Retirement Living

Tips for a Smooth Transition to Retirement

woman in purple dress with field flowers - smooth transition to retirement

Retirement is a major life transition. And all transitions come with adjustments.

Life changes after retirement. Everything work-related is gone. Everything we got used to is gone. There are no more schedules, early commutes, and daily routines.

Most of us imagine life in retirement to be like a delightful vacation – no alarm clock, no schedule, no deadlines, and no stress. Just sleeping in, having a morning coffee on a deck, reading a book, going for a long walk, or staying up late with a glass of wine. However, we need to realize that transitioning from a work-oriented lifestyle to retirement includes a big adjustment.

Unfortunately, a honeymoon period is often followed by a feeling of disappointment. Sooner or later, it might be a big contrast between expectation and reality. No wonder it will take time to find your own way to a new life in retirement, and you need to be prepared for that challenge.

I have created a list of helpful tips for a smooth transition to retirement. Try these tips to create a new life for yourself.

Prepare for ups and downs.

The first year of retirement will be filled with bumps and adjustments no matter how well you are prepared. Do not expect the transition from your 30 or more years of work to retirement to happen without stress and anxiety.

There are going to be surprises and disappointments down the road before you settle into something comfortable. There may be times when you feel lonely, isolated or a bit lost, which is normal.

Like many other life transitions, retirement comes with emotional and mental adjustments. Your transition to retirement will not happen overnight. Most retirees will go through stages of emotions when adjusting to a new life. Give yourself some time by understanding that this will be a process.

Do not spend your time dwelling on the thoughts about the end of your career, loss of identity, loss of social connections, and purpose in life. Accept that you have done all you can working for many years and focus on your next phase of life. Make peace with it and move on to your next challenge.

I recommend reading my post: 5 Common Emotional Stages of Retirement

Develop a routine.

We all need structure in life and our job helped create that structure for many years. When we stop working the structure is gone.

What happens when you retire? It is Monday morning, but you do not need to go anywhere. There is nothing planned. There is no alarm clock, no morning rush, and no early meetings or deadlines.

pastry and coffee mug on a table - transition to retirement

The first few days or weeks will be exciting. You can sleep late, read in bed, or catch on your favorite Netflix shows. But I am sure that by the end of the week or month you will start feeling bored, isolated, and maybe a bit depressed. The fun is gone, and you will be glad to go back to something more meaningful in your life.

That is why you need to develop a routine and create a “new normal”. Some people love to have a daily routine, while others cannot bear to have everything predictable. But without proper planning and developing daily activities to get you up every morning, your retirement life will be dull.

Set goals.

Setting up personal goals can be a powerful tool for finding purpose in life and helping you with the transition. Your retirement goals are maybe a little bit different than when you were working.

Your pre-retirement life was structured around achieving mostly professional and financial goals. After you retire, you still need to set goals for yourself to ensure you feel a sense of purpose and accomplishment.

Overall, goals give us a sense of direction. And with direction comes a sense of purpose. Make a list of your goals the same way you make a ‘to do’ list. Think about goals you want to achieve in six months or a year. Writing down your plans on a piece of paper will help you stay focused on a new life.

If you do not know how to create goals in retirement, I recommend reading my post: How to Create Retirement Lifestyle Goals

Find your path.

How you transition from the workplace to retirement will depend on many factors. It will depend on your financial situation, your health, and your vision of what retirement will be like. And you will set yourself for a smooth transition to retirement if you plan for that ahead of time.

fisherman on a beach - smooth transition to retirement

Think about whether you want to spend your free time doing something similar you did before retirement, or if you want to try something different. Write down a list of interests and activities that brings you joy even some of them you might put on the back burner for a while. Do not forget to include in your list new things you like to learn.

Discovering something new you have never done before can be a great way to step out of your comfort zone. Now that you have more time, there is a whole new world out there waiting to be discovered.

All those things we regret not having time to do during our working years can act as an inspiration when we transition to retirement. There are endless possibilities to explore once you have time and the freedom of retirement. It can be sports and travels, learning a new language or instrument, starting an art project, or home renovation.

If you want to learn more about what to do in retirement, I recommend reading my post: 15 Ideas What to Do When You Retire

Keep in touch with your friends from work.

Losing your network of co-workers and office friends can be hard. Eventually, life in the office will go on without you. Even though you are retired, it does not mean you have to lose contact with the group of your office friends completely.

A simple email, text message, or phone call can lead to regular catch-up meetings with your friends from work. Also, you can make arrangements for lunch or dinner dates once a month to stay in touch with your ex-colleagues. Most workplace friends will be happy to catch up with an old friend they have not seen for a while.

Once you retire, it is easy to become involved in other activities outside of the workplace. But keeping workplace friendships alive during retirement can help you mentally adjust to life without work.

Focus on your health and fitness.

We should all aim to stay fit and healthy to enjoy retirement. There are so many ways to be physically active by walking, gardening, exercising, swimming, hiking, etc. If you have not made exercise a normal part of your life while still working, retirement is a good time to develop this habit. Just going for a walk in a park or trail can do wonders for your mood.

Lately, practicing meditation as a strategy to relieve stress and anxiety has become more popular than ever. I do not know how often you should meditate, but some articles are suggesting that 10 to 20 minutes of meditation a day can be very beneficial for your well-being.

What you eat and how often you exercise will impact your health. Being active and eating healthy food can add more years to your life and save money on future medical bills. Make sure that you eat regular meals instead of snacking if it was your habit while at work.

an omelet and potatoes on plate - focus on eating healthy in retirement

Do not forget to go for a regular health check-up because prevention is better than cure. Regular visits to your doctor might help to prevent heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and some types of dementia.

Get your finances in order.

You will set yourself for a smooth transition to retirement if you get your finances in order before you retire. It will be easier to adjust to a new life without a regular paycheck if you know what you will have to live on.

Look at your current spending and figure out what you need in your new life and what you do not. You might learn that some of your expenses will decrease, but some will increase with time.

There is no need to spend money on business clothes, commute, take-out lunches, and other work-related things. But you will want to spend more money on travels, activities, and hobbies. Unfortunately, your medical expenses will increase with time.

I recommend creating a retirement budget that will help you see how much money you need for fun and entertainment and how much to cover your living expenses. You might discover you need to keep working longer or take a part-time job to cover your new lifestyle in retirement. Or you might learn you have enough money saved and can retire early.

Related Retirement Planning Articles:

Final Thoughts

Most of us look forward to retirement as a time to relax and enjoy our golden years. Finally, we can do whatever we want and when we want. But the transition from work life to retirement comes with its own challenges.

Many people will learn how to adjust to retirement life in different ways. Everyone’s path will be unique. But you will know how to deal with challenges if you are prepared. Following the tips above will help you adjust to retirement better so you can feel happy during your new phase of life.

Have you thought about transitioning to retirement? Do you feel prepared for your new phase of life? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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Everything to Know Before You Retire

by Maggie 2 Comments

Woman at computer - things to know before you retire

Retirement is a life-changing event. And like many things in life, preparing for retirement requires a lot of planning. You do not want to be one of those people who want to retire, but when that day finally arrives, they just let it happen. You want to be smart and invest time in planning and preparing for a big day.

Getting closer to retirement can be both exciting and stressful. You need to know if you are financially ready. And you need to understand how you will spend your days when you stop working.

Retiring without a plan can be disadvantageous. The better you are prepared and see what you are retiring to, the more successful you will be at this transition. Sometimes a step-by-step guide or “to do” list can help. I have created this post with all the things you need to know before you retire.

1. Know your financial situation and retirement needs.

The first step is to evaluate your finances. I read that new retirees have some financial anxiety related to the fact that they no longer earning a regular paycheck. The Baby Boomer generation is redefining what senior living and ‘retirement’ means.

The Boomers want more out of their retirement lifestyle – more activities, more wellness, and sometimes more of everything. But all these luxuries cost money. Not to mention ordinary bills for food, transportation, utilities, medical insurance, and taxes that must be paid every month.

Calculate what you need financially to support your retirement lifestyle.

You should have enough saved to live on 80 percent of your annual pre-retirement income. This number is a good rule of thumb if you do not plan on making any major budget changes.

When you retire you do not need a lot of things that you did when you were working. The costs of commute, take-out lunches, and business clothes will go down. But you will start spending more money on travel, hobbies, and activities. And your medical expenses will increase with time.

You might have a general idea of what you spend now. But you will be better prepared if you get a clear picture of your current cost of living and how that might change in the future.

The best advice is to create an estimated retirement budget based on your current and future expenses.

Related Posts:

Get a clear picture of your retirement income.

money bills & calculator - know your financial situation

When you are working, you probably have a single employer and a single source of income – your salary. In retirement, everyone has different sources of income. As a retiree, you receive income from multiple sources: Social Security, pension, part-time job, or rentals.

Another source of income will come from your nest egg – investments and retirement savings:

Tax-deferred accounts – 401(k), IRA
Tax-free – Roth IRA, Roth 401(k)
Taxable investment accounts
Taxable bank checking and savings accounts

You need your nest egg to last through the next 20 or 30 years. Therefore, it is recommended to withdraw a safe 4 percent from your retirement portfolio.

For example, if you have $500,000 in your retirement funds, you can spend roughly $20,000 ($500,000 x 0.04) per year when you retire. Add this number to your Social Security, and calculate if it is enough to cover all your retirement expenses.

According to the stats, the average Social Security benefit in 2020 was about $ 1,514 a month, or about $18,170 a year.

To calculate the retirement income based on the numbers above:

$20,000 + $18,170 = $38,170 a year or $3,180 a month.

Related Posts:

Know your withdrawal strategy.

Do you know how much income you can pull from your nest egg? A good starting point for many retirees will be a well-known rule of thumb – the “4% rule”.

The 4 percent rule refers to your withdrawal rate. If you have a well-balanced retirement portfolio (60 percent stocks and 40 percent bonds), you can withdraw 4 percent of your account balance.

For example, if you have $500,000 saved in retirement funds you can withdraw 4 percent of that amount – $20,000 in the first year of your retirement. Then, you should adjust that number every year for inflation. But following this rule should help you not to run out of money for at least 30 years.

Related Post:

Think about your tax strategies.

We still need to pay taxes in retirement, but not all sources of income are taxed the same. Withdrawals from tax-deferred accounts such as 401(k) plan and traditional IRA will be taxed as an ordinary income.

Withdrawals from Roth IRA and Roth 401(k) plan will be tax-free. If you want to withdraw money from taxable investment accounts, you will have to pay capital gains taxes.

In addition to taxes, you need to remember about required minimum distributions (RMD). You will face this requirement when you reach the age of 72.

By the US tax law, you are required to start taking withdrawals from your retirement accounts such as 401(k) and IRA. The amount you must withdraw will be determined by the IRS. If you have more than one retirement account, you need to withdraw money from each account.

You need to remember that RMD withdrawals might push you into a higher tax bracket and you need to plan how to pay for additional taxes.

Know your medical expenses and long-term care coverage.

You will become eligible for Medicare at the age of 65. If you plan to retire before age 65 you will need to find a separate plan to cover your medical expenses.

Many baby boomers who are close to retirement still believe in free Medicare. I assume people do not do enough research to understand that Medicare does not cover all your medical expenses.

Medicare does not cover premiums, deductibles, co-pays for doctor visits, dental and vision care, long-term care, personal care, and other expenses. It is important to remember that healthcare is the second biggest expense in retirement after housing and you need to plan for it.

We all know that the healthcare cost is rising. According to recent data from Fidelity, the average out of pocket healthcare cost for a 65-year-old couple will be close to $285,000 instead of $265,000 as it was a few years ago. And that number does not even include long-term care costs.

2. Expect to go through the emotional stages in retirement.

woman - rocky beach - things to know before you retire

Most people go through an emotional process when adjusting to retirement. In the beginning, there is a feeling of freedom and being like on a vacation that is going to last forever. Then, after a few years of fun and enthusiasm, you might start feeling bored.

You will learn that retirement is not a constant vacation. Eventually, you will realize that you have to fill up your days with something more meaningful than just traveling or playing golf.

It is good to be mentally ready for your new phase of life. You do not want to realize that most days you have nothing special to look forward to when you wake up in the morning. Or you do not have any reason to leave your house during the day. Or deep inside you wish you were not retired.

Like many other life transitions, retirement comes with emotional and mental adjustments. If you learn more about the emotional stages of retirement you will know what to expect. That knowledge will help you to better navigate the transition to retirement.

3. Structure your days in retirement.

Before retirement, your life has a predictable routine. The alarm goes off, you take shower, have breakfast, pack your lunch, and head out the door. Your job gives you focus and discipline and forces you to get up every morning. Work takes priority and everything else in life is scheduled around it.

But when you retire, there is nothing but time. Thus, you need to replace the established routine with something new. Waking up and trying to figure out what to do each day can be depressing.

You need to create a new routine that helps you plan your days otherwise you have no reason to get up every morning. It could be a hobby, a sport, a new skill, a part-time job, or volunteer work. Do not go to retirement without having a plan about what you are going to do to stay busy.

Related Posts:

4. Stay socially active and grow your friendship.

After many years of meeting people at work and seeing them every day, it might not be possible to keep up with them when you retire. You might feel isolated from your friends. You might start drifting through the days without much to do if you do not get socially connected with other people.

You can stay connected with your old friends by planning social events. If you are friends with other couples, invite them over for dinner or board games once a month. For many people, their social life relates to their work. However, you can do many things to improve your social life in retirement.

Take advantage of your free time in life to make new friends. It is not hard to find a volunteer job, join a group in the local community, or start taking a class at a senior center. Another thing you can do is to start a new club or join the club. It could be a reading club, a walking club, or a gardening club.

