Am I a Retirement Geek?  Since a few years I support my private website and plan to retire to the internet. This and three blogs help me to learn writing and  prepare to the psychological aspects and my retirement project. Retirement to me is a serious business, which I want to approach it methodical and organized. I am now in the last active year of part-time work and it is already hard living without stress and deadlines. It will not be my problem to keep me busy but to structure my day, my week, my month, my year and my road ahead. It is important to find an own purpose and an external gratification for it. I do not end up like my neighbours. My son will be 14 when I retire so I have to ask myself also a few hard questions about family and spouse. And myself. Inherently I am lazy. I can work 12 hours a day, but without gratification, I think I need to change. There are mainly three major questions:

  • What do I need to do when I retire?
  • What do I like to do when I retire?
  • How do I integrate this in my family situation?

What do I need to do when I retire?

executor-checklist1

Retirement-checklist

I need to keep my mind sharp. “Use it or lose it” applies to your brain.  I did lifelong learning but maybe I have to go further mind sharp. How about checking out the lifelong learning classes offered by your local community center or college? Maybe I can volunteer and get involved in my community. It is a great way to give something back. I meed more opportunity to interact with people and make new friends and develop new friendships. A measurement of me as a consultant was always the strength of my social network—that includes family and friends. I need to check out groups that help me to meet new people or join community or religious organizations that have members who share my interests.  My spouse  is the most difficult task, to make retirement living becomes a shared experience. It would be important to make time for both share our dreams— I might be pleasantly surprised to learn that she has ideas you’ll enjoy. I have to keep my spirits up and to assess my mood; if yI  feel sad or hopeless it’s important to see  a professional counselor. Learn the signs of and senior depression (or ask somebody to assess my mood). Most important – remain healthy.  A lean horse for a long race. With increasing life spans, retirement living can be a long race, so get in shape. That means eating well, watching weight and staying active. Feel good, about myself –  it’s easier to stay positive and open to new experiences.

Retirement living is about more than money. I am not a Financial planner,but I have a good idea about how much resources I have. More important to make a life plan ,  a check list execute it and write about my experiences as I move ahead.  I have to find a purpose again and  ongoing basis that enhances my life and adds structure to my life. To me this includes travel, hobbies or even training for a new career, maybe a new life.

Must checklist

  • Urgent Prerequisites:
    • See some friends as counselors and adviser
    • Make an itinerary, a detailed plan for a typical day and week, especially a list of chores to do and a plan of external activities.
    • Make a detailed plan for the next eleven months
    • Plan our calendar for three-month from day one of retirement
    • Enroll in all activities or at least gather applications
    • Adjust all financial and insurance which must be covered
    • Fix up all house renovations before day one (note: done)
    • Fix up all dentists, doctors checks before day one (note: started)
    • Educate yourself in the logistics and financials of actual retirement law
    • Communication training
  • From Day one
    • Get up with the family (that is 6 am on workdays) as usual
    • Outside or inside morning  sport and walk the dog
    • Follow itinerary – structure is everything
    • Rigid plan for diet and drinks (None Monday-Thursday)
    • Keep up the two yearly fasting period including lent
    • One meditation / prayer / yoga per day
    • One direct contact to friend a day (email allowed)
    • One article per blog/website per week

 What do I like to do when I retire

  • Travel (maybe longtime Travel along the Silk Road)
  • Read and Study my major interests, religion, science, history psychoanalysis
  • I want to become a writer
  • Start playing active chess again (at least with a friend once in a while in a cafe
  • Start active photography projects  – maybe formal education
  • Start active Astronomy again – maybe fixed observatory
  • Do more religious timeout
  • Alpine hiking with a tent / Biking with a tent
  • Sport: Biking, Running,Skiing, Cross Country Skiing, Hiking , Swimming, (Tennis , Scuba Diving, Roller blading again?)
  • Quality time with the family
  • Find a Retirement Hobby that Pays… until 2016 (end of paid company leave)
  • Biking is a good hobby to keep physically well.
  • Maintain my three Blogs
  • Fix up my HO Maerklin Toy Railroad
  • Cooking –  that’s a maybe and only for salad
  • Dog walking  that’s more on the must side but it is a good physical exercise, as well as gives the day structure!
  • Family History ( get in contact with my cousin)
  • Life Stories – write my memoirs already started with photo blog!
  • Music – go more in concerts
  • Theatre – go more in Theater
  • Movie – active (youtube) and passive
  • Practical Working – Lots of work to do in the house!

Ressources

Retirement Jobs

 

To investigate: