- How will I fill my time? – We rarely comprehend the amount of free time we receive the moment we retire. It might seem like a dream at first, with plenty of time to rest and visit new places. But there’s research that proves how the moment the initial honeymoon period has passed, people don’t know what to do with all their spare time. They start to feel bored and wonder what to do all day. Before deciding to retire, make sure you still have a daily schedule, with plenty of activities. The shock of going from a 9-5 schedule to an all-free schedule might be too big for you.
- Who do I want to be in this next chapter of my life? – If you’re planning to retire, you should first ask yourself: what are your passion and interests? What do you enjoy? What makes you happy? If you want to spend time with your grandkids as fast and as much as possible, then it’s the best thing for you. If you feel like you still didn’t accomplish everything that you wished for career-wise, then you’re not ready to retire.
- Do I really want to retire, or am I feeling pressure from other people in my life? – This situation requires complete honesty: when you’re making important life decisions, you have to be sure you’re not being influenced by anyone else. Maybe you feel like you need to invest more time in your career, then retiring now would be a bad idea. Of course, the more you age the more you take into consideration the opinions of those who care for you, but in the end, your health and happiness must come first.
Research shows people don’t know what to do with their time after they retire? Wow, that’s not been my experience or that of anyone I know. In fact we wonder how we ever found time to work at a 40 hour a week job. Anyone who retires and doesn’t have enough pastimes to keep them happily occupied has been living for their job and needs to find new interests.