Preparing for Retirement in More Ways than One

Everyone knows the importance of having a solid plan for your retirement. The primary driver for a good retirement plan is of course financial; between investments, retirement savings plans, and Social Security benefits you can plan to have your financial interests taken care of when it times to turn the lights off and walk out of the office for the last time.

While solid financial planning for your retirement is of course incredibly important, there’s more than just having the cash on hand you need to live a comfortable retirement. In fact, preparing for retirement requires more than just pure financial planning; here are some things that you should be thinking about in between checking the status of your 401k.

It’s Time for that Bucket List

Your retirement is supposed to be some of the best years of your life. You no longer have to slave away at your nine-to-five job any more, and that means you’ve got time a-plenty to devote to anything and everything you want. However, some retirees find it difficult to switch off after a lifetime of earning a living – this is when planning for your retirement comes in handy.

One of the best ways to get some ideas flowing as to how you would like to spend your retirement in ways that don’t involve mindlessly puttering about your house looking for things to do is to create a bucket list, which is literally a list of things you would like to do before you “kick the bucket.” Absolutely anything can go on a bucket list; whether you want to learn how to paint in watercolors, go on a road trip across the United States in an RV, or even go skydiving, you can fill your bucket list up with any number of things you would like to do and places you would like to see and then just plan on crossing them off one by one. As long as you have the financial ability to do so – which is where good investing and retirement planning comes into play – the sky is truly the limit.

Good Health, Long Life

Just because you’ve retired doesn’t mean your life is over. As stated above, you can fill an entire notebook up with activities for your bucket list and spend decades going around trying to cross them all off. However, you can’t do much if you don’t stay healthy.

Now that you’re retired, you can make a concerted effort to stay in good shape that you might not have been able to do while you were still working all those long hours. Eating balanced meals, engaging in moderate exercise according to your capabilities, and going to regular check-ups at the doctor will ensure that you can enjoy every moment of your retirement. People are living much longer than they used to – and life expectancies are increasing with every new medical treatment invented – so it’s important to ensure your body is in the best shape it can be so you can enjoy all that life has to offer to you during your retirement.

This goes for your mental health as well as your physical condition. If you’re battling feelings of sadness or hopelessness that you never have before you could be suffering from senior depression. Don’t ignore it – reach out to your doctor, a therapist, or even just a trusted friend or family member to make sure you get the help you need. Remaining sound in mind as well as body is the key to enjoying your retirement to the fullest.