Happy Retirement – don’t wait until it happens to start adjusting!

The news is out – Stats NZ Tatauranga Aotearoa (New Zealand’s official data agency) reports life expectancy, at birth, continues to increase. And at such a pace, from a projected 80.8 years (males) and 84.4 years (females) in 2021, it is expected to rise to to 86.1 years (males) and 89.0 years (females) in 2060. Plot yourself somewhere on that continuum, according to your current age, and it’s not hard to understand you could end up retired for a very long time. That’s good news, right? Only if you prepare for it!

The sad fact is, while most retirees prepare (either officially or more casually) for the financial side of their retirement, few give any serious, long-term thought to the social side. Consequently, retirement can hit hard. It can even result in family relationship crises, and worrying mental health issues. Which is why you may feel it would be a good idea to engage the services of a retirement counsellor – and yes – they do exist. However, before you do, let’s take a look at DIY options, outside of financial planning, you can start preparing for retirement, right now:

Cement those work friendships

Over the years, some of our closest relationships are forged with our work colleagues. Unfortunately, because we meet these people on a daily basis, we tend to take their friendships for granted, and never actively foster them. If you have friends at a workplace you’ll be retiring from, work towards meeting them outside of work hours, too. It doesn’t need to be a dramatic change – start by suggesting they might like to go to a cafe for a coffee for morning tea break instead of the staffroom. If they’re talking about a job they’re busy with at home, offer to lend a hand. If you both have grandchildren (or you have grandchildren and they have kids of their own), why not suggest you meet up for a Saturday morning at the park. Don’t be afraid to be honest about what you’re doing, and why.

Widen your friendship group

We all have plans about the groups we’ll join once we retire. However, making this happen, while also adjusting to the mental demands of retirement, means we may not get around to it when we most need to. Instead of postponing joining until you retire, do it now. You may not get to all the meet-ups. You may not even get to one. But your subs will be paid, and the schedule of get-togethers will be waiting for you (in fact, once you receive it, why not print it off right away, and magnet it to your fridge as a reminder!).

Build-up your family relationships

In a busy working life, it’s so easy to lose touch with family. Even sons, daughters, and grandchildren can fade into the middle distance. What’s even worse, our relationship with our partner can deteriorate as we grind our way towards retirement. Those relationships can’t be rebuilt in a day, or even a week. And certainly not when you’re also dealing with the stress (yes, it’s a thing) of having just retired. So start building those relationships right now. Reconnect with the kids (it only takes a phone call or a visit). Start actively engaging with your partner – make a date with them, sit down at the table for your meals instead of in front of the TV, work together on a household maintenance project. You can do this!

In our next article, we’ll check out more retirement preparations plans so you can look forward to enjoying some of the best years of your life!