Staying socially active will restructure your daily routine. It will help you to feel that you are doing something meaningful beyond watching Netflix, doing crosswords puzzles, or reorganizing the house.

Putting It All Together

I am sure you have thought a lot about how you will enjoy your life in retirement. But there is a good chance you never thought much about how to transition from the workplace to retirement.

The key to a happy and comfortable retirement is in planning and preparing for it. It includes not just financial planning but envisioning your life in retirement. The more time you spend to know your retirement lifestyle goals, hobbies, and activities, the more successful you will be at this transition.

And If you do it right it might be the best time of your life!

Are you ready to retire? Do you have a clear picture of your retirement? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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How to Create Retirement Lifestyle Goals

by Maggie Leave a Comment

type writer - coffee- create retirement lifestyle goals

Have you ever thought about what your retirement lifestyle would be like? How are you going to spend your days and weeks? Have you thought about creating your retirement lifestyle goals?

With retirement approaching, I have a wonderful vision of my new life. Sleeping late. Taking time to go through the day. Enjoying my morning coffee on the deck or just being lazy.

However, after years of a structured life and busy schedules, it will be hard to deal with endless hours. Going from working a full-time job to having no specific plans for each day might be exciting or depressing.

The lifestyles of today’s retirees are so different from the lifestyle of our parents. Today’s retirees are so active. They travel, volunteer, work part-time, play sports, or start new businesses. They like to spend time with family and friends and learn new technology or skills.

Most future retirees think about financial goals of retirement – “Can I afford to retire?” “How much money do I need to have a secure retirement?” While financial security is important, it is only a small part of what it means to have a happy retirement.

If you are in your 50s or 60s, planning your retirement lifestyle is a smart idea. Look at your retirement as a perfect opportunity for new creations and new adventures because it can be the best time of your life.

Begin the planning process by creating your retirement lifestyle goals. You have been creating goals to achieve things throughout your life and planning a retirement lifestyle is no different. After all, having a goal means you know where you are going and what it takes to get there.

Here are some tips for helping you to plan your future lifestyle:

Envision your retirement lifestyle.

How do you envision your retirement? The point of answering this question is to define what will be important in your new life.

The minute you say goodbye to your coworkers your full retirement starts. What is next for you? You need to figure out what you would like to do for the next 20 or 30 years of your life.

Take a couple of minutes to ask yourself:

How will my life change when I retire?
What will I do with my time?
What do I like to do?
Who will I spend my time with?

Start by setting up big picture goals. What kind of things you would like to do when you retire. First, take a piece of paper and create all the goals you like even you are not sure you can afford them.

Then, group the goals between Wants (what you would like to have) and Wishes (what you wish or dream to have). Call it your retirement to-do list or bucket list.

Here are a few ideas of retirement lifestyle goals:

Travel – What are your travel goals? Do you want to travel every year? Or do you want to make one special trip? Where do you want to travel? Do you have a travel fund? Have you set up your travel budget?

Celebration – Celebrating a special event can make a great goal. What special events do you look forward to celebrating? A family reunion, an anniversary, or a retirement party? Or maybe your daughter or son’s wedding coming up and you want to help to organize and pay for the wedding.

Downsizing – Moving out of your big house into a small rental apartment or condo can be a big lifestyle changing event. It will require a lot of planning such as selling the house, reorganizing your belongings, downsizing your vehicles, finding a new place to live, etc.

Home improvement – Do you plan to continue living in your home for a long time? Do you have big plans to renovate your “old house” to be your dream home or to be more age-friendly?

Vacation home – It is a dream for many people to have a vacation home. Maybe now it is a good time for that vacation home you always wanted. Make it a retirement lifestyle goal and make it come true.

A sailboat, or a luxury car – Do you always wanted to have a sailboat or to drive a luxury car? Then go for it. Make it a lifestyle goal and be happy that you will be driving what you want.

Start a new business or new hobby – If you want to start a new business or develop a new hobby make it a goal and make it happened.

Health habits – Creating new health routines can make an excellent retirement lifestyle goal. Initially, you can start by going to the gym every morning and establishing better sleep routines. Next, you might decide to stop eating processed food, take cooking classes, and learn how to cook at home.

Social network – The professional network you built before retirement is not going to satisfy your social needs in retirement. When you stop working it will be hard to keep in touch with many of your colleagues. They will move on with their lives at work and you will move with your new retirement life. Make it a retirement lifestyle goal to develop new relationships and create your social network.

Volunteer – Many people plan to do some form of volunteering after they retire. Volunteering is a great way to make new friends, enjoy time with like-minded people and simply get out of the house.

Transform your big goals into small steps.

While we are working, we are accustomed to reaching the goals set by others. In retirement, we need to learn how to create the goals relating only to ourselves.

