Successful transition to retirement

It's not as easy as you might think. I transitioned over to retirement 18 months ago. For the first couple of months I logged onto email (out of habit) looking for some emergency that needed my attention. There wasn't anything of significance in my Gmail account! Then I decided no electronic devices until after 10:00 a.m., and started a meditation practice. And got into an exercise routine that got me outdoors and working on getting back in shape. Hope this helps. Took a while to get over my loss of identity from work, but feeling more relaxed now!

@judesgall Yes, retirement is one of the big stressors in life.
My Dad was very wise, and lived a happy, active retirement for 15 years, traveling with my Mom, volunteering and spending many hours with family and friends. Before he died (too young) he told all six of us kids that career or work is only one piece of life, and your employer will manage without you after you are gone, so you need to figure out how to manage without the job. My Mom went on alone and lived fully for most of 12 years in spite of health issues. As her world narrowed, she began to describe each new transition as a chapter, and consciously closed the prior one. Our adventures together contracted from international trips to cross-country road trips to day trips to visits to the local arboretum or casino, anf finally just a jaunt to McDonalds for her favorite sandwich.

I am approaching 16 years retired, and can honestly say that after a few months, aside from missing a few coworkers, I was happy to be done with the career I loved for many years. It helped that I entered retirement with a few solid plans.

First, recommended by my Mom, a trip away from the winter cold, that commenced a week after retirement and lasted for over 2 months in a small camper. A perfect way to hit "Reset" - nobody we met cared what jobs we used to have - just whether we were open to new people and experiences.

Second, I had a couple volunteer commitments that were mentally challenging to come home to, one of which I still do. This got me out meeting people and learning. My husband stayed in semi-retirement for a few more years, working a flexible schedule that kept him out among others.

Third, to this day, we try new things - whether food, music, crafts and hobbies, trips or adventures large and small - alone, together, with kids and grands, with friends...
Finally, we don't forget the blessing of time - whether to relax, try a new hobby, get to your to-do list, hang out with others, or help family, friends and community.
We never know how many years we have, so I don't like to waste mine - my cousin's daughter was amazed this summer when she learned my husband and I are still so busy that we must maintain a joint on-line calendar. Her mother is the "poster child" for someone who retired without a plan, and as a result is just fading away from all of us...it makes me sad.

Do you have any plans for those first few weeks after you retire to help you focus on what your next chapter might look like?

@judesgall Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect! You ask a very important concern here, one that many may think about but not give in to the ideas.

I retired 9 years ago from a very stressful career. In total, I had worked full time continuously in various types of careers for 45 years without much of a break. That first Monday waking up, and knowing I didn't have to go anywhere, seemed surreal. I had not really planned to retire, thinking there was still 3 years to go. But my health concerns were the motivating factor. I had to get used to the daily traffic patterns around my city, since before that I was at work, and didn't realize how crazy it got! After allowing for a good break of about 2 weeks, I got myself in gear and figured out projects to do, places to go. Five months later I went to work part-time in a related field, 2 or 3 part days a week, to keep my skillset and bring in needed extra money. It also got me out of the house!

If you have the time, think of things you want to do, how will you make this happen. Do you want to do some volunteer work? Is there a like-minded group of friends/family/co-workers that you can get together with on a regular basis? Perhaps a trip you have always wanted to do but couldn't take the time. It's not easy to suddenly leave a position. Have you thought about going part-time and "wean" yourself off work? Are you a "work to live" or "live to work" type person?
Ginger

Greetings @judesgall, Oh my goodness. How exciting. I am just thinking about it again. In 1998, after a 40-year career composed of what I might call "struggling with the glass ceiling", I thought it might be challenging to do something of my own. My first stop was at the library where I found a book entitled, "Should you open your own business?" My father and his large family expected all the children (27 cousins) to become farmers and/or teachers. I knew after my first year as a 6th-grade teacher that there had to be another option.

Then, we were introduced to technology and computers. It was just my luck to be asked to learn about the computer world while I was a student counselor. After all, I was the only female and you had to use keyboards. How did I know that a Canadian company would find me to introduce computers to colleges on the West Coast?

All of a sudden, I saw a "Computer Help Wanted" notice from a company in Hawaii. Why not? So off I went and was introduced to computer-generated marketing AKA social media. Then, all of a sudden it was time to wake up and realize that my hair was turning grey and men were now developing and using keyboards.

I had also discovered a lovely mountain village which was the home of one of only two art high schools in the USA. Wouldn't that be a great place for an art gallery? Of course, it was, and after a few conversations with enthusiastic friends, and a second look at the book about owning your own business, I opened the gallery, organized an Art Alliance, and thought I was the luckiest person in the world.

So.....don't be afraid of doing something new and different. Do you have hobbies and special interests? Now may just be the time to "do it your way." Retirement years can be very special.
Chris

What you do when you are about to retire is to plan for your future. I don't mean what you'll have to do to keep yourself from going crazy that first Monday. I mean WHAT you'll be in 15 years, and WHERE you'll be. Read that sentence again, with the emph ASS is on the right syl AB bels. What you'll be. Where you'll be.

