Planning for Retirement
"Retirement wasn’t working for Dwayne. A deliberate, thoughtful man, Dwayne spent 25 years with a Fortune 500 company rising through the ranks to Company Vice President of Logistics. When he retired, Dwayne expected to fall easily into a life of leisure – rising late, doing what he wanted when he wanted, and traveling frequently with his wife Mary. Now, three months post-retirement, he finds his days endlessly boring, spent mostly sleeping or watching television. He doesn’t like golf, gardening is too hot, and Mary has her own activities which don’t include him.
As many retirees discover, leaving one life to begin another is difficult. A May 2013 study by the UK’s Institute of Economic Affairs reports 40% of retirees suffer from clinical depression, while 6 out of 10 report a decline in health.
The truth is, even though most professionals look forward to retirement, the loss of a job can be unexpectedly traumatic. According to psychologists, jobs provide mental health benefits including:
- Feelings of contribution and being appreciated
- The satisfaction of solving problems and learning new things
- Relationships with fellow workers
- Daily routines eliminating mental decisions about “what to do next”
The key to a positive retirement is to ensure these benefits don’t get lost, but are simply experienced in a different way."
So how do you PLAN on changing your work life? One suggestions is (of course) is by investing in a working project that keeps you busy, like yachting, sailing, or boating. Not only do you have to manage a big piece of equipment, you get to be your own boss and set your own goals with how you want that project to go. You can even start, or become part of a sailing club in which you build new relationships and form teams for friendly adventures.
It's about working your mental activities and keeping them going that helps prevent boredom and depression.
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