When you set a clear goal, it helps to get a sense of direction.

I like to write down my goals on a piece of paper. In the beginning, my goals come out as wishes. I would write on paper “I would like to write a book”. But then a few weeks later the wish becomes a goal, and I would put it on my agenda. Then I start taking small steps in that direction and slowly my wish becomes a well-designed plan.

If your big goal is to lose weight, start by breaking it into small steps. In the beginning, you can plan on walking 3 times a week. Then slowly you begin jogging 3 times a week. Next, you would look at your eating habits and maybe decide on cooking homemade meals or go vegan for a month.

Creating retirement lifestyle goals will help to transform your wishes into action plans.

Regardless of the goal, the results of this simple process can be powerful. It will help to clarify your direction, provide a feeling of control, and give you a sense of accomplishment.

Structure your days.

Recently I read several articles pointing out that you need to learn how to live slowly in retirement. The idea behind this approach is to enjoy every day instead of ticking things off your to-do list.

Take your time and think about what you want to accomplish by the end of the year. What do you want to do during the summer? And maybe what are your plans for the winter?

You can plan to learn many things – how to sew, how to restore furniture, how to bake, or cook a few new recipes. You can organize a get together event or a trip to visit friends next summer.

The key is to have an overall plan and then break it into smaller steps. Having a couple of things set in each category will help to manage your time.

Have a sense of accomplishment.

a woman jumping over hills - creating lifestyle goals

I have started blogging in 2019. My first post was published on January 17^th. I still remember this date clearly because it was a very important moment in my life. The idea of blogging came up as a wish instead of writing a book. I decided to do a little bit of research on this topic. Then after a year of researching, I found myself with a new blog and multiple social media accounts.

I have to admit I struggled to manage a full-time job and blogging as my new side hustle. Being a non-native English speaker adds to this challenge.

The technical part of blogging is the hardest one. I spent hours trying to set up my website and making it work. In addition to writing and editing blog posts, I have to deal with email marketing, sign-up forms, plug-ins, images, website maintenance, and more.

But I am not planning to stop blogging any time soon!

Every day I try to do better with time management. It gets easier with a routine. Once I break down the bigger goal into smaller pieces, it feels more achievable. And each time one of those steps got accomplished I can pat myself on the back.

Final Thoughts

With a little planning, your retirement lifestyle can be exactly what you imagine. Make your retirement years the best time of your life.

You can create your own active and happy retirement without a million dollars saved in your retirement funds. Retirement is not just about financial planning. It is about your time and how you spend it.

Have you ever thought about your retirement lifestyle goals? How can you break down those goals into manageable steps?

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15 Ideas on What to Do When You Are Retired

by Maggie 4 Comments

a woman reading a book -what to do in retirement

I believe we all are excited about retirement. But have you asked yourself about what to do when you are finally retired.

We spend our lives doing things that we have to do. We go to school, we work and build our careers, we raise kids and take care of our families. We stay busy all the time. After working for three or four decades we are ready for a new life. A new life without early alarms, long commute, meetings, and stress of deadlines. Can you believe it?

When we reach our retirement, we are ready to embrace it as a new phase of life with limitless possibilities and a lot of free time. Although, we do not want to feel bored because we have nothing else to do each day and started to feel useless and lost.

Retirement is a new phase of life and if you want to enjoy this time you need to prepare for it. There are so many things you can do in retirement.

Here is a list of my 15 favorite ideas on what to do when you are retired:

1. Create a retirement bucket list.

I believe it is important to create a retirement bucket list. The bucket list will help you to see what you want to do with your life. It will keep you motivated and helps to set the goals.

Write down a list of things you always wanted to do but never could because you did not have time, energy, money, or something else.

A few ideas from my retirement bucket list:

Live in France for a year
Learn the French language
Live in Italy for a year
Write an e-book
Take dance lessons and learn how to dance salsa
Take cooking classes
Grow a vegetable garden
Design and build a lake house

2. Travel the world.

a canal in city of Venice- 15 ideas on what to do in retirement

I have a passion for travel. Traveling the world in retirement is the number one goal on my retirement bucket list. Roman and I always plan for one or two big trips a year. We like to visit different countries and enjoy the uniqueness. Our main goal is to explore countries rich in history, art, and architecture. Also, we like to try different kinds of food and take cooking classes together.

When we retire, we would like to travel as much as we can afford it depending on our budget. I believe that seeing beautiful destinations and experiencing other cultures will make our time in retirement more memorable.

3. Visit family and friends.

When you are retired, you have so much time on your hands. That is why it is a good idea to take advantage of visiting family and friends. Spending time with your family and visiting loved ones has huge benefits. It will help everyone to stay connected and keep you emotionally happy. It could be a lot of fun and bring back positive memories.

