7 Tips to Help You Make the Most of Your Retirement Lifestyle

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Whether you are looking forward to the day you retire or not, the transition to retirement will be easier if you have prepared for it in advance. And it’s not just about how you’re going to cope financially and physically but also about how you are going to fill your days in order to feel fulfilled and happy. How you spend your retirement years can make a huge difference to your health and quality of life.

We’ve put together seven tips to help you identify and prioritize the things you want to do in retirement to ensure you stay healthy and happy.

1. Picture your new life

Take some time to visualize your perfect life in retirement. What can you see? Do you see yourself taking up long-abandoned hobbies or starting new ones? Traveling to exotic places? Spending time with family and grandchildren? Would you like to become involved in action groups? Volunteer for a local charity? Finally learn how to bake? Restore vintage cars and bikes? More time means more options. Think about what will bring meaning and purpose to your life. For example, supporting charities can boost a greater sense of purpose in life. However, huge charitable contributions might need proper charitable planning. Consider getting the help of charity advisors to ensure the money is going to the right places.

2. Have a frank discussion with your partner

If you have a partner, it’s important to have a frank conversation with them about what you want out of your retirement. This is especially important if they’re approaching retirement too.

Retirement means different things to different people. You may have visions of spending your time travelling the world while they may want to use this time to spend time with family. Knowing each other’s aspirations is the first step to finding a happy medium so you can both enjoy your retirement years.

3. Ensure you can support yourself financially 

While retirement planning is probably something you’ve already addressed and have plans in place to ensure that you have enough money to live off when you’re no longer working, it’s always a good idea to book an appointment with a financial advisor to make sure that your plans are on track. For instance, you might want to consider selling your life insurance policy when entering retirement, which can yield up to 60% of the death benefit as opposed to lapsing or surrendering it.

4. Develop a routine

You may be looking forward to the freedom and flexibility of your retirement years. However, having too much flexibility and free time can often lead to procrastination. Most of us prefer to live with a routine. That doesn’t mean you need a full schedule of activities. Slotting regular activities into your weeks will give you a purpose – as will setting some boundaries on the times you go to bed and get up.

5. Keep up social connections

If your current social life primarily revolves around your work life, it’s likely to change when you retire. Think about the connections you want to keep and look at ways to make new ones, either through volunteering or joining groups of like-minded people. It may also be the ideal time to rekindle and expand relationships with your partner and close family, especially if they have taken a bit of a backseat during your working years.

6. Keep on learning

Challenging your brain is essential to keep it sharp. Learn a new language, take a course, master a musical instrument. Learn about different cultures. Take an adult education course.

7. Look after your health

Keeping on top of your medical conditions and ensuring that you remain physically active will help to keep you healthy as you age. If you’ve never been a regular exerciser, walking and low-impact sports and activities such as golf will help to raise your heart rate, yoga or Pilates will improve your flexibility, while weight training will keep your bones, muscles and joints strong.

Retirement should be a time you look forward to; a time where you can relax and enjoy life. Make the most of your time by following the above seven tips.