Many of us understand that we need to plan for retirement, but unless it’s close, we can often feel as though this time will never come. A twenty-five-year-old will likely not think about it at all unless they’re quite wise and mature for their years. A thirty-five-year-old may have made some contributions towards their pension and have a stable job to help them in that direction. A forty-five-year-old will certainly have it on their mind more and more.
But none of these professionals will think of themselves as ‘close’ to retirement – it’s a weird trick we play on ourselves to think that this is what happens ‘after’ everything else.
But that time will come. So – how can we best plan for it? Retirement planning services are fantastic and can help you in a range of ways, particularly when it comes to ethically and responsibly planning how your wealth will be used and invested in those years. But what other preparations can you make for your retirement?
Let’s consider:
Consider The Content Of Your Days
Remember that retirement isn’t a goal you reach and then simply sit around in luxurious bliss enjoying by default. Your days will need to have structure – in fact, more so than when you weren’t working, because now it’s up to you to find your daily motivation, drive and interest.
The sooner you become bored is the sooner you become tired.
What will the content of your days be? Considering this can help you choose areas to live, what hobbies to follow, and what investments to make. For instance, perhaps you’d love to live in Spain near the water, with a boat, where you can fish and prepare seafood meals and generally enjoy a slower pace of life with great company.
This can be a goal you set, and that orients your financial effort.
Your Residence & Plans For Development
Retirement residences are defined in all sorts of ways.
For instance, it might be that you have a home abroad and a rented, stationary caravan in an area back where you used to live, so every summer you can return and spend time with your family. Maybe you wish to live on a canal barge, moving from place to place with reverence for the community.
These kinds of priorities can help you grow, and also help you bring much-needed awareness to your preparatory mindset. If you hope to build your house for retirement, might it not be worth considering and planning for now? The question is worth thinking about.
Your Social Priorities
Where do you hope to live, and more importantly, who do you hope to live near in retirement?
You might find that the beautiful celebration of mutual community dinner parties and exterior living in Spain or France gives you a chance to truly relax. You may wish to be closer to your family members. You might wish to live in a rural setting, outside of known civilization so you can finally get that peace and quiet you need.
What matters is that you know how this affects your daily experience, who you can rely on, and how this might impact your finances, daily enjoyment, and access to help if you need it.
With this advice, we hope you can begin thinking about retirement and its many lifestyle opportunities. This should give anyone cause to feel excited for their golden years.