Vital steps for a happy retirement

What are the vital steps you must take to enjoy a happy retirement?

1. Make plans:

There are two sorts of plans: the big picture and the nitty-gritty details.

a) think about how you would like your life to continue after work; daydream about your ideal scenario because until you do that you may find you just drift along and nothing much happens  except for not going to work.

b) as well as the big plans it’s important to decide however loosely  what you plan to achieve not only this week or this month but also today.

2. Keep fit

You have a responsibility to your body to care for it so that it won’t let you down when you expect it to be able to do the  new things  you are hoping to do with it during your retirement.

This means at the very least to keep walking at every opportunity if possible; taking the stairs instead of the lift and making sure that at a minimum taking at least thirty minutes of exercise each and every day. This should include some stretching too. Doing this will  keep your joints mobile and your heart beating healthily.

3. Keep healthy

Not only exercise but making  sure you eat well with plenty of fruit and vegetables,  organic when possible and available,  lean protein, low saturated fat, low salt and sugar too.  Also drinking enough water to keep you hydrated and limit the amount of alcohol

4. Be sociable

Since you may find you have less of common interest with your former work  colleagues it is useful to do some things you didn’t have enough time for while you were working. If you have hobbies you’ve neglected or things you’ve always wanted to learn then take the opportunities which retirement offers you to explore new avenues and  discover not only new interests but also get to know other people who share those.

5. Do your own thing

If you find that others are pressurising you to do certain things during your retirement and you really want to do something else, then be assertive and make sure that some of your week is for you to follow your own spirit. Of course there may need to be compromises on both sides  which is fine so long as you do what  you want some of the time too rather than spending every day doing something you really would rather not.