Adjusting to retirement

Many people look forward to retirement - having more time to pursue their interests and to spend with family and friends. For others, the prospect of approaching retirement fills them with fear and uncertainties. This is especially the case for people who are living on their own and who have few outside interests. Having been used to a daily routine and the company that working with others brings, they see retirement as a daunting prospect. There is the additional burden of having less money available to spend. This a particular issue for the single person with only one pension to cover all the household bills and expenses.

It is important for people approaching retirement to plan for their retirement - not just financially but also physically and emotionally. All the research over the past decade points to the need for the over 50s to maintain a healthy mind and body. Planning a routine for regular exercise and the pursuit of leisure activities is as important as planning your finances. It is an essential part of adjusting to retirement.

Improving your financial outlook

If you feel that you will be constrained by a tight budget which will allow you little margin for socialising or taking holidays, consider taking a part-time job. Working just one or two days a week could cover your socialising and holiday needs. Depending on your experience and training, you might also consider working from home. Offering secretarial facilities or accounting for small businesses will keep you busy, mentally active as well as bringing in extra income. If you feel that you do not have any skills that would enable you to run a small business from home, consider taking a course to provide you with the relevant abilities. Another way of earning additional income is to take a lodger. To those who like their own space, this may seem unworthy of consideration. However, there are ways of converting rooms to enable them to become self-contained in such a way that the only room you have to share is the bathroom, and in some cases not even that. You may have a dining room that you hardly use or an additional bedroom. Some people even convert their garages. Take time to speak to an architect. You may be surprised at the possibilites.

Planning a fitness and leisure programme

Decide on one or two fitness activities that you will pursue each week. If you are living alone, try to ensure that the activities bring you into contact with others. Fitness interests such as walking, bowls and yoga are ideal, not only for providing a form of exercise but also for meeting and making new friends. Both walking and bowls' clubs tend to organise social events which adds another dimension beyond the fitness benefits. See our page on hobbies for clubs in your local area.

Beyond your fitness activities, you need to identify one or two interests that will keep you mentally active. Genealogy, or tracing one's ancestors, is one such activity. It requires a strong level of 'detective work' and mental ability to trace your ancestors - locating them on census materials and in church records and making links between families of ancestors. It is an extremely satisfying hobby in its own right and one that can keep you occupied for hours at a time. See our page on hobbies for suggestions on adopting genealogy as a hobby.

You might also consider taking a course, for example, how to use a particular computer software programme. This will bring you into contact with others and enable you to develop your computer skills. Contact your local authority for information about courses in your area.

Engaging in crosswords and other puzzles is another way of keeping your brain active. Most newspapers have crosswords and other types of puzzles or you can purchase puzzle books from your local newsagents.

Planning what you are going to do with your time on a weekly basis, enables you to not only feel in control of your future but also to look forward to your retirement.