4KZ with Glenn Johns
Some people think it’s a misnomer. Some people think it’s a finish line. Some people think it’s a magical place and time where dreams turn into reality.
The best way I can describe it is as the beginning. We may leave our jobs, but our life keeps going on.
For some people, they don’t know what retirement looks like. And that can be tough to know, especially when you factor in some statistics about life expectancy. For men, in particular, about five years after retirement, life often takes a turn for the worse. So, it’s really important to think about what matters to you and what you might like to do when you retire.
I’ve retired twice myself, and I know what it’s like when you’re just sitting there thinking, “What am I going to do now?”
You don’t have to get up at the same time every day, and you don’t have to go off somewhere to work. The identity that you’ve been attached to for so long has disappeared. And then somebody says to you, “What do you do?” or “What do you do now?” and you’ve got no answer.
I do think “retirement” is a misnomer because the word turns people in the wrong direction. There’s so much you can do once you quit working! The tricky bit is to think about it ahead of time and use a systematic way of approaching it instead of just falling into what the next thing might be.
Take volunteering, for example. There are websites where you can register to get involved in all kinds of projects. I’ve been heavily involved with a local sports club for a while now, and it’s been wonderful doing something purposeful that gives me a rest from my regular day – I’m not on another string and am doing work I really enjoy. Not to mention the club benefits from my skills.
There’s a lot to be feared about not having to get up and do the things you’re used to doing, whether it’s working for the man or being at the beck and call of your own business. Your circle of friends and the work you do has been the same for a long time, so it’s important to maintain the good feelings you’ve gotten from it and keep that for the future. You don’t want to fall into depression.
And one of the best ways to stay healthy and out of depression is to have a think about what you really want to do when you quit working. Give yourself the gift of making an exit plan that keeps you and what matters to you squarely in the center of it all, so your “retirement” is the best it can be.
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