Will you be healthy enough to live where you plan on being in 15 years. Or will you be better of closer to kids, or closer to a hospital, closer to shops, entertainment, parks, roads outta town if you need to be more outdoorsy? As, or shortly after you retire, you should be taking a stark look at what you may have to contend with if your health begins to sour at 75, and not at 85 like you'd hoped. Will you need to be in 'the home'? Nearer your kids two cities over? Do you have lifelong friends with whom you have exceedingly important and intense friendships, or maybe you each have skills that, when shared between you, you can all hope to live a long life in retirement?

Retirement is the time to have fun, but first you need to maybe broaden that definition. For example, are you a caring type, empathetic? Could you do home sitting, home care, even on a voluntary basis, says for shut-ins and the elderly? Could you volunteer to shop at a grocery chain that allows customers who are immobile to phone in orders? Maybe take calls somewhere, or do repairs, say for motorized chairs and scooters for people with mobility problems? Coaching, financial counseling, teach ESL...volunteering is one of the most rewarding things you can do with your skills and time, and it's virtually never an impediment or an imposition when retired.

You should have a hobby, even if it's returning to classes. They have Elder Colleges in several large centers. Or take up fly tying, or model railroading, or build unique kites, or take up cross country skying, bicycle repair, learn a new CAD program and design stuff. Learn! Can you run a 3D printer? I cannot, buy maybe you should!

Generally, to wrap this up, you should feel you have a purpose of some kind. You needn't have each hour of each day meticulously entered in a spread sheet three months before hand. Nay nay! But you should be committed one or two sessions each week where you place yourself before an organization that provides services, or that makes you contend with an environment that you weren't heretofore entirely comfortable with. Make yourself useful, even if it is to yourself!

Did I say have fun? I play with toy trains, and I am an amateur astronomer. That means I play with telescopes until the wee hours when I crawl into bed exhausted and cold. I also sing in a choral society. You'd be amazed how healthful it is to take up choral singing. If you can't read music, but can hold a tune, you can learn how to 'sight read' sheet music. I did, and I haven't got the fastest chip upstairs, if you knowhaddamean.

'Ah, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what's a heaven for?'

Wow! These replies are wonderful! We each have our own answers. In retirement it seems we came to fully own ourselves.

For the last 30 years of my "work" life, I was almost always an independent contractor/service provider. My skill set allowed me a lot of variety within my field. For a variety of reasons my last five years were a gradual tapering off and Covid came as I turned 70 and started Social Security.

Since then I've undertaken several extended projects.
In my shop and studio I design and build musical instruments and continue a life long interest in musicology. My wife and I have made great progress removing invasive plants from the community woods behind our house. I've spent a lot of time planning our aging-in-place, modifying our house, organizing necessary papers, going through files and discarding old papers.
My dog and I share the joy of each new day.

Sometimes I think I should still be earning money, but interestingly I have no interest in doing the major money-earning jobs of my former career.

It took a while to learn a more calm pace, not pushing to meet deadlines and optimize efficiency.
The profit now is a quiet awareness of my effectiveness and gratitude that I can still learn and enjoy many things daily.

Hi! I think you should do a TED talk on this subject. Thank you for this thought provoking response...actually from all of the responders!

Thanks, judesgall. In fact, one of my duties in the years before I retired was to provide seminars in retirement planning. Along with other tasks as a the military psychologist at several bases, I ran two seminars each year, widely attended, where estate planning (you DO have a valid will, don't you? Somewhere at least close to where you executor will know to look for it...same building at least :-D), preparation for relocation, a final one, financial planning (especially for any severance pay, usually a substantial lump sum that can often be frittered away if not careful), and even job hunting techniques were covered (most retiring service personnel want to continue to work, but they've in a military milieu for donkey's years, with a unique culture and customs, but also unique skillsets that need some 'translation' to be applicable to 'civvie street.' )

Anyway, thanks again...I know the topic only too well.

Lots of great ideas and I would encourage you not to be too quick in filling the new space left by retirement. Give yourself some time to not be a doer for awhile. Americans in general seem to be uncomfortable with loss/change. You may discover things about yourself and this new phase of life that you never imagined . Play, lounge, be indolent for awhile. Italians call it the sweetness of doing nothing!

I have a recommendation for the approaching “last day”. During your final month, stay a little late a few days, when most have gone home, and start taking home personal things. It will be way too depressing to walk out your last day carrying a cardboard box, while your co-workers look sad and wish you the best.
Start taking things home quietly, so there’s nothing to carry out and feel sad about on your last day. Think of something to do that will make you happy on that last day. My work environment had worsened with the sale of the company and a big management change, as I drove away, I shouted out the window, “I’m not coming back!!” (no one was around to hear me, it felt very liberating).
I had worked since my 9th grade summer, so at retirement, I purposefully didn’t fill my days with busy, busy, busy- it took about a year to unwind that feeling of intensity, free-floating anxiety- that would rear up, especially on Sunday evenings. Just relax, do what you want, walk daily, you’ll be great.