8 Tips to Transition Well Into Retirement
Retirement – what everyone seems to work their whole lives for! This is the time when you can do all the things you’ve put off for years, right? Maybe travel, maybe write a book, maybe volunteer at your local children’s hospital. It all sounds so easy but often, once people have finally reached that goal, they are overwhelmed and frozen with indecision. Retirement is a huge transition and it deserves the same attention as the transition from childhood to adulthood or even the transition to parenthood! Here is a list of 8 tips to help you transition well and live the retired life you have dreamed of all of these years.
1. Look at Your Finances
We should get this one out of the way at the beginning. This is the main thing people are told prior to retirement and it is most people’s main concern. Take a hard look at your finances and decide if it is financially viable. Are you eligible for social security? Talking to a financial planner may ease your mind. If you don’t feel fully confident to retire from paid work, many people work small part-time jobs in retirement to supplement and they often receive the benefit of needed socialization at the same time.
2. Talk to Your Loved Ones About Your Living Situation and Your Wishes
It is never too early to talk about your wishes for the future! One of the biggest stressors of the aging process is that feeling of lack of control. By having open and honest conversations before they become truly necessary, you retain more control and hopefully will feel more at ease. Truly consider if your current residence will serve you for the next 20 years. Do you want to live there for the rest of your life or are you considering a senior living community? Many people feel that the family roles begin to be reversed as they age and that their children are pushing them to move. Having a solid plan for caregiving in the home if needed can decrease that anxiety and the burden your loved ones may feel. If you are at all open to the idea of moving, research and tour different communities to get an idea of where you may want to be in the future. The less unknown the better for these kinds of things!
3. Make a List of Your Goals for the First Year
Many people have ideas in their head about what they want to do in retirement but they don’t have them down on paper. To avoid getting stuck in the “sitting on the couch and watching TV” rut, make a list of the things you are looking to do in the first year. Even add due dates if that motivates you. You may be thinking “I just got away from due dates and deadlines! Just give me some time to relax!” While this may be true, human beings thrive with at least a little bit of structure. Knowing beforehand that you have some goals on paper will motivate you and help you avoid the stress of indecision when the time comes.
4. Find Out If You Can Transition Slowly Out of Work
The shock of one day being fully occupied and then having nothing to do at all the very next is enough to confuse anyone. Think about the day you finished college! New stages are scary and gradual transitions are always helpful. Some employers have systems set up to retire gradually. For instance, the first year you work 30 hours a week, the second year you work 20 hours a week, etc. This way you still have the familiarity of your job while slowly opening up the hours of the day for you to fill with new and exciting activities (or relaxing and reading a book – it’s up to you)! Speak to your HR department if you think this would assist you with the transition.
5. Start Making Time for Your Social Life Now
Hopefully you already have a full social life but, like many of us, you may get most of your socialization at your place of work. That is all well and good until you are suddenly not around those people 40+ hours a week and you realize your social calendar is suddenly very empty. Take stock of your social circle now and see if you have a friend or a group of friends who will be available to you once you retire. Start strengthening those connections now to have a smooth transition. If you realize this might be an area of difficulty in the future, start looking into seniors clubs and activities so that you know what is out there before you take the leap.
6. Make a List of Past and Present Interests
If you wonder “what in the world will I do with the time?”, make a list of past interests as well as a list of new interests that you have not yet explored. Prioritize a few of them to focus on at the beginning of retirement. Maybe you used to enjoy doing puzzles, going out for dinner with friends, or working in the shop in your garage. Now is the time to return to what sparked passion in your life and you are the only one who knows what that is. By writing it down, you are able to come back to the list when you feel overwhelmed or bored.
7. Schedule Your Time in Some Way
You may be thinking “finally I don’t have to report to anyone at any particular time!” We all feel that way for a certain amount of time when we go on vacation or have time off. However, after a certain amount of time, most people begin to feel antsy or down because they’ve been sitting around too long. Human beings thrive with structure! You don’t have to schedule every minute of every day but some form of routine will serve you well. It can be as minimal as one item a day such as “on Tuesdays I go to lunch with John, on Wednesdays I do water aerobics at 10,” etc. It can also be much more detailed if you realize you do well with more items. By having at least one scheduled activity each day, you give yourself something to look forward to and it also gives you reason to do things like get ready for the day.
8. Try Something New
Last but not least, get out there and try something new! Science has shown that people who continue to learn new things live longer and healthier lives. We are creatures of habit and often want to stay in our comfort zones and take fewer and fewer risks. Risk does not necessarily mean unsafe or dangerous. It just means trying something with the possibility of failure. But think about how great you feel when you do new things and succeed. Maybe it’s meeting new people, taking a class on something you’ve always thought about, going skydiving, or who knows? It could even be learning a new crochet stitch. Novelty and risk help us to feel alive and we know that you have many more years of true living left to do.
Now that you’re thinking hard about your next steps toward retirement, download the Retired Life Planning Worksheet to give you a jumpstart, free when you sign up for my mailing list. Take control and live the retired life of your dreams!