Active Aging Presented by Public Health Seattle-King County
After pouring your energy into your job for so many years, figuring out what to do with your newfound free time in retirement might seem daunting. That’s understandable. When you retire, you’re transitioning to a new chapter, and it’s natural to wonder how you’re going to fill that huge gap in your schedule that no longer working leaves.
Finding purpose in retirement can bring new meaning as you reignite former passions or discover new ones. Plus, having a sense of purpose has multiple health benefits — and may even lead to a longer life, according to the Mayo Clinic.
So, why is building a purpose-driven retirement important, and what are some ways you can do it?
Why Is Finding Purpose in Retirement Important?
Even though retirement can be exciting, many people feel lonely or out of sorts without the ambition and goals they had in the workplace, a study in Psychological Science shows. Results also noted that “retirement may provide an opportunity to experience a renewed sense of purpose, especially among socioeconomically disadvantaged populations.”
Therefore, finding purpose can help you discover happiness, contentment, and fulfillment in your post-work years. Living with purpose also has positive health benefits, including:
- Increased longevity via finding purpose in exercise, healthy eating, and addressing health issues as they arise
- Better sleep
- A stronger immune system
- Lower stress levels
- Better cognitive function
- Less cortisol — a hormone that in high doses causes anxiety, depression, weight gain, headaches, heart disease, and memory and concentration issues, to name a few.
How to Find Purpose in Your Post-Work Years
Depending on your position, you may have served others as a teacher, accountant, hairstylist, police officer, or a restaurant owner.
That service doesn’t have to stop in retirement. You just must shift your focus to find your post-work purpose.
Pursue Your Passions
An excellent way to find your purpose is to pursue your passions. Whether you have always wanted to write a novel, start a garden, learn how to play the piano, learn a foreign language, or take a European vacation, there’s no better time to do things you really want to do than after retiring.
Plus, learning a new skill helps boost your confidence and self-esteem. It also gives your brain’s neuroplasticity a workout to improve cognitive function as you age.
Set Personal Goals
Setting personal goals can tie into pursuing your passions. Or it can focus on things like eating healthier, exercising regularly, or completing a household project you’ve been putting off.
Whatever you choose, setting goals to accomplish measurable milestones like losing a certain amount of weight or repainting each room in your house gives you a result to push towards, like work-related goals. Just make sure to consult your doctor and follow any medical guidance or restrictions before launching into a new health-focused routine.
Follow a Routine
When you worked, you followed a regular schedule. You set your alarm to wake up, get ready, eat breakfast, and report to the office by 8 or 9 a.m. Losing this regular structure can make retirement challenging.
Martin Battock, a life coach and financial professional at GoldBook Financial in Scottsdale, Arizona, said in a Mass Mutual interview, “Work has projects and deadlines and schedules. Then one day that all stops. If you don’t replace work routines with new routines, your retirement will likely end in disappointment.”
Following a new structured routine can alleviate some of those retirement blues. Factoring in time with family or friends, exercising, taking a pottery class, or participating in a weekly book club can fill empty spots on the calendar and create purpose-driven activities.
Volunteer and Help Others
It’s amazing how focusing on others can boost your own mental health and foster a sense of purpose, Mental Health America explains. Joining a community board or volunteering at a hospital, school, animal shelter, or a nonprofit can help you maintain social connections and make a difference in your local community or beyond.
Overall, helping others while creating or sustaining social connections plays a vital role in a healthy, active aging lifestyle.
Start a Side Hustle or Work Part Time
If you aren’t quite ready to stop working altogether, you might consider starting a side hustle or working part-time doing something you enjoy. There is a lot of gig work out there these days, from grocery shopping or delivering takeout to online customer service and more. Checking AARP’s online job board or browsing Indeed.com job listings can help you find current openings.
Spend Quality Time with Family and Friends
Work demands often keep families apart. Now that you’re free, you can spend quality time with your grandkids, adult kids, other family members, and friends. Plan regular meetups and gatherings. Start a game night. Stroll through the park or find another activity you all enjoy. There is no better purpose in retirement than making memories together.
Retirement is your time to spend however you choose. Finding purpose with these tips can help you have a happier, healthier new chapter.
Active Aging is presented by Public Health- Seattle & King County. Public Health- Seattle & King County recognizes the important and untold stories of innovation, service, and sacrifice by the Black community and supports efforts to improve equity and achieve social justice. We want everyone to get health insurance and access health care. Visit www.kingcounty.gov/health for health insurance, flu and COVID-19 testing locations.
