By Maxine Roeper Cohen, M.S.
Most seniors look forward to the day when they can retire from work. They might have worked forty, fifty, or more years, and now it’s time for the next phase of life, retirement! It sounds like paradise, with time to do all the things that have been put off due to a demanding work schedule. High on the list of activities to pursue are travel, home improvement projects, and social visits with family and friends. This heady feeling of unstructured leisure time might last for a few months or even a year. Then reality sets in and many seniors wonder what to do next.
Freedom to do what one wants, and when one wants to, is terrific. This, of course, depends upon having good health and enough money to enjoy this special time. The missing element, for some seniors, is planning ahead and thinking about what purpose they see in each day. A demanding work life with a packed schedule sometimes prevents any free time in which to develop other interests. The seniors who do best in retirement have been the ones who have found time to pursue hobbies, do volunteer work in the community, or perhaps dream about their next career (whether it’s paid or volunteer work). The difference between a fulfilling retirement and a boring retirement comes down to finding new purpose, or purposes, in which to devote your time.
For some individuals, work is their primary passion, and continuing to work is preferable. Winding down from full time to part-time work may be possible, and this gives one the opportunity to re-shuffle activities over a longer period of time. A gradual retirement helps some people adjust, rather than an abrupt end to a long-time, meaningful career. We all know individuals who continue working into their eighties and nineties, and this work keeps them active and eager to go on.
Before stopping work, take time to contemplate what will make your retirement meaningful, interesting, and desirable. You need to look inward and figure out what you love to do. Reaching out to help others (in community and non-profit organizations) maintains strong social connections which many find rewarding. Hobbies related to the arts and athletics help keep minds and bodies strong and healthy. Think about what you have learned on the job and how you can help others with your vast knowledge and experience base. Looking forward to each precious day should be a motivating factor when you think about your future.
You might find the following resource from AARP helpful as you approach this milestone:
Maxine Roeper Cohen is a Parent Educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County’s Family Health and Wellness Program. She can be reached at mc333@cornell.edu.