6 Tips for a Healthy Retirement

Retirement is often associated with a sense of aimlessness while the rest of the world whizzes before your eyes. However, finding a purpose can make your post-retirement life a fulfilling journey. Read on to seek help from our six tips for a healthy retirement. 

This is a collaborative post.

Get Your Finances In Order

Building up your nest egg after retirement is essential to ensure you can sustain a comfortable lifestyle. Whether you choose to live in a retirement village like those from Summerset Villages Auckland, or stay with family, money will be important.

Here’s how you can keep your finances in order.

Determine Your Budget

The first and foremost step would be calculating your average spending after retirement. This depends entirely upon the kind of lifestyle you wish for. 

Ask yourself how much you would be roughly spending on these wants and needs to set a budget for yourself accordingly:

• Housing
• Travel
• Leisure
• Food 
• Health
• Clothing

Assess Your Assets

Now that you have a budget in mind, your next step would be to assess how much you own in terms of your savings, property, and other assets. 

After doing so, it would be far easier for you to establish exactly how much you should be spending out of your savings. 

In this regard, living by the 4% rule is a good idea: you should withdraw no more than 4% of your savings. By leaving enough in the account, your investments will have a chance to grow in future years for a healthy retirement. 

Freelance In Your Field Of Expertise

There’s a high chance your assets would not nearly be enough to sustain your expenditure after retirement, especially if your previous job is not pensionable. In such cases, a convenient way to make money is to freelance in your field of expertise.

The simplest way is to set up a profile on reliable freelancing platforms such as Upwork and PeoplePerHour.

You can also check out this comprehensive guide on how to become a freelancer in 2023. 

Create An Extensive Investment Strategy

An investment policy statement is something that will make sure your investments are purposeful and profitable. It defines your investment goals and helps you develop strategies for achieving them.

This document can help you make more rational decisions about your money. Here are some tips to help you create an investment policy statement. 

Focus On Social Support

You don’t have to face the challenges of retirement alone. Seeking social support can help alleviate your stress and bolster your motivation to live a meaningful life. Here are two important considerations to make in this regard.

Strengthen Your Social Network

Staying socially connected can greatly impact your mental health and happiness. Therefore, staying in touch with family, relatives, old friends, and acquaintances is important. 

You must also note that fostering new, sincere friendships is never too late. And retirement communities are an excellent platform for doing that. You can learn more about retirement villages here.

Join A Peer Support Group 

Many community organizations offer support groups for older adults transitioning into retirement. Talking to other people who understand what you’re going through can help reduce feelings of isolation.

You can find suitable support groups in your area through meetup.com.

Eat Healthy

Old age brings numerous health concerns that can be easily avoided if you eat healthily. Therefore, consuming consciously is one way to ensure a refreshing life after retirement. 

One popular way to do so is to focus on a Mediterranean diet. It is an all-encompassing diet that has been long regarded as a healthy approach to eating. Here’s what it involves:

• Eat whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, herbs, spices, nuts and healthy fats such as olive oil daily.
• Add fish or other seafood to your menu once or twice a week. 
• Consume dairy foods, eggs, and poultry in moderation. 
• Eat red meat and sugary items only occasionally. 
• Drink red wine in moderation.

Travel

One positive aspect of retirement is that it gives you all the time in the world. You can productively utilize this spare time by finally going to your dream travel destinations.

Not only are vacations a great way to spend spare time, but they also help one rejuvenate and reconnect with the world’s wonders. 

To help you plan effectively, here are some tips to organize a once-in-a-lifetime trip abroad.

Look For Volunteering Opportunities

More than one in five older adults volunteer. That is because giving back to the community will give you a sense of contentment, which will help you escape the mundanities of your post-retirement routine. 

Moreover, volunteering comes with the added benefit of ensuring you are indulging in some form of physical activity.

Some common places for senior citizens to volunteer are animal shelters, foster grandparent programs, and community gardens. You can choose an organization as per your interests to make the most out of your experience. 

Take Care Of Your Mental Health

Mental wellness is crucial to ensure a healthy life after retirement. Contentment comes from within, and here are some simple tips to help you achieve a composed emotional state:

• Get a good night’s sleep daily
• Practice yoga
• Develop a positive outlook to shape your thought process. You can do so by keeping a gratitude journal and practising self-care

Final Thoughts

Getting daunting thoughts about getting older and transitioning into retirement is quite easy. However, try to focus on the bright side. 

You would have all the time in the world, which you can use for purposeful activities to bring joy to you and those around you. 

And at the end of the day, it all comes down to how you view things, so opt for an optimistic outlook on life. Good luck with your healthy retirement!