In addition, the get-together visits will help to create new experiences and memories for the future. It could be a joyful and memorable party, a small group stroll in the park, or simply a get-together family for food and games.

4. Spend more time with grandchildren.

Being a grandparent is one of our life’s greatest joy. That is why spending more time with grandkids is a great thing to do in retirement. If you live close to your grandkids you can have an important role in their lives by babysitting them more often. Also, you will help your children to save a lot of money on daycare.

When your children and grandchildren live far away, you can organize a family vacation together or try to visit them more often. You can call, or schedule some time on Skype, FaceTime, or Zoom to talk to them. Yes, seeing your grandkids on a computer screen or phone is not the same as snuggling with them or hugging. But you can enjoy your time together by seeing one another in real-time instead of just calling them.

5. Become a volunteer.

Many retirees get engaged in volunteering and found it meaningful and rewarding. Volunteering is a great way to stay busy and engaged socially with other people. There are so many ways to help others from mentoring children to assisting at the hospital or a local library. There are countless opportunities out there if you want to follow this route.

Think about what you would like to do and which organizations you would like to help. Then contact them and offer your help.

Check out volunteer jobs at the following websites:

6. Apply for a part-time job.

You are retired from work so, why would you want to apply for a part-time job. But according to the studies, 55 percent of American workers plan to continue working in retirement with 41 percent going part-time.

The reasons for working in retirement might be different. Some people will want the additional income. Sometimes having a little extra cash in your pocket help to pay for a family vacation or buy something you normally would not.

Others need to work because they cannot afford retirement. But many retirees who apply for a part-time job find the advantage of staying active and keeping their brain sharp. People enjoy working part-time because it gives them a sense of purpose and helps to stay socially connected.

15 Part-Time Jobs for Retirees

7. Find a new hobby.

When you are retired you want to spend your time doing things you love. To find out what you always wanted to do, ask yourself what I am good at and what I wanted to do.

You can use a piece of paper and pen or a Note app on your phone to write down your favorite things to do. I keep a list of things I love to do on my phone and add to it whenever a new idea pops into my head.

Here is a list of popular hobbies:

Gardening
Painting
Playing the piano or other musical instruments
Singing
Sewing
Knitting
Reading
Writing
Photography
Cooking
Woodworking
Restoring cars
Remodeling
Redecorating
Restoring furniture.

8. Remodel your home to be more retirement friendly.

It is not a secret that most of us have a deep emotional connection to our home. Whether you want to relocate to another state or retire-in-place you would want to make your home more retirement friendly. There are many ways to remodel your home. It could be a small or big project.

The most popular renovation projects recommended for retirees:

A first-floor bedroom – a great solution because climbing the stairs in the years ahead might make it difficult.

An easy entrance to home – make sure you have at least one exterior door with a flat entry rather than steps.

Bathroom remodeling – install grab bars in the shower and bathtub to be an age-friendly space. Other suggestions: install a higher toilet (19 inches high) for future balance issues; install a no-threshold shower, so you will not trip over the edge.

Kitchen remodeling – place a microwave on a counter, install a pullout pantry, lower the kitchen counters with easy access to kitchen utensils.

Eventually, you will need to get rid of the scatter rugs around the house and install a wood floor or wall to wall carpet to eliminate the hazard of tripping over them when you grow older.

Install brighter lighting for better visibility.

9. Grow a vegetable garden.

man sitting in his garden-ideas on what to do in retirement

I am not big on gardening, but I always admire a beautiful garden designed by other people. Hobbies are important to all of us, whatever age we are.

Gardening is one of the most popular hobbies in retirement. It helps you to relax, spend more time outside, stay active, and fit. Growing a vegetable garden can be your new passion and a healthy habit of eating fresh vegetables.

You can grow fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Also, you can grow cut flowers for the house. Use your imagination and design your vegetable garden to be practical, as well as interesting and inspiring. Think ahead of time which new plans to grow next year and order seeds for future sowing.

Growing your vegetables can bring enjoyment into your retirement life. You can create it as a space to entertain your friends, have a garden party, or just a place to enjoy your hobby.

10. Go back to school or take a class.

If you always wanted to learn something new, retirement is a perfect time to go back to school. Taking a class is a good way to stay mentally and socially active. When you are learning new things, you find a way to improve yourself. And we all know that “you are never too old to learn something new”.

You do not need to take purely academic or career-oriented classes. Sometimes, engaging in a cooking class, learning how to play a violin or guitar will help you to find your hidden talents.

