Contrary to popular belief, retirement takes work, so here is how you can make that move as seamlessly as possible.
Here at SiliconRepublic.com, we have written about retirement and age-related topics a number of times, from the pros and cons to delaying retirement, to the workplace challenges associated with the 100-year life. For many people, their working life is an integral part of who they are, so making that decision to end your professional career can come with complex feelings and doubt.
If you have taken that leap and put in for your retirement, how might you best transition so that it is an easy, seamless and enjoyable start to the rest of your life?
Ensure you have the means
While you may want to retire and begin the next phase of your life, you need to ensure that financially, you are in a position to do so. This often comes in the form of savings or a pension scheme. It might be no harm to sit down with a professional who specialises in financial advice, to talk you through how you will support yourself post-employment.
If you find that you are almost in a position to have the lifestyle you plan for your retirement, but it might take a little more time, consider delaying your departure slightly, or discuss options for part-time or job-sharing opportunities. You don’t necessarily have to fully leave employment, as there are many short-term and gig jobs available nowadays.
Plan for change
If you are one of the people who began dreaming about retirement right after they first entered the workforce then you might assume that the days of leisure coming your way are going to be exactly what you planned for. However, it doesn’t always happen like that.
Research shows that on average we spend around one-third or 90,000 hours of our lives in employment. To simply close that chapter, despite how much we are looking forward to it, can be jarring to the system. Before you leave your role, it can be useful to roughly plan how you will spend the next couple of years, now that you have time at your disposal.
You don’t have to go wild, jetting off on an adventure or tiring yourself out with a new hobby every day of the week. But it can help deter boredom, isolation or even a potential dip in mental health to have something to focus on, post-employment.
Stay on the move
Not every job requires a lot of physical activity, particularly post-pandemic as many employees work in a hybrid or completely remote capacity. But, research shows that people can become slightly more sedentary when they leave full-time employment.
Your golden years should be peaceful, if that is what you want, however, it is still important to be mindful of your physical health. Make sure you factor in time to exercise, whether that is through a gym, by walking each day or however you enjoy staying mobile.
Going on walks or joining exercise groups designed for seniors is also a fantastic way of making friends as a social outlet.
Admin before you log out
You don’t just one day decide to retire and the next day it is done and dusted. It can take a fair bit of administration to get you there. For example you will likely have to speak with your employer, file paperwork etc. There are also a number of important tasks to complete before you leave.
If there is anyone you wish to remain in contact with make sure that you update them with your personal email and that they now know you are no longer reachable through your previous organisation.
If you have accounts with different platforms that you aim to still be a part of, make sure that you also furnish them with a personal email and save any important files or documents pertaining to you, as they may be lost once you are no longer on the company’s system.
Complete a comprehensive handover document for whomever is taking over from you, change your working status online (if you so choose) and make sure to say goodbye to the people whose company you enjoyed and who were a positive influence during your time there.
And that is it, some of the most important steps to take when entering into your retirement years, save for one, don’t forget to enjoy it, you definitely earned it.
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