How many hours per week do you spend working? Generally, most people devote between 40 and 70 hours per week to their work. Business owners often spend over 70 hours a week managing their business. When you retire, all of the time that you previously devoted to work becomes available for other activities. How many hours per week do you currently devote to your work/business? How do you plan to spend the same number of hours per week, every week, for the rest of your life?
Furthermore, unless retirement has been precipitated by a serious health problem, the day after you retire you will possess the same energy, intellect, and drive that you had the day before you retired. Without a plan for investing one’s energy, intellect, and drive, retirement can be experienced as an abrupt cessation of meaningful life activity. Quite simply, how many hobbies, pastimes, and non-work activities require the same levels of energy, analysis, and drive as one’s job or business? How will you invest your energy, intellect, and drive during retirement? What activities would you find challenging, gratifying, interesting, and enjoyable?
Similarly, the day after you retire you will possess the same knowledge and skills that you had before you retired. It’s highly likely that you can apply the knowledge and skills that you utilized in your work to other endeavors. It’s also likely that you possess knowledge and skills that were never required in your work but would be valuable assets in other roles. How are you going to apply the knowledge and skills that you possess during your retirement?
Socially, work normally includes numerous and often complex relationships with other people. Many of these relationships are quite meaningful, enjoyable, and even stimulating. Other work relationships may be frustrating. However, how many pastimes, hobbies, or other activities involve the same types of relationships and quality of social interaction? How will you satisfy your needs for social involvement after you retire? What activities would provide you with the kinds of social interaction that is meaningful and enjoyable for you?
Work often evokes a variety of emotional responses. We experience excitement, frustration, satisfaction, annoyance, and even pleasure at different moments in our work. While some of these emotions are unpleasant, they are often stimulating and add an emotional dimension to our daily lives. Not having enough to do can be very boring. What activities are likely to provide you with some excitement, satisfaction, and pleasure?
Goal setting is an important part of our work and a major factor contributing to our success. Goals are typically challenging. They energize us and direct our behavior. Accomplishing goals, especially ones that we have worked hard to achieve, can be extremely gratifying and enjoyable. If accomplishing goals is important to you, what hobbies, pastimes, involvements, etc. will include setting meaningful goals that will provide energy, direction, and satisfaction?
