Back to Planning January 6th, 2023

How to Prepare Emotionally for Retirement

It’s perfectly natural to feel worried as you move towards retirement. It is a big change and can take a while to get used to. It’s important to note that you’re not alone here, with many experiencing similar concerns. By preparing yourself emotionally you can help yourself adjust to retirement and learn to embrace it.

1. Transition into retirement

Rather than an abrupt stop to work, you can transition into retirement by choosing to work part-time.

Meet Gavin, one of our residents. Gavin works in his local DIY store part-time whilst living at Elmbridge Retirement Village with his wife Margaret. Gavin finds his part-time job keeps him active and he sees it as an opportunity to meet new people and keep in touch with the local community.

2. Don’t think of your working life as over

Starting retirement with the mindset that you’re finished work for good may be intimidating. However, you never know what the future holds and there’s no reason why you couldn’t go back to working at least part time for as long as it suited you.

Retirement doesn’t have to be the end of working life, but can be an opportunity for you to enjoy fitting work flexibly around everything else you want out of retirement.

3. Create the retired lifestyle to suit you

While it may suit many in retirement to have their days planned months in advance, if you aren’t sure how you’d like to spend your time, that’s fine too.

It can be easy to absorb the pressure if people are asking you how you’re going to be spending your retirement and you’re not too sure. Simply take it a day at a time, spending them just as you want to in each moment.

4. Write a list of your worries

Getting your anxieties out on paper can help you identify what the main issues are. Once you have your list, you can start addressing each issue at a time, getting to the root of why you’re feeling like that and coming up with solutions to move past it.

For example, if you find you’re worried about money and running out of it, plan to sit down and work out your finances or speak to a retirement financial planner.

5. Consider the different reasons to embrace retirement

Sometimes simply reminding yourself of everything to look forward to can help make retirement feel less daunting. Here are just a few reasons retirement can be an incredible time in your life:

1. Stress-free living

With more time on your hands, that pile of washing doesn’t need to be squeezed into the weekend, you have 7 whole days to do it – relax!

And if you live in one of our retirement villages, cleaning, laundry and gardening services may all be included in your service charge.

2. New hobbies and experiences

Ever fancied yourself as the next Pablo Picasso? Retirement offers you the opportunity to find new hobbies, discover new passions or reconnect with your old interests.

3. New friends (and more time for old ones)

New hobbies also means you are likely to meet lots of like-minded people who could turn into new friends. You’ll have more time to entertain your nearest and dearest too.

4. Opportunity for a lifestyle change

Retirement offers a unique opportunity to interrupt previous routines and establish new habits.

Spend more time outdoors, take brisk walks and try new healthy foods. Or spend a little more time in bed for that extra beauty sleep.

5. More time with the grandchildren and/or pets

Enjoy so much more quality time with your children, grandchildren and pets! Our villages are children and pet friendly and it’s great to see how much joy both bring to residents.

6. Travel, travel, travel

Almost everyone’s bucket list includes a trip to a special place, so enjoy some travel. From the Empire State Building to the Pyramids, or the Grand Canyon – the world is now your oyster!

7. Time to give back

Many retirees find it enormously rewarding to volunteer their time or skills to chosen charitable organisations, whether it be coffee mornings for Macmillan Cancer or craft fares for local air ambulance charities.

8. A new pace of life…

Likewise there’s more time for the little enjoyments in life: people watching in your favourite local café, soaking up the sun in the garden on a warm afternoon or reading a new book.

10. Say goodbye to the rat race

No more pressure to get that promotion, no more lengthy commutes or having to deal with tricky bosses. A weight is lifted from your shoulder when you quit the rat race.

While any big life change can be daunting, having a plan for your retirement is one of the best ways to help yourself prepare and adjust. It can also be useful to take time to think about what gives you purpose in later life. Decide what’s important to you, make some plans or set some goals and appreciate retirement for the exceptional opportunity that it really is. Why not find out more about our retirement communities by coming along to one of our open days.