Retire happy!
We asked the pros for the proven ways to be happier and healthier in retirement, whether you’re looking forward to it—or you’re already there!
1 Looking forward to it? Get up and go!
In a recent poll of pre-retirees, “good health” was named the most important factor determining a happy retirement. And just how easy it is to safeguard yours may surprise you: Being active for 15 minutes a day— walking, gardening and swimming count!—slashes your risk of heart disease, dementia and cancer, and keeps your brain functioning as if it were decades younger. The upshot? Start doing the activities you love!
Consider easing into it!
“Phased” or “flexible” retirement—working fewer hours or freelancing—not only sets you up to be more financially secure, notes expert Tom Hegna, it also tends to make you happier. As retirement expert Catherine Collinson explains, “the healthy-aging benefits [staying active and social] are the top motivation for a phased retirement.” How to plan yours? “Look into opportunities to scale back at your job— or if you want to do something new, research if you need a certification,” Collinson suggests. “I recently talked to a woman in her sixties who successfully negotiated shifting from full-time to part-time. The key to her success is that she made it clear to her employer that she would be available during the company’s busy season. Just make a plan of what your phased retirement will look like, and you’ll be surprised how successful you can be!”
Pinpoint your purpose!
“It’s so important to have a purpose in retirement,” says Collinson. “Ask yourself who you want to spend your retirement with, where you want to spend it and how? When people answer these questions, they suddenly get motivated to take action, whether that means saving a little more, strategizing about how to downsize or moving closer to their grandkids.”
2 Already retired? Quadruple your hobbies!
How many hobbies do the happiest retirees have? “About four!” says retirement expert Wes Moss. That’s because pursuing several passions keeps your brain agile and your mood elevated. “There’s a lot of evidence that the more grouporiented these pursuits, the better for your sense of wellbeing and longevity. So if you love to read, instead of flipping pages solo, consider joining a book club. Or if you love to walk, get together with friends and walk as a group. Over and over again in the research, we see that maintaining and growing social connections in retirement makes you healthier and happier.”
Picture your perfect day!
A recent study found that the happiest retirees tend to pencil specific activities into their calendars that they can look forward to. This not only provides a sense of control over each day or week—which often goes missing once the structure of work is gone—it sparks excitement and anticipation, emotions proven to increase overall happiness. “Picture your perfect day,” Moss says, “and treat the hours like an architectural blueprint, writing down about eight things you want to do that day. This simple exercise is proven to get you moving toward exploring more interests and making you happier!”