Here are a few class’s ideas:

Writing
Art
Architecture
Interior Design
Creative writing
Pottery
Painting
Music
Cooking

11. Start cooking and host a party.

a table with dishes - cooking as a retirement hobby - 15 ideas on what to do when you are retired

Cooking is a great hobby in retirement for many reasons. Learning the basics of cooking will help to eat healthy. Also, cooking at home is more economical than eating out.

Getting started with cooking is not as difficult as every one of us has a kitchen at home. Do not worry if your kitchen is not equipped with expensive equipment, you can add it later or just use your creativity and cook with what you already have.

Most people know the basics of cooking. I love to cook. My father was an excellent cook and my sister and I learned the basics of cooking from him.

If you want to make it as a hobby you can learn from books like many people. There are videos of recipes to try, cooking channels on TV to watch and learn. Most cookbooks come with basic tips and techniques so you can learn fast.

There is a joy of cooking for friends and family. Hosting dinner or a cooking party can be a great way to get everyone involved and have fun.

How to Host a Dinner Party

12. Write a book.

For many people writing is a passion. It has become popular with people of all ages. If you like to write, then writing and self-publishing can be your favorite activity or part-time job during retirement. You can simply write for pleasure or a side income. However, selling books requires a lot of work including writing, editing, and self-publishing.

If you have good writing skills and some knowledge about content marketing, you can become a freelance writer and write articles instead of books.

Another popular way is to start a blog and write, publish, and promote your books, articles, or e-books through your website.

If you feel that writing books when you retire is your best option, then go for it! The best part is the flexibility. You can start slow, learn, restart again, and increase at any time.

How to Publish a Book in 2020

13. Join a gym or exercise daily.

Joining a gym or exercising daily will help you to stay healthy and hold off the diseases that come with old age and sitting too long in front of the TV.

Walking, exercising, running, going to the gym, taking yoga classes are all popular ways to stay fit in retirement.

Another way to stay fit and have fun is to participate in whatever sports you like. Hiking, swimming, running, fishing, canoeing, kayaking will help you to keep up with an exercise routine and stay healthy for many years.

14. Start a club.

Another thing you can do in retirement is to start a club. It could be a retirement club, a reading club, a walking club, a gardening club, etc. Talk to your friends and neighbors if it will be enough interest in whatever topic you choose. Get the word out and put flyers on the bulletin boards or even create your own website.

After that, schedule and arrange a meeting to see who might be willing to help you organize and manage the group going forward. By starting a club or special interest group you will make new friends and help others come together, share a common interest, and have fun.

How to Start a Club

15. Start a new business.

You do not want to be bored when you retire. That is why you might want to start a new business to occupy your time and share knowledge with others.

In today’s technology age you do not have to invest a lot of money to become an entrepreneur. There are so many online opportunities to earn money from the comfort of your home. Starting a new online business can be a great way to fill your day and earn extra money.

5 Great Home Business Ideas for Retirees

Final Thoughts

Retirement is a new phase of life. And if you want to enjoy this time you need to prepare for it. We all start saving money and preparing financially for our retirement years. Having finances in order is important for a comfortable retirement.

However, thinking about what you are going to do when you are retired is equally important for a happy retirement.

Have you thought about what you want to do when you are retired? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

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Get Ready for 5 Common Emotional Stages of Retirement

by Maggie Leave a Comment

a woman in the field-sunset-emotional stages of retirement

Retirement is a big lifestyle changing event. You will need time to process and adjust to your new life when you finally retire.

Most people think about financial goals of retirement – “How much money do I need to retire?” or “Can I afford to retire?” While financial security is important, future retirees need to accumulate more than money for a successful retirement.

You need to be mentally ready for your new phase of life. You do not want to realize that most days you have nothing special to look forward to when you wake up in the morning. Or you do not have any reason to leave your house during the day. Or deep inside you wish you were not retired. These are all signs that you are not mentally ready for retirement.

Like many other life transitions, retirement comes with emotional and mental adjustments. If you prepare yourself and learn more about the most common emotional stages of retirement you can gain the knowledge of what to expect.

Following these tips on the emotional stages of retirement will help you to better navigate the transition to a new phase of your life.

Get ready for 5 most common emotional stages of retirement:

First stage: Planning for retirement

Planning and saving for retirement take many decades before you can actually retire. Many of us focus on building our careers and saving money for retirement. Planning for retirement not always include a discussion about the emotional stages of our golden years.

When we are 20 or 30 years away from retirement, we do not think about our retirement life in details. We are busy with paying mortgage on time, saving money for kid’s college, and having a little bit of fun. But when you feel that your working life is coming to the finish line you need to plan what you will do with your life when you reach the end zone.

The first stage of retirement will come with lifestyle changes such as decisions on where to live and what to do. Downsizing, retiring in place, or relocating can bring financial freedom but could cause a roller coaster of emotions.

