How to make a smooth transition to a new life
Many people have the time of their lives in retirement, while others feel adrift, especially when they are in transition to their new life. About two-thirds of retired Baby Boomers say they had challenges adapting to this change, one survey showed. Among the toughest parts: missing the day-to-day social connections with colleagues, getting used to a new and different routine, and finding ways to give meaning and purpose to their days. USA TODAY asked several retirement experts for their best advice for making the transition to retirement and making the most of it.
UNDERSTAND that the transition to retirement takes time, says Nancy Schlossberg, 85, author of Revitalizing Retirement and Retire Smart, Retire Happy. She was a professor of counseling at the University of Maryland.
Any transition that changes your roles, routines, relationships and assumptions about yourself and the world takes a while, she says. “You are leaving a life you know and moving into a new world. It will take time to get a new life. If you don’t understand that you can get very frustrated.”
You’re going to have a roller coaster of emotions, she says. “Be patient with yourself and realize that the way you feel on the ‘R’ day, your retirement day, is not going to be the way you feel a year from now, two years from now or five years from now.”
DOING YOUR HOMEWORK may help safeguard the resources that will let you age in place, Languirand says. “Money isn’t everything, but money surely matters. Get your finances in order, your living space ready, and your emergency plans firmly set. Then you can think about other things.”
PLAN TO GET OUT and be with others. Research consistently shows that people who spend time with others are healthier and happier than those who are isolated, Languirand says. “Don’t be a hermit. Connecting with others can take many different forms, and it works best if you do it in a way that fits your style.”
FIND YOUR PASSION, says Marie Langworthy, 69, a retired school administrator and co-author of Shifting Gears to Your Life and Work After Retirement. She recommends asking yourself: “What is my temperament? What are my skills? What are my values? What are my interests?”
Ask yourself: “If I could do anything in the world, what would it would be?”
Those questions will help you use your time in a meaningful way in retirement, whether it’s through employment, volunteer work, travel, an entrepreneurial endeavor or other activities, she says. It may take you in a totally different direction or in the same direction. “From a practical point of view, get on LinkedIn and be active on LinkedIn.”
“Often people who retire rush into the next thing and end up doing the same thing they’ve always done, sometimes out of fear and sometimes out of necessity to earn money,” she says. “But if you have the time and can afford it, take the time to uncover your passions and build a meaningful life for yourself.” STAY AS HEALTHY AS YOU CAN. There are factors you cannot control that can have a huge impact on your life, Languirand says. “You get the genetic cards you’re dealt, and some ailments cannot yet be fixed or cured. That said, you do have some control over your lifestyle choices. Be the healthiest person you can be, in spite of any medical issues you have. It’ll enhance your quality of life, no matter what you opt to do.” BE PREPARED FOR THE SHOCK when you realize you have a new identity, Schlossberg says. There can be emotional ups-and-downs between the time you leave your work identity and find your new identity. You can think of it as what you put on your business card or your tagline under your email signature, she says.
Schlossberg says the first time she had to tell someone she was a retired college professor, she couldn’t say the word “retired” to describe herself and instead said she was a consultant. Now she has bright red business cards that say “Transitions Through Life ... tips, videos, speeches and more.” And she’s happy to say she’s retired.
Figuring out your new identity and how you are going to present yourself to the world takes time, she says.
TAKE AN HONEST LOOK at your situation and find ways to make the best of it, says Art Koff, 80, founder of RetiredBrains.com and author of the new e-book Lifetime Planning Guide.
Most Americans need some kind of additional income over and above Social Security benefits and income from retirement savings, pensions, he says. “If that’s the case for you, then consider looking for ways to work part time or take a temporary or seasonal job; perhaps work from home or even start a small business on your own.”
If you are someone who is having difficulty with the transition because you’ve been active and challenged during your working years, then also consider one of the many volunteer opportunities available to retirees, or even go back to college to take the courses you always wanted to take but never had the time for, Koff says.