Transitioning To Retirement: Part 1

Many people look forward to the day they will retire with much anticipation. This is especially true for those of us with jobs which pay the bills but don't engage us, challenge us or feed our souls.  Much of this anticipation revolves around getting away from the stress and other issues involved with our jobs; but do we really know what retirement will look like on a day-to-day basis once we get there?

In a series of three articles, we will look at the transition from full-time work to being a retiree, and some of the issues and feelings that this transition often raises. Part I deals with planning for a happy and successful retirement while you're still working.  Part II will outline a discussion with a Sussex County life coach/counselor about what common issues she hears from her clients regarding this transition. Part III will address my own personal experience with retirement transition and what I've heard about the subject from my family members, friends and colleagues.

The focus of this series is on your emotional wellness during and after the transition to retirement and, therefore, is not intended to be a discussion on all aspects of retirement planning.

Part I:  Planning for a Happy Retirement

Common pitfalls for the newly retired

Katherine Lee authored an excellent article for EverydayHealth.com entitled Have a Happy Retirement which notes that the transition from work to retirement "can trigger a complex range of emotions, including fear and even depression." Knowing the pitfalls that could cause you to be unhappy in retirement should enable you to plan for them and hopefully avoid them:

• When a person identifies him or herself primarily through their work, this can lead to an unsatisfying retirement because they no longer feel the sense of power, accomplishment, control or satisfaction their work brought them it is no longer part of their lives.

• Not having a regular place to go or a daily routine can be difficult for some; additionally, most of us have relationships on some level with our colleagues or customers and loss of regular contact with those people may lead to feelings of isolation or sadness.

• For a retired couple, the increased "together time" can be a problem. As psychologist Irene Deitch, Ph.D., noted in the aforementioned article "When one or both partners are at work, there is a natural division of personal space. Suddenly being together 24 hours a day, seven days a week can be incredibly disruptive."

• Retirement is often a reminder that we're closer to the end of our lives than to the beginning. This is naturally going to bring up issues (and sometimes fears) about our own mortality. 

Planning for a happy retirement

"Okay," I can hear you saying, "now I know the pitfalls; but how do I make sure they don't ruin my retirement?" If you want to have a happy retirement, you have to work at it! Some ideas:

• Plan your future NOW. If you have the luxury of time (i.e., your retirement is voluntary), start planning what you'll be spending your time doing once you're retired while you're still working. Will you volunteer? Garden? Babysit your grandkids? Travel? Start a business?

If you want to volunteer your time, contact your county's Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) for help in matching you to the right activity (in Delaware, you can reach RSVP at 302-856-5815 (Sussex), 302-255-9882 (New Castle) or (302) 734-1200 (Kent)).

Or go to Volunteer Match, enter what kind of volunteering you want to do and where you live, and the site will tell you what's available. It's worth noting, however, that if you live in a small town, the choices may be limited.

• Make it so!  While you can't control every possibility of what may happen in retirement, you can start planning for a happy retirement by being positive about it! It may sound silly, but it works (more on that in Part III). If you think about retirement as being a positive, happy experience before it even gets here, chances are higher that it will be. Some ideas:

Write down five things that would define a happy retirement for you (better relationship with spouse, helping others, etc.). Turn them into positive affirmations ("I will have a better relationship with my spouse in retirement."). Repeat them daily (in the morning or at bedtime). We're betting you'll start to feel more positive about retirement!

Write down five things you've always wanted to do and start planning how to get them done. Just researching these things on the Internet can get you excited about doing them!

• Build your support system. If you don't already have a circle of friends outside of work who can be your support system in retirement, start making it a priority to meet new people. Take classes at night or on the weekends, go to the farmers' market or gym regularly, etc.

• Exercise and eat right. Being as healthy as possible going into retirement can only help you get the best out of it and be able to enjoy it longer. As noted in Katherine Lee's article "Not only will getting active increase mood-boosting, stress-relieving chemicals such as endorphins and serotonin, it'll also increase your overall health and help ward off illnesses."

Whether you are apprehensive about the idea of retirement or embrace it, we hope that this series will be helpful to you as you plan your way to a happy retirement!