Everyone has heard the story of a loved one who retired after working the same job for forty years, only to die a short five years later. They never got a chance to enjoy the life they worked so hard to create. That story is all too common. But what happens to the body and mind after retirement?
According to a 2018 Harvard Medical School health report, some studies have shown that people working beyond the age of 65 were three times more likely to report being in good health and about 50% less likely to have serious health problems than their retired counterparts.
There is an old saying that states, “If you don’t use it, you lose it.” That saying is appropriate for describing what happens to people after they retire. The mind is a wonderful thing. When the mind is used, it stimulates healthy activity in the body. For those who retire after a busy career of critical thinking, being emotionally attached to success on the job, and a feeling of belonging to a work community, they end up dying from having no purpose.
WHAT IS A LACK OF PURPOSE?
- Lack of Direction: Without a clear purpose, we feel directionless or unsure about our path in life. This will lead to a sense of drifting, feeling lost, or being uncertain about our goals and aspirations.
- Difficulty Making Decisions: A strong purpose often serves as a guiding principle for decision-making.
The mind is a powerful tool. When it isn’t used, the body will suffer as well. Those who wake up every day with a sense of purpose typically live more fulfilling lives. Life with no purpose, creates a day with no fulfillment, thus leading to mental and, eventually, physical death. Symptoms of having no purpose include feeling hopeless, desperate, simply numb, and unable to find enjoyment in the things we used to find pleasure in.
Feeling a lack of purpose can also contribute to depression and anxiety, especially when feeling unable to see a way out of feeling empty. Human connection is critical to life and people typically work most of their day, meaning they interact with others all day.
The pandemic created stay-at-home jobs. But society suffered from this because millions of people simply lost a sense of connection. This increased bad behavior from people, issues with acting out in public, and people falling into depression while not understanding the symptoms they were experiencing.
“I noticed that my mood was swinging all over the place,” John, from Buffalo, said. “I realized that my interactions with people made me feel much better when I came back home, so I started to purposely find activities where I was around people again.”
WHAT ABOUT MONEY
It’s no secret that life changes financially for those who have retired. With prices skyrocketing to an all-time high, the income that used to work in retirement might not work anymore. For those who can work a well-paying job, they might want to consider continuing to do that if they enjoy what they’re doing.
For those who would prefer to retire, considering a second career doing something more enjoyable is always an option. Many people still choose retirement to gain access to their pension, and social security, and can still work and create additional income. It’s suggested to consult a tax professional before taking on any additional income.
But most people can work a part-time job, still enjoy their benefits, and create a sense of purpose at the same time. With inflation becoming a factor for the retired, it is more important than ever to make sure that financial stress is managed as much as possible. There are recommendations on how to financially prepare for retirement.
Some may want to try the 4% rule. The 4% rule entails withdrawing up to 4% of your retirement in the first year and subsequently withdrawing based on inflation. Some risks of the 4% rule include whims of the market, life expectancy, and changing tax rates. You may also want to consider the 95% rule for retirement.
The Rule of 95 is an alternative full-benefit retirement eligibility date to allow members to retire earlier than their schedule-based eligibility date. Under the Rule of 95, members can retire when their age, plus their years of service, equals 95, provided that they are at least 62 years of age.
Financial planners often recommend replacing about 80% of one’s pre-retirement income to sustain the same lifestyle after retirement. This means that, if a person is earning $100,000 per year, they would aim for at least $80,000 of income (in today’s dollars) in retirement.
FINDING PURPOSE IN LIFE
Finding purpose in life might sound nice, but it’s more important than we might think. Living a meaningful life contributes to better physical health and mental fitness. It also reduces the risk of chronic disease. Multiple studies have even found that it can help us live longer.
When we wake up every day with a purpose, it helps drive our mode of operation. When do we eat? How healthy do we eat? We consider how our day impacts others. Living with intent, we’re also feeding the mind and body the daily nutrients it needs to feel alive.
Understand that no one is suggesting that if we’re a plumber we work until we’re seventy-eight. We can retire from the job we have and volunteer for the career that makes us the happiest and most fulfilled.
“I worked in medicine all my life,” Deloris, from Orlando, said. “When I retired, I began to work with kids and started teaching. I substitute teacher. It provides me with enough hours, and I get to spend my day with young people, which keeps me laughing and connected to life.”
Ironically, what we do for a living can impact our quality of life leading into retirement.
A 2021 study on Occupation-Based Life Expectancy found that people working in non-skilled general, technical, and transport domains lived an average of 3.5 years less than those in academic professions. Those working in the transport sector had the shortest life expectancy, and teachers had the longest.
OPTIONS FOR LIFE AFTER RETIREMENT
The road to creating the post-retirement life we want will be different for everyone. If we can continue to work at the company we love, we should do so. If we can find a new career that allows us some flexibility to travel and enjoy the grandkids the way we’d like, go for it.
Take the time to experiment with different jobs and positions before settling into a job that might not create the healthy, stimulating balance needed. Life is supposed to be enjoyed, not worked.
The key point is to find something to do that is meaningful, productive, and requires real effort. If we’re retired, we need to define what that means. But life will feel much better when we have something to relax from. We shouldn’t use this as an opportunity to let ourselves go to pot by not staying in shape.
Positive blood flow is the key to health. Keeping the body moving and the blood flowing is important once we’ve retired. The local YMCA has good physical programs for the retired. Pickleball has exploded among those who desire to stay active and play a sport at the same time.
The bottom line for those considering retirement is to understand their options, choose wisely, and try to enjoy life as much as possible. No one wants to die five years after retirement. Enjoy those grandkids and enjoy each other.
