Here are the “Adjusting To Retirement Tips” that are working for older adults with this major life transition. This is based on experience with our retirement and those of friends who are making the most of this rewarding time.
This past weekend, we stayed with friends at the beautiful Oglebay Resort in West Virginia and celebrated the retirement of our dear friend, Mike. He and his wife worked for a major international hotel company for 40 years and had many moves and promotions.
This was similar to my husband, Howard’s career. It’s hard to know when to start your retirement years and a new life of “No More Mondays” as my friend Debbie calls it (a pleasant way to look at it).
In our case, we talked to our financial planner and waited for our Medicare Plan to start at 65 before Howard retired. It was at this time I decided to stop accepting paid interior design assignments and focus solely on www.classiccasualhome.com (about 25 hours a week).
Every one is different. There is no perfect time. Some people can afford early retirement and others may want to wait until its affordable or they enjoy what they are doing so much, it’s not work (especially if it doesn’t require a lot of time in the office).
But an Austrian woman who Howard worked with was retiring and said “I am not like you Americans and work until I am dead.” THAT definitely got him thinking. I am glad he retired while our physical health is still good to enjoy the “Golden Years.”
Nine Adjusting to retirement tips:
1. Redefine Your Identity
For many, careers have been a central part of their identity for decades. Stepping away from work can feel like losing a part of oneself. For a smoother transition, it’s essential to recognize that retirement is an opportunity to redefine who you are outside of your profession. Reflect on your passions, hobbies, and interests that perhaps took a back seat during your working years.
In Howard’s case, as a former travel industry executive, he is now using his knowledge to plan our personal trips and vacations. He is also expanding his cooking skills. I’m happy to be the beneficiary of all this. In my case, I am still doing decorating plans…but for free for family and friends and for our own home.
2. Create a New Daily Routine
Work provided structure to your days, and without it, you might find yourself feeling adrift. Establishing a new routine can help ground you. Incorporate activities that bring you joy, whether it’s morning walks (Howard does this for 60 minutes every day), yoga sessions, or a leisurely cup of coffee with a good book or favorite blog 🙂
Put it on your calendar: Setting small goals or planning weekly activities can also give you something to look forward to and keep your days meaningful and productive.
3. Stay Connected To Avoid Loneliness
One of the biggest challenges of retirement can be the sudden loss of daily social interaction that work often provides. It’s crucial to maintain and build social connections during retirement. Join clubs, take up group activities, or simply make an effort to regularly meet with friends and family. Staying socially active not only enriches your life but also supports emotional well-being.
Meeting our family in California last week and then our old friends this week in West Virginia keeps us in touch. Usually before we leave, I try to make plans for the next time we will see them!
Call or text a friend or family member every day. And if you have grandchildren, offer to babysit!
4. Focus on Healthy Ways and Wellness
Retirement is an ideal time to prioritize your health. Regular physical activity with 30 minutes of moderate-intensity, a balanced diet, and adequate sleep are foundational to enjoying this phase of life. Consider joining fitness classes tailored to your age group (our Medicare plan includes a free “Silver Sneaker” membership to L.A. Fitness Gym).
We have a yoga class at our club taught by senior instructor. This is a great way to meet new friends and help with mental well-being.
Explore new healthy recipes. Staying physically and mentally active can greatly enhance your quality of life in retirement.
5. Explore New Hobbies and Passions
Retirement offers the gift of time—time to pursue hobbies and interests you may have longed to explore. Whether it’s gardening, painting, learning a musical instrument, or traveling, now is the time to dive in.
The older saleswoman at our local J.Jill store said that once she retired she took part-time work there as she had always loved fashion (and now the extra income and employee discount).
Our friends, Valerie and Steve, a former bank executive and lawyer are now producing grapes for wine making in Virginia at Dovecote Farm Wine. We tried it last night and it’s delicious. Producing this wine is more than a part-time job, but it is a fulfilling passion.
