Some time ago, people thought that all a retired person has to look forward to is sitting with their feet up and watching TV. However, times have changed, and retirement today is the perfect time to really live your life to the fullest. If you’re a young retiree, you have health, money and time—all you need to have an adventure of the lifetime. So how exactly do you prepare for a happy retirement? Here are a few tips that will ensure your best days are still in front of you.
Find your purpose
First things first, you need to ensure every day has meaning. Why? Well, leading a meaningful life slows down the effects of aging and people who have a purpose to get up every day regularly outlive their directionless peers. To put it in numbers, retired people with a goal have a 15% lower risk of premature death. You think it’s too late for you to find a purpose in life in your 60s? It doesn’t matter when you find it, it will ensure you have a longer, happier and healthier life.
Stay physically active
Physical activity is not only good for maintaining a healthy weight, keeping health issues in line and retaining muscle mass—it also has amazing effects on mental health, social life and general wellbeing. Exercise can even keep you protected from dementia and other age-related conditions. So, make sure to get at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week. If you’re just starting to exercise, take your time and start slow. A good idea to keep you accountable and focused is to sign up for a charity event that will give you a clear goal to work towards.
Meet new people
Many seniors suffer from social isolation, especially those that are single. Social isolation is not only obviously boring, but it can leave long-term emotional, mental and physical negative effects, so try to stay in touch with family members and old friends and do your best to meet new folks. Today, it’s especially tricky for retired people to be social in a safe and healthy way, but with the internet, everything is possible. Platforms like Stitch are providing people over 50 with a safe way to communicate, make new friends and build life-lasting connections. Through shared interests and activities, people you meet can greatly improve your life and breathe new life into it.
It is vital to consider independent living apartments, where others of similar ages and interests surround seniors. Many retirement communities also offer occasional events and parties. This allows seniors to stay active and social.
Have your finances sorted
One of the main struggles and stress factors in later life are financial issues. Even if you have started to save up for your retirement early, unexpected costs you have to cover might occur. Of course you can always take a part-time job, but for many people this is not a viable possibility due to illness or similar things. It is therefore not surprising that more and more people decide to go with other options, such as equity release, which is especially popular today. It is easy to find out how equity release works online and get advice on what is best for each individual’s situation. Because nothing is better than being able to enjoy your retirement without worrying about money.
Travel and explore
If you never used to be a big traveler (due to lack of money and then time), it’s high time you learned how to explore the world. Traveling is the most popular activity for retired people, and for all the good reasons—it keeps you active, learning, meeting new people and seeing new things. Right now, leaving your state or country is not recommended, but you can already start planning your future trips, no matter if one-day road trips or around-the-world journeys. Need some ideas? Here are a few retirement trip ideas to consider for when we can hit the road again.
Give back to the community
Maybe you never had time to volunteer, but now you certainly do. No matter what attracts your attention (coaching, helping youth, rescuing animals, protecting the environment, providing support for the elderly, etc.) there are plenty of organizations and charities that gasp for a helping hand. This selfless activity will not only help a lot of people and animals in need but also put things in perspective for you and make you feel grateful and happy.
Treat yourself regularly
If you made a good retirement plan, you will have plenty of time and money to dedicate to yourself. You worked hard for decades, and now it’s time for some pampering and TLC. No matter what your indulgence is—a city break, a day at the spa, going out to eat or hitting the cinema—make sure to schedule these small pleasures whenever you get the chance. You deserve a treat. However, don’t overindulge or overspend—smart and controlled treats are the best and healthiest for our bodies.
Who says that retirement is boring? If you find your purpose, stay busy and treat yourself like it’s your birthday every day, you will have a blast. Retirement is the new youth, folks!
