Everyone talks a lot about how to prepare for retirement financially, but often there is less focus on how to re-orient your life and mindset. Research shows that the way people feel about their retirements follows a u-shaped curve; first, people are quite positive, then not as much, and then are positive again. From the “honeymoon” phase of retirement to disenchantment and re-orientation, here’s how to get yourself through.
The Honeymoon Phase:
Many people idealize retirement. When we’re extremely busy, the idea of unlimited free time is tempting. So, when people finally reach retirement and don’t wake up to an alarm clock every day and go golfing instead of commuting, it’s no surprise that they experience an initial honeymoon phase. During the first few months, it’s easy to enjoy the simple pleasures and newfound freedom retirement offers, but after a while, boredom, loneliness, or a lack of purpose can set in.
Next Comes Disenchantment:
The second stage is disenchantment. Some retirees feel an emotional letdown after a while of living without a schedule or productive role. If a retiree hasn’t replaced the social contact they had at work with frequent social engagements, they can feel lonely and miss the socialization work offered them.
What Comes After is Up to You:
Understanding the stages of retirement can help you through times when reality doesn’t live up to expectations. Making adjustments to your lifestyle and not taking the many things to love about retirement for granted are ways to re-establish a positive feeling about your retirement. Filling in schedules with more trips, time with family and friends, and meaningful hobbies, volunteering, or picking up new activities in retirement can help to re-orient retirees towards a more meaningful retirement. After a while, careers are seen as the past, and new routines and goals are seen as the new present. Even during times of boredom or disillusionment with retirement, retirees can remember that when it comes down to it, the financial stability that allows them to stay retired instead of going back to work is priceless.
