Congratulations! You’ve reached retirement, one of the happiest moments I experience every day as a Financial Planner. But once you use that golden parachute, what’s the next step? A lot of retirees finally get the chance to enjoy the activities or things they couldn’t do in their careers, or just do nothing. The purpose of this article is to help our readers understand how important it is to maintain your body as well as mind in retirement.
Stay Healthy
The U.S. Department of Health has stated that only 28-34% of adults aged 65 and older are physically active. As well as America’s Health Rankings states that 28.5% of Seniors aged 65 and older are obese. Obesity can bring a wide range of health problems: Hypertension, Type 2 Diabetes, Heart Disease, Stroke, among others. Physical Exercise is a crucial part of a healthy lifestyle, and with obesity rates in America skyrocketing over the years, our seniors need to get moving more. Any regular activity that increases your heart rate helps your body build up endurance and helps you fight against obesity. Simple activities like swimming, water aerobics, cycling, or dancing, are great ways to stay in shape and most of the time is not that difficult on your joints. However, one of the most popular exercise activities for older citizens is walking, which brings a whole list of health benefits if done continuously. Walking for at least 30 minutes can help improve heart health, lower blood sugar spikes, reduce pain and chronic pain, and of course, it’s free to do! I always say it takes the smallest changes to make a huge impact, whether it’s in financial planning or health maintenance, all it takes is a small change.
Keep Yourself Busy
Another way to keep yourself busy is to find a hobby! Hobbies give you a way to take your mind of stress, let you relax, and help you become more patient. Picking up a hobby in retirement is a great way to help you get out of the house and find yourself again too. Hobbies like: Gardening, Woodworking, Bird Watching, Yoga, or Arts and Crafts. But if these don’t interest you, go check out USA Today for 25 Things to Do When You Retire! Just keep in mind that a hobby is meant to be something you are passionate about, can learn from, or have always wanted to try. It’s important to make sure whatever you are doing, that you enjoy it, this way it will be easier to make it a habit.
Find Your Value
Your mental health is equally as important to your overall well-being. For quite a lot of people, a career helps bring you a sense of belonging and purpose. But exiting the workforce, can leave some retirees feeling lost or anxious, often struggling to understand who they are and what their new value is. But don’t be afraid, there are many ways to help maintain your mental health in the long run. One major way is to find a new sense of purpose! Consider picking up a part-time job or start volunteering to get out of the house and give back to your local community. Check out Very Well Mind to read more about some coping mechanisms that can help you find your purpose again! Another common way of staying sharp is doing crossword puzzles, brain games, or sudoku. Because engaging your mind with puzzle games can help lower your risk of dementia and improve concentration. Check out USA Today for more surprising ways puzzle solving can benefit you!
Retirement can often bring nothing but questions, don’t let that scare you! Discussing with your physician specific ways to improve your overall health and wellness will give you great insight. After all, you worked so hard to get to the point where you are at, it’s about time you enjoyed everything life has to offer.
