When you’ve worked for the majority of your life, retirement can be a massive change if you’re not prepared for it. The idea of waking up one morning and having nothing to do and no-where to go may seem appealing for a while. Who doesn’t need a holiday? But, after the initial ‘holiday’ period, it can feel like you’re unwanted or unable to achieve anything. Here are some tips on how to emotionally prepare for retirement.
Take Charge
Unless you find ways of keeping yourself active and continuing to develop your skills, you could easily fall into the trap of sitting in the same place every day, doing the same things. Just because you’ve spent your life working in one career, it doesn’t mean you don’t have other things to offer. Now is the time to explore and be creative.
Don’t Hide Away
There may be an initial period where you want to just rest and the make the most of not having to get up in the morning. However, after a certain time it’s important to see people and get involved with things that you enjoy. If you do find that you’re feeling low or you’re getting anxious about going out, you may want to read some tips on battling anxiety and depression.
Start Saving
Do you know how much you’ll be entitled to when it comes to your pension? It’s always a good idea to find these things out, perhaps by using a financial advisor. You may want to start an additional savings account so you can put money away for the luxuries you may not have with your current pension pot. If you’ve been in the military you may want to look into buying back your time.
Join an Exercise Class
Joining an exercise class isn’t something you do for exercise alone. Although the exercise will improve your health and general well-being, it can also be the perfect way to meet friends. It’s something you can carry on with during your retirement if you feel fit enough, and if you don’t you’ve made friends that you can still meet up with when you have more times on your hands.
Plan Things in Advance
If you know there are going to be particular days when you have nothing to do, get things planned in advance. There are plenty of things to do that don’t cost much. Now, more than ever, there are groups for retirees that get together weekly to chat, go on trips or just tuck into some free cake.
Don’t Shy Away from Technology
Technology is advancing every day, and sadly, many retirees don’t take the opportunity to keep abreast of what’s going on. The internet can open entirely new worlds and the latest gadgets can mean you have music, contacts, books and much more at the tip of your fingers. Make sure you have the same access as everyone else, even if you have to learn something new.
With these tips, slipping into retirement should be a breeze.
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