Today's retirees face unprecedented challenges, including reduced retirement savings due to a market crash, increased healthcare costs, and rising divorce rates. Therefore, developing a comprehensive plan for your retirement life is what guarantees you that you will be able to enjoy your retirement years in peace, this is according to the social worker Michelle Carlstrom. She says, "People think that retirement is just a financial decision, but money alone does not determine or control happiness in retirement. There are other issues to think about and take into account, even if you are financially secure."
Suggestions for making retirement stress-free
1. The stress relief magical number
The 61 points relaxation method has been used for a long time in yoga and has been shown to reduce heart rate and blood pressure. You can learn it by finding a guide online by searching for it on YouTube, for example.
Or you can simply sit in a comfortable position that you choose for yourself and close your eyes, then pour your mental focus on each part of your body one by one, starting from the center of your forehead and moving down to your toes, and then back to the top again.
This exercise helps you free your mind from sources of anxiety and other worries by profoundly focusing on it.
2. Plan for meaningful activities
Most people currently have a job that controls their social contact with others and dictates their sense of purpose and importance. For lonely people, their workplace is where they befriend others, socialize, engage in stimulating conversations and discussions, and feel fulfilled.
"It's easy to focus on how much you enjoy when you leave behind the tension and stress that your job was causing you, but you also have to think about the potential social or spiritual void that may remain after leaving your job," says Carlstrom.
In other words, plan activities that replace the stimulation and satisfaction you felt at your workplace. These may include social clubs focusing on interests and hobbies, such as cooking, reading, and gardening.
Volunteer opportunities also abound, which you can search for by checking local art offices, schools, and museums in your area. You can also search websites that offer similar opportunities, including volunteermatch.org, or consider taking classes at a college.
3. Think about working non-stop
According to a study by the American Association of Retired Persons, about 25% of retirees plan to continue working as volunteers, part-time employees, or starting their own new small business.
Carlstrom says, “I know someone who decided to become an assistant in a baseball field so that he could enjoy attending all the games.” The important thing is that you don't wait until you retire to figure out what kind of job you want to continue.
Carlstrom recommends laying out the foundations of your retirement business at least five years before your retirement date. Surveying job sites now can help you gauge and estimate opportunities for part-time or consulting jobs for later.
4. Be realistic
“Ask yourself if the problems you are facing are real or imagined and proactive,” says Carlstrom. For example, you have to differentiate between your frustration and financial-related stress. Our bodies cannot differentiate between the two previous types.
And then you may react to them with the same amount of stress and tension. So, take a period to explore whether you are experiencing real or imagined stress, and develop a stress management plan that will ultimately reduce your stress by instilling a sense of control over the situation in your mind.
5. Modify your stress management approach
People resort to different reactions when they feel stressed and relieve stress by running, calling their best friend, overeating junk food, or shopping.
Understanding that everyone uses a mix of healthy and unhealthy stress relievers is the first step toward focusing on healthier options for stress relief, such as exercise, meditation, prayer, or social support. “Retirement can be a new opportunity to truly commit to examining how you deal with stress,” says Carlstrom.
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