For me, Classic Casual Home is a passionate creative outlet but also a way to constantly improve my technical skills and social media connections. And thanks to your support, it is a way to make money through the advertisements here and if you purchase anything, through the affiliate links to the things I recommend.
And friends say that they feel like they just had a phone call with me after the Five Faves posts on Sunday. And I’d love to hear back from you with a return email or comment!
6. Plan Your Finances Wisely
Financial security is a key component of a peaceful retirement. Ensure that your retirement savings, pensions, and investments are aligned with your retirement lifestyle.
It’s wise to review your financial plans regularly and make adjustments as needed. Consider consulting with a financial advisor who specializes in retirement planning to help you navigate this new financial landscape with confidence.
Howard created an Excel spreadsheet to keep our budget on track and we meet with our financial planner from Fidelity Investments quarterly.
7. Give Back to the Community With Volunteer Work
Many retirees avoid social isolation and find immense satisfaction in giving back. Volunteer opportunities can be a fulfilling way to stay active, meet new people, and make a positive impact in your community. Whether it’s mentoring, participating in local charities or at your local library, or offering your expertise to non-profits, your time and experience are valuable assets that can enrich both your life and the lives of others.
I am always amazed at how happy and helpful the senior citizen volunteers are at the welcome desk at our local hospital.
8. Embrace Flexibility
Retirement is not a one-size-fits-all experience. What works for one person may not work for another, and that’s okay. Be open to change and willing to adjust your plans as you navigate this new chapter.
Whether it’s finding a part-time job, starting a small business, or traveling the world, the beauty of retirement lies in its flexibility. Remember that there are many emotional stages of retirement.
9. Cultivate a Positive Mindset – The Glass Is Half Full
Finally, approach retirement with a positive mindset. It’s natural to experience a mix of emotions including anxiety during the freedom that retirement brings. View it as a time to enrich your life in new ways. And no more Mondays (or “Sunday Scaries”).
It took Howard and I about six months to adjust to the retirement transition with us both being home and not “stepping on each others toes”. But by using most of the above tips, we are enjoying this wonderful new phase of life as seniors with wisdom with a zest for living!
Those are our adjusting to retirement tips. Do you have any others?
Enjoy life while you are able. The older you become you will have some challenges to face. In Retirement do not allow others to demand your time for their conveniences.
Don’t allow them to take advantage of you and your time. You are retired to do what you want, if you don’t want to do anything that is your choice not anyone else’s.
Hi! I am a retired elementary teacher and now able to travel with my husband on his business trips. We are heading to Newport and Balboa Island in September. Any recommendations for casual dining and shopping? Thank you!!!
Check out the restaurants around Fashion Island and Juxtaposition for shopping also Blu Canoe on Balboa Island and tell the owner hi from me!
Try out the Crab Cooker on Balboa. It’s a local favorite with the best chowder!
Great post! I retired but worked 2-3 afternoons/week and volunteered. It was great! Then COVID hit. By the end I was a little crazy so we added a puppy to our home. Best thing ever! Life returned to normal, but we knew it was time to downsize. (Hubby is physically disabled) and get something we could ‘age in place’. We moved in January to our new condo in an active over 55 community. Went have so many opportunities for activities and things to do, without having to do the outside maintenance. It also took us out of our comfort zone. We’ve had to adapt and learn new things and places. I think the lesson for all is to continue to push ourselves in new experiences and be open to new opportunities.
Great post! Good advice! My husband and I are both retired in our late 50s and have worked part-time flexible jobs for several years awaiting the Medicare years. We are now mid 60s. This has eased the transition. We both gave up full-time teaching jobs, and love the flexibility! We have been able to spend more time with grandchildren and trips with friends. We bought a travel trailer (bucket list) and befriended a group of friends while camping that we do events with several times a year. I stay in touch with work and church friends and occasionally meet for lunch and schedule “girl” trips. We are blessed to have friend support with aging and health problems. This is a wonderful season of life!
