Working for a long and then retiring from your work could be a tough time to handle. Retirement is the start of a new journey and you need to plan for your post-retirement years. Many people feel happy knowing that now they do not have to dress up on time and commute in rush-hour traffic to their workplace. However, many people start experiencing retirement anxiety during their retirement or even before that.
Let us know more about retirement anxiety and ways to deal with it.
What is Retirement Anxiety?
Retirement anxiety is an emotion of worry or concern, experienced by individuals who are yet to retire or taking retirement. They worry about various things, such as how will they utilize their time, feeling a loss of identity, and financial insecurities. Retirement anxiety is a growing issue these days.
Some of the common symptoms of retirement anxiety include: (1)
- Feeling as if you have no purpose or identity in life.
- Feeling directionless without a sense of routine.
- Concerns regarding your finances.
- Concerns about aging and mortality.
- Guilt about being able to retire.
- Feeling insecure about your importance in society.
Experiencing these clusters of symptoms typically during retirement implies you are going through retirement anxiety. Retirement can have serious adverse effects on your mental health and you might have anxiety and severe depression. However, as you adjust to your new life, you will notice a reduction in their intensity.
How to Deal With Retirement Anxiety?
Retirement anxiety can cause significant distress for someone approaching retirement because of the inevitable loss of critical resources. (2)
The first step towards increased self-awareness regarding retirement anxiety is to identify the problem and then take essential steps to improve the situation. Let us read further and learn how to deal with retirement anxiety.
Embrace Your Emotions
You might feel a bit excited and a bit bizarre during the first few weeks of retirement. However, slowly you might start feeling anxious, depressed, isolated, and guilty. This is when retirement anxiety reaches its peak.
Instead of suppressing these emotions, accept them and find ways to cope with the change.
Create New Goals
If you have been trying to do something, such as learning a new language, or a new skill, or travel across the world, but were unable to do so because of your busy work life, then try them now. No matter how small or large, goals in life keep us motivated. So, start achieving your goals now.
Establish New Routine
After retirement, you will have to make and maintain a new routine. If you have been into a habit of waking up early in the morning, then maintain the same even after retirement. Wake up at the same time every morning and adopt a new chore during this time. You can volunteer at a library or simply go for a nature walk. Try to keep yourself busy in the new routine.
Practice Gratitude
Practicing gratitude will help you feel more grounded and empowered in life. So, if you are having retirement anxiety and want to come out of the same, then take a moment of pause and practice gratitude.
Keep Connections and Strengthen Your Social Network
Social support is highly essential during every phase of our life. However, after retirement, people start disconnecting from their friends and remain isolated.
But, maintaining connections and strengthening your social network will help you eliminate retirement anxiety. Your social network can become a source of support in old age after retirement. So cultivate your social network and spend quality time with your friends.
Get Professional Financial Advice
Sometimes, people struggle to live through their retirement feeling hopeless about their financial security. Get financial advice from an expert and feel prepared and confident about your retirement and life after retirement.
Think About Continuing to Work Somewhere Else
If after retirement, you feel financially insecure, you can continue your work in some other form, somewhere else. You can get into some part-time work and take a side income. This is a growing trend and many retired individuals are looking to take up some form of work after retirement.
Final Words
Undoubtedly, retirement can be a tough time to deal with and many people suffer from retirement anxiety. However, accepting retirement as an exciting adventure and preparing yourself for a new journey after retirement, can help you fight against retirement anxiety and lead a happy life even after your retirement.
NOTE: If retirement anxiety is extremely serious and interfering with your quality of life, then visit a therapist and get their assistance.