All change is stressful. When you retire the stress of changing your lifestyle will be there and you have to deal with it while making some serious decisions.

When you are within 5 years of a retirement date you should start working on your goals and expectations. Start thinking about what you are going to do with so much free time on your hands.

Take a few minutes to answer some questions:

What will I do with my time?
What activities will fill my days?
How will my life change when I retire?
Do I want to work in retirement? If yes, doing what?

Second stage: Excitement about retirement

travel bag w/ sunglasses - excitement of retirement

Most people begin to feel excited when they think about upcoming retirement. Honestly, I feel this way quite often!

I am sure that many baby boomers are counting down the days until their retirement officially begins. The feeling of relief and freedom from the stress and responsibilities of the day-to-day of working life. The freedom of doing something I wanted to do and not because it is on my to-do list.

People have been planning for retirement for years and this stage offers plenty of opportunities for new experiences in their life. In this phase of your life, you can be whoever you want to be.

The minute you say goodbye to your coworkers your full retirement starts. You might have a big celebration with colleagues, family, and friends or just a small dinner party for marking this day. Whatever ceremony you choose for the big day it will come with smiles, handshakes, and farewell gifts.

Once the retirement celebrations are over, the excitement of full retirement starts. This phase might be short for some retirees or might last for many years for others. It will vary depending on how much activity people planned for this stage.

Many new retirees have a long list of things they wanted to do once they stopped working for the boss.

There are so many opportunities around you. You can travel to places you have never been to before. You can acquire a new skill or learn a new language. You can visit your friends and family more often or spend more time with your grand-kids. Emotionally you would be more relaxed and hopefully enjoying your retirement years in full.

Third stage: Disappointment

Unfortunately, the second stage does not last forever. For some retirees, the stage of excitement is followed by a period of disappointment.

After a few years of fun and enthusiasm, you might start feeling bored. You will learn that retirement is not a constant vacation. Eventually, you will realize that you have to fill up your days with something more meaningful than just traveling or playing golf.

The retirement brings a huge amount of freedom and you might feel lost not knowing what to do with all free time on your hands. When the reality of retirement hits in, many retirees start feeling useless and isolated. It can be easy to slip into a depression during this stage.

Learning about the third stage of retirement should help to be ready for the emotional part of being disappointed and how to deal with it. In this stage is important to understand that you can create a sense of purpose again. Sharing your feelings with family and friends might help to come up with a plan if you feel helpless.

Fourth stage: Building a new purpose in life

The fourth stage is often considered the most emotionally challenged. To build a new identity and find a new purpose in life can take some time and effort to accomplish. As a retiree, you might need to answer questions such as “What is my purpose in life?” or “Who I am now?”

Find a new identity

a men with a guitar on the street - emotionals stages in retirement

As a working adult you get used to identifying yourself a certain way – as a doctor, a teacher, or a business owner, and so on. But in retirement, you might struggle to find a new identity because your profession is settling into the back seat.

Start practicing the way you will introduce yourself to others going forward. I think I will introduce myself as “a retired interior designer” or “a personal finance blogger”.

To find your new identity, you need to discover yourself again. So, ask yourself:

What are my talents?
What do I like and what I do not like?
What are my weakness and strengths?

Build a new purpose in life

If you want to build a new purpose in life you need to find the activities which fulfill your life and your identity. Many retirees choose to volunteer for local organizations or have a part-time job. Others go back to school and continue their education at local colleges.

During our working days, our jobs gave us focus and discipline. It forced us to go to work every day and worked on accomplishing various tasks. But when you retire, you need to replace that build-in structure with something new.

It could be a hobby, a sport, a new skill, a part-time job, or volunteer work. Do not go to retirement without having a plan about what you are going to do to stay busy.

Whatever you choose to do, make sure that you do not fall into depression during this stage. Find some activities that give you a sense of meaningful purpose in life.

Fifth stage: Routine and stability

Once the reality of retirement set in you can start enjoying this phase of your life. You do not need to plan or prepare for retirement anymore.

At this final stage, you should be happy and satisfied with who you are as a person. You should be content with where you are in life and continue living it in full.

At this point in your life, you would replace your work routines with new routines. It will be best if your new routines are a combination of physical, mental, and social activities. To be successful in retirement means finding happiness in your activities, hobbies, and relationships.

Final Thoughts

Retirement comes with a series of transitions. I have read that all retirees will go through several stages of emotions after they stop working. But you will have an easier transition from working to retiring if you begin to map out the direction of your new life sooner.

Take some time and outline what you will do after you retire. Writing down your dreams and goals will help to navigate you through the transition. It will greatly determine your happiness and how you live the next phase of your life.

Have you read or thought about the emotional stages of retirement? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

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