happens.
When deciding what to do after retirement, you are your own best counsel. You know what brings you the greatest satisfaction and whether you can be content with a mostly open schedule.
These seven retirement tips are meant to be a guide for how to enjoy life after retirement. Why not take a few minutes to see how they could help you experience bliss in retirement?
Key #1: Start Planning Well Before You Retire
This seems like common sense, but you’d be surprised how many people wait until right before they’re ready to retire to start making concrete plans. As alluded to earlier, deciding what to do when you retire begins with self-reflection.
Are you someone who enjoys exploring other cultures? If so, you may want to travel more after you retire. Do you have an inquisitive mind and a thirst for knowledge? Start checking into courses and classes available to older adults, whether online or at a nearby community college. Some colleges and universities offer senior rates on tuition.
If you’re married or in a long-term relationship, start talking with your other half about what you’d both like to do in retirement. This might include a discussion about how much time you want to spend together versus each of you “doing your own thing.”
Key #2: Be as Financially Prepared as Possible
Like planning ahead, this, too, may seem like a no-brainer. We know it’s in our own best interest to start saving for retirement while we’re young, so we have a decent nest egg by the time we’re ready to stop working. Yet, according to an article published by The Motley Fool, 25% of nonretirees have no retirement savings.
Having enough set aside to retire comfortably is a fundamental piece of advice on how to be happy in retirement. A financial adviser can help you define what “comfortably” means to you and develop a strategy for achieving your goal. If you’re already retired, a financial adviser can assist you in making the most of your assets.
Key #3: Take Care of Your Health
It’s easy to take our health for granted until we lose it. Time takes a toll on our bodies, and some of us weren’t dealt the best hand genetically, but we can all make a conscious effort to strive for our best health.
The National Institute on Aging (NIA) is a treasure trove if you’re looking for information on exercise and physical activity for older adults, with specific topics such as exercising for those with chronic health conditions, including arthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic pain, dementia, diabetes and osteoporosis. If it helps, you can think of it as staying active rather than exercising. Gardening, dancing, going for a walk or a bike ride, even cleaning the house—if it keeps you moving around, it counts.
The NIA offers an abundance of helpful information on healthy eating and nutrition for seniors, too. Getting enough sleep, reducing stress, quitting smoking, limiting alcohol and staying current on health screenings and checkups (including vision, hearing and dental exams) are other ways you can protect your health.
Don’t overlook other facets of your overall health, such as your emotional, social, spiritual and mental health. It’s all connected!
Key #4: Nurture Your Relationships
Speaking of connections, maintaining friendships and ties with family members may be even more important for seniors than for younger adults—even though it can be more challenging. Older adults are at greater risk of becoming isolated, particularly those who live alone. Feelings of loneliness have been linked to dementia, depression, an increased risk for premature death and other health issues.
If your social circle has grown smaller, social media makes it easier than ever to reconnect with friends from the past or to make new ones. You could also take up a new hobby, volunteer, sign up for classes or check out what’s going on at your local community or senior center if you want to meet new people and give yourself more opportunities to build friendships.
Key #5: Expand Your Mind—and Your Horizons
Keeping your brain active is as crucial to your health as is staying physically active. Mental exercise can help keep your brain functioning optimally and potentially stave off cognitive decline and dementia.
Older adults who enjoy learning and trying new experiences have an advantage over those who don’t, but with a modicum of effort even those who’ve become stuck in a mental rut can find something to spark their interest.
If you’re having trouble coming up with ideas, think about what your favorite classes were in school and pick up where you left off. Or, was there an aspect of your career that you would have enjoyed exploring more fully but weren’t able to at the time? If you could have chosen a different path in life, what might it have been?
Study a different culture or period of history that intrigues you. Learn about digital photography or how to speak a new language or play a new instrument. Take ballroom dancing lessons.
Set goals for yourself and share them with a friend who will keep you accountable. Better yet, encourage your friend to set goals too, and you can keep each other accountable.
Key #6: Make a Difference
It’s common for retirees to feel adrift, as if they’ve lost their sense of purpose or part of who they are. In our culture, we tend to identify ourselves and others based on what we do for a living.
When the job or career ends, who are we then? Just a former (fill in the blank)? Of course not. We’re more than what we do to earn income.
A surefire way to become grounded once again is to figure out what you can do to make a difference, whether it’s on a grand scale or for one other living being. There are likely dozens of organizations in your neighborhood that would benefit if you were to volunteer your time, energy and skills, and thousands more globally if you’re willing to travel or can provide assistance remotely.
You could share your knowledge and expertise by becoming a tutor, mentor, docent, coach or consultant. If you have an entrepreneurial spirit, you might even start your own business.
If the world is a better place because you’ve been in it, you can feel good about that—and there’s no reason to stop contributing when you retire.
Key #7: Focus on the Future, Not the Past
A final tip on how to enjoy retirement is to keep looking ahead to what tomorrow offers rather than dwelling on what has been. It’s beneficial to reminisce about happy times and keep those memories alive, of course. The key is to keep from getting so caught up in the past it prevents you from moving forward.
Each of the previous keys can help you embrace the future and all of the possibilities it holds. Here are a few habits and techniques that can encourage a positive outlook:
- Practice being in the present through meditation and mindfulness, or an activity such as yoga or tai chi
- Surround yourself with friends and others who have a positive attitude
- Keep a gratitude journal or set aside a time each day, perhaps while you’re out for a walk, to remind yourself that there is much to be grateful for
- Try an app like Happify or Headspace
We Specialize in Retirement Bliss
Come spend a little time at Heron’s Key and you’ll soon see how full of life residents are in our community. They’re vibrant, purpose-filled and engaged in what goes on within Heron’s Key, the larger Gig Harbor community and beyond.
This is due, in part, to our focus on the seven aspects of whole-body wellness. It’s also a result of the lifestyle we offer, which includes nutritious dining, an abundance of health and wellness classes, endless opportunities to socialize, educational activities and a beautiful, friendly environment.
We invite you to visit our community so you can see, firsthand, how empowering this lifestyle is. Meet some of the fascinating people who live here and ask them about why they chose Heron’s Key and what it’s like to live here.
Contact us and let’s set up a visit at your convenience.
