Thank God, it is Retirement Time!

Many people are longing for the retirement date, i.e. the last day of their working life. It is a time to finally get some rest, to do whatever they want including sleeping longer, no more commuting to the office, and more.

The truth is that nobody is really prepared for this transition from the working life state to retirement life. Personally, I prefer a change of activity instead of retirement. Most people associate retirement with “doing nothing”. 

Here is what I mean, you’ve worked from your early twenties to your late sixties, which is about 40 years. That means that work gives you significance. Whether you like it or not, your job is what makes you get up in the morning. It somehow gives purpose to your life. It’s hard to stop overnight a habit that has been formed for so long. To overcome a habit, one will have to form another habit. There must be a kind of transition from one life to the other.

In many large companies, they organize pre-retirement workshops to help the employees, whose retirement date is approaching to raise awareness of life in retirement. By reminding them to prepare mainly for financial needs; after all, you must continue to pay your monthly expenses, right!

However, I have not heard of emotional preparation for the big change and the challenges that come with it.

A few years ago, I had a colleague who came into retirement and she was very happy after 40 years of professional life.  We threw a big party for her and she was enthusiastic about not coming into the office the next day. She would now have time to take care of her grandchildren.

A few days later, she called me in tears. She told me how saddened she was when leaving the office for the last time. A place where she had worked for so long, had made friends; she felt like she was leaving her family. For the next few days, she stayed in bed wondering what she was going to do next. She asked her daughter, who lived in another part of the country (about a 4-hour drive) if she could go and look after her grandchildren. To her surprise, her daughter told her that she could not go because they did not have time to take care of her, the kids are in school, she is working so there was no room for her. She received this response as a slap in the face. Therefore, she was a little bit disappointed as her plan to take care of her loved ones has fallen through. She would stay in her pajamas all day, not take a shower; watching television all day. She was feeling useless. She had no connections; she couldn’t contribute to society. 

I am telling you this true story to emphasize that preparation for retirement is not only about financial security but also a big deal of psychological preparation.  I would say that 80% is psychology! Retirement is a big change that can bring many challenges. You have to prepare emotionally to make a smooth transition and make the most of this stage of life.

If you are approaching this transition period or if you are already retired and are having difficulties adapting to your new life, I can help you overcome the emotional distress that you may feel. You deserve to fully enjoy your earned free time!