Do you have to prepare for retiring? Is not it just a holiday which never ends? Every day you can do what you want, finally time for your hobbies, increased time for your loved ones, reading, walking, traveling. Is this your dream future? I do not want to be a spoilsport, but it is not always a smooth transition from 40-hour work weeks to “to do whatever you want to do”. In this blog more about how to prepare for retiring.
My story
I am 66 now and just retired but left my job two years ago. More about that in a blog called: “Discover new talents after 60”. I heard from family, friends, and former colleagues about the difficulties they experience after leaving their business life. Missing the work situation, missing contacts, sometimes even missing the stress, difficulty finding a new daily routine, and of course an identity problem. “I was my job and who am I now”?
To be honest I am quite happy since I left the job but maybe that is because I had heard from the people around me how they experienced their new situation so I could anticipate. In addition, my new life ran parallel with the lockdown for Covid19, so everyone was suddenly at home. That made it easier.
And yes now, and then, I feel the need to check my daily routines again. Is this still the way I want to live?
What was my starting point
I decided not to live from one moment to the next one but to build a routine.
Routine Elements
- I started walking every morning (at least 6.000 steps)
- Reading (besides the newspapers) for half an hour a day.
- I am looking for a new career in writing and online media. I had to learn a lot, so I did digital courses and workshops like SEO (Search Engine Optimization), WordPress, social media, Photoshop.
- An internship in a social media department (4 weeks, 1 day a week)
- I was looking for (part-time) jobs, but that is difficult because I did not have yet the experience in the new field of writing and online media. So, I am trying to create my own new job
- Caretaker for a friend
- More time for my 91-year-old mother and in general more time for family and friends
- And on Friday, cleaning the house or doing house projects. Like updating the guest room for the grandchildren.
- During these last two years there were two elections. I was a volunteer in my hometown.
It may sound like a busy program, but I am fine with it and the advantage is that you have the freedom to adjust to the program yourself (if necessary).
Off course there were things I had to change during these 2 years. I realized quickly that walking in the morning was not the best time for me. After my walk it was difficult to start with a course, writing a text for this blog or doing my administration. So, I decided to move that to the afternoon. Also, I bought a new bike, and joined an open water swim group to alternate walking with cycling or swimming.
All the above things related to my motto:
“always open to new things”
What can you do to make the next episode of your live a beautiful episode?
- Enjoy your hobbies
- Read, look documentaries, learn,
- Spend time with beloved ones
- Finally, time for sports, walking, biking, swimming. If it is single, in a club or online that does not matter, just enjoy
- Become a volunteer or caretaker
- Go out, visit places you always wanted to visit and start in your own region. (“I have seen the Eiffel Tower and London Bridge but never the parc 5 kilometers from home”)
- And if you want a paid job, full time, or part time. If you like it, do it.
Bonus Tips
- Free online courses from Harvard University
- MasterClass, an annual membership for less than 200$ offers you access to a streaming platform with 150+ classes across a variety of categories . Anny Leibowitz learned me practical skills and every day photography wisdom. (thanks friend Debby, she invited me to join her).
- More about “how to start your own business when older” here
- a platform for 60+ here
Do you have retirement tips, please let us know in the comments!
Enjoy Retirement, an exciting new chapter in life!