Sounds like you are LIVING!
Thanks for these excellent, thoughtful suggestions, Mary Ann, and (as another reader said) your beautiful blog!
Thanks, Ann!
This is great inspiration and information. I think it is important to plan for retirement from the time you start to work. Savings at 20, 30, 40 are huge at 65. Start slow and add as you can. At 20, $5.00 a week is better than nothing. The other very important thing to plan is the social side of retirement. Start those group friendships as soon as you can. Bunco, Book Club, Native Plant/Garden, Church groups, quilting, what ever. Those friendships will see you thru the inevitable hard times. Ladies, in general, we outlive our men folk and you will need your gal pals to see you thru it. Also, if possible, live relatively close to at least one of your children. You will NEED them, and they will be still working, have children & busy lives. When you go into the hospital or fall or have eye surgery or whatever – you’ll need them (rides to Dr, pick up groceries, or stay with you while you recover). You don’t want to have to move at 80 (it is easier at 65)! Also, if you are close to one or all of your kids, you get to be there for your grandchildren’s sports, dance recitals, graduations, plays. It’s tons of fun and “it is the good stuff”! I am loving my retirement! These are the things I have learned along the way.
EXCELLENT advice, Laura. Thanks.
Great post!
I got myself a horse when I retired! I started with a lease, wanting to return to a childhood activity, and now, at 67, I have enjoyed riding and playing with my Icelandic three times a week. The comradery at our barn with all women of a certain age has fueled my days with beauty, love, and support.
To stay connected with the community, I offered to create a Riprean Habitat at our town park as a retired landscape designer. It has been lovely getting to know people in our small town, and the help offered has been tenfold.
During my barn days, my husband enjoys taking our White Stofer’s Lab to the beach or mountains for a long walk. We meet in the late afternoon for a glass of wine and discuss our day’s activities.
We spend the other days in the garden, taking day trips or babysitting our granddaughter.
It’s a lovely slow-mo life, and every minute is enjoyed.
-Tilly, our lab’s favorite bed, is one from Amazon, their genuine Sheepskin rug from Australia. It washes beautifully, and I quickly brush it when it’s dry. It’s the best bed we’ve ever purchased, and it’s so easy to travel with as well. We now have a few of them, and I drape them over a Costco Tempurpedic dog bed or sofa. In the Summer, she loves it on the hardwood floor.
So good to know all this, Kim!
While I always love your posts, this was one of my favorites! Such great information. I retired at 56 but my husband is still working and I’m concerned he’ll be one of those people who don’t know what to do once he retires. Always good to start planning the next steps. Personally, this is my favorite stage of life so far!
Thanks, Karen. I love your last sentence!!
Some great tips here Mary Ann. I might add, if possible, start scaling back on work a few years before full retirement. I went from practicing law full-time (which meant about 60 hours a week) to an “of counsel” position that allowed me to work part-time, and much of it from home. I’m also grateful that my husband insisted on paying off our mortgage early so we were able to build our dream home and pay cash for it. He’s also insisted on having no debt for anything else (cars, trips, etc.) This has made retirement less stressful and more enjoyable for us.
That’s a great idea, Cynthia. I notice that that is what many of our friends are doing regarding working less hours in the office.
And no debt is a great goal. That was ours too.
Wow, 60 sure came on quickly for me! So many friends and coworkers retiring lately.
I feel like Covid shutdown gave me and my husband a glimpse into what retirement would feel like.
I saw this funny post on Twitter (at the time): “My wife and I have a game we play during quarantine. It’s called “Why are you doing it that way?!” And there are no winners.” Thankfully we are mostly in sync. Love the blog!
Excellent and thank you!
Thanks, Donna!
My advice is try to retire as early as you can! Keep active and keep healthy. Once you hit your 70’s…things become different; not for everyone, but we’re all aging and unexpected things crop up!
As a President of one of the companies I used to work for said, “prepare for impact.”
