Lifestyle – Leisure
Journey to retirement The change of lifestyle when you finish work and move into retirement can be quite dramatic. There is a lot of focus on preparing financially for retirement, but most people don’t think about how drastically retirement can impact your mental health, sense of self and purpose. Of course retirement is fantastic and is going to be a whole new wonderful time of your life to experience. But the change from going to work each day to finding a life without that obligation and routine can be huge. Many people don’t realise how much they rely on their daily or weekly routine until that routine is no longer there. That’s why, preparing yourself for retirement also means getting yourself mentally ready. Think about what the transition from work into retirement may look like, find a new purpose and set goals so you are as prepared you can be for this next stage of life.
Sense of loss Closing the door on a workplace when you retire can be quite emotional. After the initial sense of freedom and elation of never having to work again wears off reality sets in. In many cases, there can be a sense of loss. A loss of purpose. A loss of activity. It can be difficult to deal with and there will be a time of adjustment to get used to your new life. Some people struggle more than others and for them this feeling of loss and the fear of losing their identity associated with their career could result in depression.
Adelaide Clinical Psychologist, Simeon Jones, explains that people can struggle with a couple of things after they retire, usually their identities and sense of purpose. “Our identity is central to how we live and how we feel about ourselves and the world. To have an identity where we feel valuable or valued, to have an identity where we feel empowered or a certain level of influence is key to anybody’s mental health,” says Mr Jones. “If someone doesn’t feel valuable and [feels] powerless, they won’t be feeling positive about their life or enjoying their life. That autonomy, and also just having an opportunity to explore and enjoy ourselves, is key to mental health in general. “It would be pretty natural for a majority of people to have a level of grief around [the end of] their careers they have really enjoyed. It is actually pretty normal to find that sad or a little bit scary to transition out of that.”
Retirement blues It is common to develop the “retirement blues”, where your loss of the 9-5 job leaves you with a large hole to fill. Harvard Medical School even recommends that retirees “don’t take it easy” when they retire, but instead stay engaged with all their interests and priorities during retirement.
Mr Jones agrees with that sentiment, saying it is important people build their social connections with people and their community, and have a willingness to experience new hobbies and activities which provide them purpose and value. “People who stay fairly rigid on their views on how they should do life or what makes them valuable as a person, those are the people who will struggle more. I would encourage flexibility, and try to look at life and the world in different and new ways, and also experiment,” says Mr Jones. After retirement there will be a period of reinvention, where you try to find what and who you are, and redevelop your personal identity. It is the perfect time to get to know yourself without your daily job to get in the way!
“Having an opportunity to explore and enjoy ourselves, is key to our mental health.” YourRetirementLiving.com.au
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