Retirement Life: Getting Started

There are very few instructions on how to retire. Other than being told, it’s a time to enjoy yourself, there are few models. Baby boomers want it all, but understand that thirty of years of play may not be all there is. n
Sometime in the first few months of retirement, the reality will hit you. This isn’t an extended vacation, but the rest of your life. By now, you’ve probably fallen into one or more of the following categories.

A number of years ago, I was at a professional meeting, when we were asked to go around the room and say what we liked about our jobs. Many of the people talked about the benefits and perks of their work. A few people actually talked about the satisfaction they got from helping people.

I was the only self-employed person in the room, so when it was my turn I responded, “The good news is I get up every morning and get to create my day. The bad news is I get up every day and get to create my day.”

That’s what retirement is, the joy and a pain of having to create every day for the rest of your life. As with work, there are good days and there are those you’d rather not experience.

It’s hard to plan the rest of your life when you don’t have a context for what it’s going to be like. Retirement isn’t just the absence of work. It’s a completely new way of being and doing.

You can categorize all activities into six broad groups. A satisfying retirement will consist of being involved in each one of these areas. You don’t need to do something from each group every week, but you should consistently find time for all of them.

Create a structure and routine. The number one thing new retirees look forward to is a lack of structure. The most difficult aspect of retirement is adjusting to the lack of structure. Create a routine for yourself, by picking a consistent time to get up every morning. While initially painful, create a list of things you are going to do every week. This can include maintenance tasks that never go away, such as paying the bills and buying groceries. Also, include time for exploring activities for your new life.

Get Physical. If the word exercise leaves you cringing, then don’t get a membership to the gym. Physical activity can involve both gross, as well as fine motor skills. In addition to playing sports and working out, explore activities where you use your hands. This could include building, repairing, and crafts. Look for activities outside, such as gardening or working with animals. Finally, look for adventurous things to do that test your comfort zone. This is about participation, not sitting on the sidelines observing. It’s about action, being active, doing.

Enjoy Mental Stimulation. Reengage your little scientist. Young children love to learn, explore and experiment. You can tap into that youthful zeal by taking classes, engaging in mentally stimulating problem solving, and looking at world as a new place to discover. Stay mentally aroused.

Be Creative. While not everyone is born artistic, there is an inherent desire to be creative. Find an activity that allows you to express the artistic side of you, whether it is through music, dance, cooking, photography, writing or painting. In addition, look for challenges that need creative problem solve where you can think outside the box.

Be Social. Find ways to be of service, and at the same time stay connected to others. You might want to strengthen your bonds with the significant people in your life, but also look to form new relationships. Search out people who are different from you in age, gender, interests, religion, as well as, connecting to people you share common threads. Find ways to make the world a better place. New retirees want to be involved in the lives of their children and grandchildren. Explore other relationships through travel and volunteer work.

Become an Elder. The history of retirement meant obsolescence. The majority of people were sent off to pasture, except for a handful of powerful older men who controlled the political, corporate and educational institutions. The new group of retirees will change that by retirement as a time to create a new legacy. In volunteering, baby boomers want to make a direct impact, and are no longer content to stuff envelops. Many people are using this as a time to start new businesses. Create your legacy. You have knowledge and experience to share with the world. It is the greatest legacy any generation has to leave.

If you haven’t had much time to explore interests, retirement can appear daunting. Taking time to develop activities in each of these areas will help you lead you to satisfying and fulfilling new life.