I’m one of those that waited too long to retire. I left nursing in ICU when I developed terrible pain in my feet that turned out to be peripheral neuropathy. No I’m not a diabetic. Because I was only 59, my husband suggested that I run his medical practice, with no experience in doing that I might add. So for 5 very stressful years I did that until my health really failed. Now I am disabled with chronic pain, instability and fatigue. We are both retired now but travel is painful for me so we live a very quiet life here in the rural mountains of Colorado.i have gotten strong enough to walk the dog 20 minutes a day as long as my husband walks next to me for safety from falls. I fell 2 years ago broke my elbow, got 7 stitches on my forehead and got a mild concussion! Not taking chances on falls. Our little dog we rescued last October is the joy of our lives. She makes me laugh a lot. We enjoy very simple things now that bicycling and skiing are not an option anymore. I love to read, listen to Audible books while coloring in wonderful adult books on flowers. I used to love gardening. I love watching HGTV at night. We built this ADA home 9 years ago before really needing it. Our community is mostly older people that are very caring of each other. Even the younger residents get in on our community events. My advice is pay off all debt especially your mortgage and have a good savings for that unexpected expense like a furnace or roof. We live just two blocks outside of a small, 15,000 pop. Colorado town. Our blended family lives all over the country and we just had a three day visit from one of my sons. He is 60 and has already had a heart attack. Our DIL has health issues and the CVS store she managed in California just closed. She is done with retail but at 58, is not ready to completely retire. She will be looking for something partime. The long way around my story is don’t wait to pay off that mortgage start working on a little extra every month. Watch for signs of failing general health. Take time to de stress every day. Stress can kill.
Good advice about paying off your debt! Good luck!
We retired at 54 and 55 and have never looked back. We were able to do this by paying off debt as a priority, not wasting money, and paying down our mortgage. We also invested wisely. All that while putting kids through university. We have no money worries. In fact, we decided to fly first class a couple of years ago after I overheard an older women comment “I can travel first class or my kids can”. That got me to thinking. We have more than enough that our children will inherit so why not start treating ourselves more.
We travel extensively, walk every morning, entertain often to stay in touch with friends. I’ve developed a love for gardening. We bought a boat and travel for four months of the year. We book a vacation ( cruise, Airbnb or all inclusive) that includes our three kids and their spouses. It’s lovely family time. Retirement is great and we shouldn’t fear it. Enjoy the rest of your life!
I love this about treating ourselves to biz class or first class. My husband and I choose to do the same, especially while making regular trips to Europe to visit daughter’s family. It’s worth it for comfort and…bonus…the airport lounges. We’ve earned it! Now we are using it.
Dear Mary Ann,
This post couldn’t have come at a better time! I have just retired from teaching first grade after 36 years! It is bittersweet for me as I loved my job and the interaction with the students and their families! BUT, my daughter just had our first grandchild and my husband and i are over the moon in love with her, Macey Joe! After living in San Diego for over 36 years we have moved to Whitefish, Montana to be close to our daughter and family and build a new home. It is quite the adventure but all your tips for adjusting to retirement will definitely be considered as we begin this new stage in our lives. My dad who is 93 and doing fabulous told me these will be the best years of my life. Thank you for a beautiful blog and all your efforts to encourage people who are going through similar life changes.
Thank you, Colleen and how perfect to hear that from your dad! We love Whitefish, Montana…and we have spent plenty of time in San Diego as you know. And it will always be there for you to visit. We were there last week.
36 years as a first grade teacher!! Wow. Take time for yourself!!
Such great tips! You’ve covered all the bases that I’ve experienced in the last 1.5 years of my retirement. It does take some adjustments- both mental and physical. We are still trying to figure out where we want to live as California is not fixed income friendly!
Good luck, Nancy!
