When working, and possibly bringing up a family, our days can be mapped out for us and time filled with necessary activities and chores; eight hours at work, then family matters, some leisure-time and sleep.
There’s a dramatic change with retirement. I worked for the Civil Service for a while and could not understand why courses were held for those about to retire. Surely it was easy – you just stopped working and relaxed; able to do the things that you’d always wanted to do but didn’t have the time. Then I realised that, for many, it wasn’t as easy as that. Away from a daily routine and with no outside interests, there was a danger of becoming bored. Not everyone could cope with such a dramatic change. The courses were designed to teach people how to live after retiring. Suddenly, you’re at home all day, possibly with your partner, and you have to learn to get on with each other under new circumstances. Not everyone can adapt.
One’s attitude to work may differ. Some will work only until they can afford to retire; others will work because it keeps them busy and they won’t want to retire. Put another way – some work to live, others live to work. I’ve met people who are afraid to retire. They have enough money, but don’t want to lose their routine, fearing a void in their life.
Personally, I think that it’s tragic to hear of someone dying shortly after they’ve retired. Work may be a chore or it may be stimulating, but retirement is another phase of one’s life and should not be missed. Retiring early, fourteen years ago, I now wonder how I found time to work. I consider it a luxury and privilege to be able to determine what to do with my day. I’ve learnt to relax, not to feel guilty when sitting and reading a book, but also knowing that it’s important to keep active in both mind and body. So there are regular exercises, language practice, bridge, painting and writing that partly fill my time. I do these activities because of the enjoyment of doing them.
Keeping active is important. Enjoying life and not having time constraints is a goal. I aim to have a framework of things to do over the week but, if it needs to be changed then so be it. For instance, the other day, after arranging to go to Altea, a friend called and invited my wife and me for a coffee, so we went to see them instead. I could suit myself about what I did without repercussions. It didn’t matter as the arrangement was flexible; Altea could wait for another day.
The clock is forever ticking and my suggestion is that when you retire you embrace the opportunity; fill your day doing things that you want to do because you enjoy doing them. Don’t put them off until a day that may never come!