Retiring can be a really exciting time in your life – often people spend years and years just simply looking forward to the time when they are finally able to retire comfortably. Unfortunately, as with just about anything else in life, retirement may not always be all it’s cracked up to be. There are going to be times of boredom and stress, and there will be growing pains for you a well as your family, as with any type of major life change.
Whether you are retiring soon or have just retired, you may need a little help settling into your new lifestyle, so here are some tips just for you.
Fill Your Time
Having too much free time may be one of the best parts of retirement, but it can also be very hard for some people. They feel like they are not getting enough mental or physical stimulation once they are done working.
Many folks find that having a routine really helps with their mental health, and when they lose that routine and no longer have to be up at a certain time each morning or have certain tasks to complete each day, that can really throw everything off. Losing your sense of purpose can cause you to lose your sense of self which can leave to crippling anxiety and depression. To avoid this, try to find a new purpose in life and fill your time as much as possible.
For example, if you are a parent or grandparent, devote your time in retirement to helping out or taking care of those kids in some way. You may also consider volunteering to a cause that is important to you. This way you can still keep a routine and a purpose without having any of the less fortunate parts of working full time!
Use The Buddy System
This doesn’t necessarily mean having someone walk you to your car at night (although you probably should do that too), but using the “buddy system” and leaning on your friends is more important in retirement than ever before.
As you age you may become more vulnerable and having others around to talk to who are going through or have gone through the same thing can be really helpful. If your close friends aren’t near retirement, it’s never too late to make new friends at local clubs or outings.
Downsize
One of the biggest and most common issues recent retirees face is that they feel they have too much space or too much to take care of. You don’t have to move to Florida or Arizona if you don’t want to, but you may want to think about selling your home in favor of a smaller and more manageable one. The more stuff you have to take care of the more work that will require, and the whole point of being retired is no longer having to work!
If retirement is sounding like more stress than it’s worth so far, hopefully these tips will help you lean back and enjoy it a bit more!
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