Currently, approximately 10,000 people turn 65 years of age each day, the standard age for retirement, according to Deutsche Bank. That’s a lot of people retiring. The financial side of retirement has long been the sole focus with talk about how important it is to save money for retirement and the various tools that can help with that. But there’s another side of retirement that affects retirees that also needs to be talked about; being bored in retirement.
You work every day, day in and day out for years, until suddenly you’re on permanent vacation. What people find is that there are mental, social, physical, and spiritual challenges that emerge in retirement. That’s the point of Next Avenue’s article, “How to Avoid Becoming a ‘Bored Boomer’ in Retirement.”
Some of the key issues many retirees face:
-A loss of identity. Often people have identified who they are by what they do. “I’m a software engineer” or “I’m an accountant.” But in retirement, the occupation you had no longer defines you. Now who are you?
-Couples who have been together for a while might find that they have different agendas for their retirement.
-The lack of engaging in social experiences can bring boredom.
-With no sense of purpose and a more sedentary lifestyle, they can experience physical deterioration along with depression.
The article has three suggestions on how not to become a “bored boomer” in retirement:
Find your “essential self.” When you were younger, what were you naturally drawn to before your parents, friends, and professors helped steer you toward your career? Now’s the time to find out what you’re passionate about and follow that path. Your skills could do some good for this world.
Reintegrate yourself. Let your skills, life experiences, and heart lead you to an inspirational second career.
Start a lifestyle business. This type of business gives you a level of income you want and the freedom to work wherever and whenever you want. And it’s exactly what many retirees are doing. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the self-employment rate among workers 65 and older (who don’t incorporate) is the highest of any age group in America: 15.5%. It’s only 4.1% for ages 25 to 34.
There’s no reason to settle for boredom during retirement. We’ve always thought of retirement as the point at which a person stops working, but that definition is changing many retirees choose to work in some capacity to follow a new path.