This post is very timely for me! I am looking forward to finishing my over 40 year full time health career in a few months and I couldn’t be more excited about all the time I will have for things I enjoy. I have so many interests, have recently started vegetable gardening, love to exercise, cook, bake and spend time with my friends. My husband is in the financial investment business and isn’t ready to retire. We are almost 62 and 63 and we have insurance through his employer so that is not an issue. One of our sons works with my husband so we are looking forward to him being out of the office so we can do more traveling and spend time with grandkids. Love all your tips! Sounds like y’all are loving this time in your life, as well you should.
Carla, wow… you are going to love it with your positive attitude!
This post was really great and timely for me. I am retiring in 14 weeks (but whose is counting). I worked in fiance for 25 years and in 2008, when the markets took a dive, I took a position as an admin in a church. I will be 65 shortly, so I too, waited until I could get Medicare. I agree with all that you said. I am looking forward to this next phase in life. Thank you for all the wonderful content you put out.
Pat in Chicago
Thanks, Pat…only 14 more weeks!!
Excellent article. I retired in March at 67 and I volunteered for two months. I had to stop and now I’m extremely bored. My church engagements keep me socialable but having to let volunteering go made me depressed. I definitely recommend planning daily activities.
My husband had cut back to half time the year before he retired completely. He was a pediatrician and enjoyed it immensely, but also made the schedule for his busy practice–this he didn’t enjoy. A fellow doctor told him, within a year you’ll be asking yourself, “why are you doing this?” He needed to give his practice 90 days notice, so he had started to think about it, but was inclined to continue. And then, our 59 year old sister-in-law dropped dead in her bathroom while her husband was out walking the dog. My husband said to me, “no one promises you any time.” He gave his notice to his practice immediately.
Like you and Howard, Mary Ann, we’ve had to make some adjustments as he has invaded what was my domain. Especially the kitchen, as he began to cook again. He insisted on alphabetizing the spice cabinet. I ceded that one to him. I insisted we keep the morning alarm set, no sleeping in. He filled his days with pilates (I joined him) and other workouts. We’ve traveled a good deal, and hope to do more while we can.
Overall, it’s been great.
That is so scary about your sister-in-law and yes your husband is right that no one promises you more time especially if you have things you want to do. My husband has elbowed me out of the kitchen but I still make desserts, appetizers and love to set the table.
My husband and I just retired from careers in education. We decided to step out at 63 – taking a cue from Pat Sajak: Better to retire a couple of years early than a couple of years late!
Ha! True.
What a wonderful post! I retired at 57 after giving it much thought. My husband was 5 years older than me and he was already retired. I have a few thoughts and suggestions. First of all, we always lived well within our means. I was able to save 95% of my salary. We built a new home and paid the mortgage off in 18 years. We traveled to Europe, paid 100% of college expenses, and maintained our home to a high standard. I worked in a very conservative field for 35 years and wore a suit and heels most days. I only bought good quality clothing and planned my wardrobe every week. The last few years of working I began creating a more casual wardrobe. I worked with a younger woman that went to the mall 2 or 3 nights a week to find something wear the next day.
Something funny – As I was pulling out of a grocery store one cold March day I saw no less than 10 women standing outside in line in front of a nail salon all looking at their phones. I wanted to pull up and say – if you don’t have a fully funded Roth, standard IRA, or 403B, and a one year emergency fund get out of that line. I can’t imagine what the future will hold for these ladies. If going to a nail salon is something you really love, I say go for it – but ask yourself what other things you could do to protect yourself financially and plan for a future. That way you can decide what your future years will hold. In a couple of weeks we are traveling to a favorite inn and spa.
You are so wise, Lynn. We don’t have a mortgage (and I gave up Starbucks 🙂 or other debt. The cost of living is cheaper where we are now.
Thanks for your advice.
When someone invites you to do something with them, say yes!
Exactly!!
What a great idea for a post! I know Steve is happily retired. Maybe we would add keeping active with a puppy to the list
That puppy REALLY keeps you active, Cindy!
This was such a good read, especially for a subject that can be quite daunting!
I think it can be a little scary for some, Susan.