Home | Personal Development
My friend Paul closed his business of 30 years a few months ago. He was not planning on retirement but the economy proved too much a battle. His major customers were closed or in bankruptcy. Now my friend is bored, lonesome, and depressed. Paul is like so many other people. The research from the last 10 years shows that physical illness and depression occur more frequently among retirees then people of the same age who are still working. On the other hand, many people do benefit from retirement. They find that retirement has eliminated the stress that a job brings and the anxiety over time missed with family and friends. They may also be involved with volunteering and love traveling. Retirement, however, is especially hard on people who are forced to leave their jobs or those who do not have interests or hobbies outside of work. You might think that doing nothing will feel good and then are surprised when you experience anxiety, depression and other negative feelings. The secret, of course, is to plan ahead for retirement and to challenge yourself after you stop working just as you did when you had a job. You need to set goals, do interesting and demanding things, maintain and develop meaningful relations and keep well informed. In other words, as your environment changes, you have to change also. Psychologists say to establish a routine for yourself to help you manage your time wisely. Replacing the structure of your work with your own flexible schedule can help you reduce feelings of depression and force you to stay focused. My advice is not to limit the routine to chores. Include activities that are fun and challenging and helpful to others. Let's face it. Depending on personal circumstances, adjusting to retirement can be difficult. Health problems and financial worries stimulate stress. Without day-to-day social interaction of the workplace, loneliness and isolation become part of the picture. Lack of a daily routine may lead to feelings of purposelessness. Here are a few tips for a more productive retirement: Plan Ahead: As we know the time to plan for what you will be doing during retirement is while you are still working. Even so, a blueprint for the future is good at any time considering you may have another 20 to 30 years of living. Set Goals: Structure your time and make that part of your goals. Learn to sell on eBay, or speak a foreign language, or build up your endurance so you can ride a bike 20 miles a day. Goals provide purpose and a sense of achievement that will give you positive feelings. Develop interests: If you do not have a hobby and always wanted to collect stamps, now is the time! Sign up at a gym. Interests keep you involved and help you stay mentally alert. Give back to your community: Find a way to invest in your community through volunteering. Volunteer activities provide a sense of purpose and that also reduces depression. If none of these ideas work for you get some professional advice. A psychologist or counselor may help you find what you really want to do by offering support and guidance.
Article Source: http://blogticles.com
Please Rate this Article
5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5
Not yet Rated
