Retired? Now What? Avoid These Eleven Mistakes In Your Retirement

Retired? Now What? Avoid These Eleven Mistakes In Your Retirement

You thought retirement would be easy, didn’t you? You just don’t go to work in the morning. But now, you wake up and wonder what you should do next. No schedule, no deadlines, no urgent phone calls. Sounds pretty good doesn’t it? For some people, it turns out, this is a nightmare. Whether you were a busy corporate executive or a production line worker, it doesn’t matter. Going from a structured, work every day schedule to a “nothing on the calendar” retirement day can be quite a shock. Now, if you’re a handyman and/or homeowner, you probably think you will never run out of things to do. Many retirees are so busy they wonder how they could possibly have worked at something else for 10 hours a day. Others work on their to-do list for six months and then simply run out of things to do. The Baby Boomers that I have talked to have plenty to do. What comes over loud and clear are the things not to do. Learn from the mistakes of others. If any of these decisions are on your list, please stop and reconsider.

I’m so sorry I

  • Moved to another state to be closer to my children and grandchildren
  • Sat around the house and let myself get out of shape
  • Let my children move back in with me
  • Bought the power boat I thought I always wanted (although smaller fishing boats were a favorable decision)
  • Sold my house so I could travel
  • Didn’t accept the invitation to visit my college sweetheart
  • Bought a house on the beach (renting one when I needed it would have been so much better)
  • Tried to get into my wife’s schedule instead of making my own (she was ready to kill me)
  • Gave away my tools, family heirlooms and photos when I downsized to a condo
  • Turned down dancing lessons from my sexy neighbor
  • Didn’t spend my children’s inheritance on myself

Ok, Baby Boomers, do you see a pattern here? In general, you can avoid these retirement mistakes by:

  • Taking care of yourself (don’t become a lazy slob; you may live another fifty years so be prepared to take advantage of any good opportunity)
  • Not moving away from your familiar surroundings (travel, explore and take long vacations but return to “home”)
  • Not buying anything that requires maintenance
  • Stepping out of your social comfort zone (meet new people in new places, just don’t invite them to live with you)
  • Making your own schedule (keep a personal planner/appointment book)
  • Spending your money on what makes you happy (taking care of yourself first is the best way to take care of the people you love)

I would like to add that it is important to exercise your mind as well as your body. Don’t fall into a static routine, better known as a “rut”. If you normally read fiction, try a non-fiction book. If you normally brush your teeth with your right hand, try using your left. Take a different route to the grocery store, ride a bicycle, have sex outside the bedroom and, heaven forbid, try listening to different music, anything that activates different neuron pathways in your brain. Your brain ages with your body but your mind can be years younger if you challenge it.

There are lots of mistakes to be made when it comes to financing your retirement. If you enter “Retirement Mistakes” into any browser, you will find hundreds of financial experts telling you all the ways you can lose money by doing the wrong thing with your retirement accounts. Print out a few of the articles and circle the most common mistakes and don’t make them. My advice on money matters has always been the same: “If you accumulate massive amounts of money from several ongoing passive income sources, you can afford to make a mistake now and then.” Now go out and try something new. Enjoy your retirement.

Rick Perkins and his wife, Deana have owned and operated their offline manufacturing business since 1980. Rick used their experiences to create http://www.SelfHelpPress.com a free site for personal and business success tips. Now he tackles the challenge of the “Baby Boomer’s” quest for a great retirement life in his book “A Smart Person’s Guide to a Great Retirement” Enjoy your 2nd Adult life with everything we can provide. http://www.AddedYears.com coming soon “A Smart Person’s Guide to Great Sex after 50″ http://www.GreatSexOver50.com

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