A smooth retirement is as much about psychological wellness as it’s about financial. People today are smart enough to ask themselves if they are saving enough for retirement. What they don’t ask is if they are stockpiling their emotional reserves just as much.
Although some retirees embrace their retirement by actively spending time with family, engaging in hobbies and having a good time, a significant number of them, particularly the ones who have attached their sense of identity and value to their work, fall into major clinical depression according to a growing body of research.
Discover what makes you happy
One of the things to do before you retire is to complete your list of things that make you happy. It will come in handy after you retire and can’t figure out what to do with your free time.
Bridge Employment or None?
Psychologists suggest that people close to retirement should consider if they want to continue to work in some capacity after they retire. Retirees who take up a temporary job or become self-employed are said to have transitioned into “Bridge Employment”. Working post-retirement is a 21st century phenomenon and a fast growing one, as surveys suggest two-thirds of the soon-to-be-retired people, 60 years of age and above, say they will look for another job after they retire.
Volunteer
Psychologists say volunteering is great for psychological health. It is one guard against three major post-retirement risks of hypertension, depression and dementia. According to Psychologist Jacquelyn B. James, PhD, of the Sloan Center on Aging and Work at Boston College, only the people who totally immerse themselves in diverse volunteering activities discover the psychological benefits attached to it.
Once you retire, it is crucial to remind yourself every so often that you are free and happy, and that you have waited for this all your life. This will freshen up your perspective, drive away your boredom, and you’ll find yourself brimming with happiness again.