Maintaining a Proper Work Life Balance Is Important Even When You’re Retired
As we headed toward retirement, we all read about the importance of maintaining a proper work life balance. We knew we had to make time for ourselves, but we also knew that our jobs and careers got in the way of that good advice. It may be surprising to learn that the work life balance problem does not go away completely in retirement but, rather, takes on a completely different perspective.
As much as everyone looks forward to the day that they no longer have to go to work, we have to remember that the transition to retirement can come as a complete shock to some people. To lead an active and busy life with endless phone calls, meetings and business trips can be all consuming if you let it. You become conditioned and you start to think of this active schedule as normal. To wake up one day and suddenly turn it off can cause some people to feel that their lives don’t matter anymore. They feel bored and pushed off to the sidelines, no longer a contributing member to society. This is very sad because nothing could be further from the truth. This is the time to enjoy life to the fullest and reap the rewards of your years of labor.
Your Work Life Balance Does Change In Retirement
Admittedly, the work life balance does shift drastically when you retire but there are ways to make that work to your advantage and that was the primary reason this website was started: to help people make that transition and to fully appreciate and Enjoy Retired Life! The worries of work were something I was happy to leave behind, but I’ve met many people who say that they miss their job and being part of an office or business team. They miss the social aspects and the relationships they had. What they don’t realize is that they don’t have to leave any of that behind. Whatever benefits you got from the social aspects of work, you can get from the social aspects of play and have even more fun doing it. You can be as busy as you want to be and work hard on a hobby or developing a skill rather than working hard at whatever you did for a living.
The work life balance in retirement is whatever you want it to be. The only limitations are the ones you place on it. While you may have to make adjustments for physical health or financial reasons, there is no reason you can’t approach your hobbies and interests with the same dedication that you brought to work. Even if you feel like you have to “be of worth” or make money, there are ways to do this and still have the time of your life. Volunteering is one of the best ways to achieve personal satisfaction. Many people who volunteer find that their social life has never been better and they’re making new friends who have a common interest.
If you feel like you must earn some money (or your financial situation dictates that you do), you have more freedom than you did when you were working because now, you can work at something that you have an interest in. Throughout this website we have referenced jobs related to your hobbies and even businesses that are perfect for the retiree. There are many people who have no need for extra money but are enjoying themselves with a little bit of work related to their interests. Creating and maintaining this website has been a very enjoyable experience and it definitely keeps me busy looking for ideas and trying to find ways to make retirement more enjoyable for everyone.
I fully admit that I am totally biased when it comes to retirement because I love not going to work every day. I hope that everyone gets to experience the level of happiness and appreciation that I have. Life is what you make it, and retirement gives you the freedom to create the lifestyle that you want. It’s time to Enjoy Retired Life!
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