When people think of Zynergy and the work we do, most focus on the financial side of retirement. Allocating a portfolio, distributing income over a lifetime, estate planning, and long-term care needs. Although each of these (and so much more) are a part of the retirement planning process, one often overlooked area of retirement we find extremely important is lifestyle. How will you be spending your time in retirement? Who will you spend your time with? What will you do?
The truth is, most retirees and future retirees are so focused on what they are retiring from, that they forget it is just as important to focus on what you are retiring to. We encourage our retirees to think about retirement as the next phase of a productive and enjoyable life. Not simply a time to be put out to pasture and enjoy a comfortable chair while we wait for the inevitable. Retirement is your time. What will you be retiring to?
If you have trouble answering that question, perhaps a few additional questions can spark your imagination and light a fire as you move headlong into your future:
- If I had all the time and money in the world, what would I do? How would I use that time and money?
- Who do I enjoy being with more than anybody in the world? Do I have the ability to spend more time with them?
- What are the things in my life that put me into a state of flow? (Flow is the state of pure enjoyment where time melts away and you get completely wrapped up in what you are doing for the shear pleasure of doing it)
- Are there any problems I think I could spend some time helping to fix? (Problems in my family? Community? Country? World?)
- Are there any challenges I have always wanted to take on that I have never had the time or money to dive into?
Take a look at your answers to the questions above. These answers should help you begin to build a framework about what is important to you. Maybe you are the kind of person that wants to travel and volunteer with homeless animals? Maybe you want to start a little business of your own? Maybe woodworking is right up your alley? Or babysitting for the grandkids and spending time with old friends is highest on your priority list? Whatever it is, make sure what you retire to is important to you and aligned with your values.
Retirement is the time to enjoy all that you have worked hard for, accomplish what you have yet to accomplish, and spend time with family and friends. Make sure your time in retirement is spent well by retiring to something, not just from something. A little planning and thought will provide you with the happiest retirement possible.
