After years of toiling away at your day job, retirement is a chapter of life that everyone should look forward to. But for many people, the sudden lack of routine and structure can lead to a loss of identity and purpose. Struggling to adapt to retirement life? We’re here to help with some top tips on how to adapt to retirement!
Tips on adapting to retirement:
- Structure your days
- Find a new purpose
- Make a retirement budget
- Pick up a part-time job
- Stay connected with friends and family
- Get a pet
- Keep an eye on your health
Structure your days
Retirement may have you longing for the routine and structure of your work life. Think about it - before you’d have a specific time to wake up, have a shower, take a lunch break and so on. If you are someone who needs a schedule to keep you on the straight and narrow, consider using one throughout your retirement years. Get into the habit of waking up and going to bed the same time every day to keep you more energetic, and schedule in time for exercise and daily meals.
Find a fulfilling hobby
If you’ve had a lifelong hobby that you’ve never had time for, now is the time to nurture it.
At the same time, you can go after hobbies and interests you’ve never even thought of yet. You could try your hand at learning a new language, pick up a new musical instrument, or get through a really long book list. That’s the best part about retirement - the world is your oyster!
Make a retirement budget
You may think you’ve saved enough to enjoy a comfortable retirement, but it always helps to be prudent with the money you spend! Start by working out what you want from your retirement, whether it’s lavish holidays or the luxury of taking your grandchildren out all the time. Once you’ve done this, you can identify how much money you need to be able to enjoy the retirement you deserve.
Pick up a part-time job
Do you miss the routine and activity of your former job? Why not pick up a new part-time role to make the transition into retirement smoother? Getting into a part-time role won’t just give you a renewed sense of purpose. It can also help you make some extra income, pick up some new life skills, and meet new people! With your experience and bags of free time, there are loads of post-retirement jobs waiting to be discovered!
Stay connected with friends and family
Going into retirement, you might feel that you are missing out on the social life you had at work. But while you won’t be able to see your former work colleagues everyday, you can always meet new people or build on the friendships you already have. Growing up often makes it harder to keep up with your relationships, but this doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Always schedule some time for socialising, whether it’s asking a friend out to lunch, or meeting new people through a shared hobby!
Get a pet
Building your human relationships isn’t the only way you can overcome isolation in retirement. You can also pick up a new furry friend to keep you company! From dogs to cats and hamsters, buying yourself a pet will encourage you to get out and about, boosts your happiness, and helps to combat loneliness! Find out some of the benefits of owning a pet in retirement here.
Keep an eye on your health
Swapping the activity of work life to the free time of retirement is a huge change to deal with. If unchecked, it could have a negative effect on your mood and even your mental health! Before this can become a problem, look at your lifestyle and see what changes you can make to stay in good health. Get regular exercise, keep your brain occupied, and be sure to eat all of the right foods!
Embarking on your retirement years can be a huge shock to the system. To make this transition as easy as possible, Churchill Living does everything to ensure your move goes off without a hitch. From downsizing services to help moving home, check out our development search to get your retirement started in style.