Retirement and Technology are Perfect Partners
Retirement and technology were made for each other. There is no better time to be retired and part of the reason is the increased capability brought about by technology. One of the ways to keep your mind sharp in retirement is to learn new skills and you can’t find a better subject than technology. If you can master the internet, a computer or a smartphone, you have opened up your world in a way that would have been impossible just a decade ago.
The pandemic the world recently struggled through has shone a spotlight on the advances that have been made with video technology and faster broadband speeds. It has also highlighted one of the ways that retirement and technology are perfect for each other. There are dozens of applications that will enable you to have not just a phone conversation, but an onscreen chat with just about any person in the world. It has been a blessing during this time of social distancing, but it has also brought a new focus on how important it is to keep up with technological advances.
Retirement and Technology Are Better Together
We can certainly see the more obvious advances through larger television screens and channels that stream high quality content on demand but there are many learning and social opportunities as well. Video conferences were just coming into their own during my last couple of years in Corporate America and they were more of a problem than a solution. Long delays, poor quality sound and people speaking over each other marred the experience and, in some cases, resulted in a complete waste of time. Recent advances and better broadband capability have helped resolve these problems and made retirement and technology partners in adding greater fulfillment to the lives of many seniors.
If you’ve watched television during the pandemic shutdown, nearly every show now has a guest who is speaking from a remote location and, while there are occasional glitches, the technology has become amazing. Even now, television news shows rely on remote connections, and the quality has gotten very good.
If you have relatives halfway around the world you can basically do the same kind of connection and have them appear on the screen before you. Is it the same as being there? Of course not, but it can be a wonderful experience just the same. We met a couple from the United Kingdom on a Rhine River cruise over ten years ago and have stayed in touch with them ever since through "zoom calls" which we look forward to every month. We plot out our next vacation together. The ability to see them as we talk has made all the difference in the world and, if you have friends or family at a distance, it's a great way to bring them closer. The internet has been a great communication vehicle as well as a great source of information. Retirement is a great time to learn new things and the internet is a great resource. Retirement and technology go together very well because you don't even have to get out of your chair to take a course in astronomy, go on a virtual tour of the Vatican or learn about some historical event that some references in conversation.
With the higher internet speeds, we’ve seen the content available on the internet go forward by leaps and bounds. Almost any topic you can name and any course you ever wanted to take is now available somewhere. My wife has now added woodworking to her list of hobbies. Virtual tours of cities and landmarks are quite easy to find, and you can find a tutorial for learning any skill you ever thought of developing. Do you want to learn how to bake bread or fix a leaky faucet? A quick search on the internet will give you all the information you need to get started. You’ll start to see that retirement and technology can make a difference in almost every area of your life.
And, if you’re not sure how to use the internet to its fullest capability, taking the time to learn is one of the smartest things you can do because it can literally change your world and how you get your information. There are courses for that as well but one of the most enjoyable ways to learn these skills is through the eyes of a young person. It’s especially rewarding if it’s one of your grandchildren but a child from the neighborhood will probably be more than happy to give you a quick course on the internet and upgrading the technology in your home. Who knows, you may find an area of interest that you enjoy more than watching endless re-runs on television. It might surprise you, but retirees are one of the biggest target audiences for leveraging technology to start a business. A website is a perfect business for people who are retired and want to turn their hobby or interest into a money-making business. Reading a few case studies might start you to wonder if creating your own website might be in your own future. You'll never know until you at least explore the possibility.
Retirement and technology provide enhanced experiences that are so amazing you’ll wonder why you didn’t act sooner. It’s a great way to learn something new, expand your social circles and to make sure you continue to Enjoy Retired Life.
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