Why Retire? Simply Re-Tire Instead! 

 

'Does retirement make you ill?’ was the topic of conversation on a recent Jeremy Vine show on BBC Radio 2. During the lunchtime discussion listeners were asked to share their thoughts about the impact retirement can have on your life.  

Mark Littlewood from the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) commented on one of their latest studies, which suggest that ‘almost 1 million people in Britain are now working beyond the retirement age of 65’. There are several factors relating to the reasons why this is the case, one in particular being the changing world of work.

Will you choose to retire at 65 or before? If so, how harmful is retirement for your health? 

From the study carried out by the IEA, Mark Littlewood explained that even though the act of retiring can deliver a short-term boost, in the long-term it may trigger a decline in health, with cases of clinical depression and a need for medication becoming more apparent.

Expressing his thoughts Mark suggested that ‘people can overlook the benefits of work, such as travelling to and from, the routine of working, and the social network of friends, together with the fact that being in work will allow you to be more affluent, which can impact on your level of happiness. If working longer keeps you happier, can a shift in thinking about retirement, become the tool to defuse the pension’s time bomb?’

Here’s a thought: what if you decide to re-tire your working lifestyle instead of retiring from work?

As mentioned by Mark Littlewood, when you work you maintain a level of physical and mental activity. Your work creates a routine for your mind to think, to move, to communicate, to interact and to solve problems etc.

To help you reframe the way you think about retirement, you can develop a plan including your choice of structure, to replicate your working environment. Or you can simply reframe your mindset completely and re-tire the thinking around what work means to you.   

‘My life is magic. To me it’s all about having a positive mindset’, remarked one 82 year old listener. 

This dear gentleman, who continues to work with his grandson, said he does not wish to retire as his work gives him such great happiness and it keeps him healthy. What incredible sentiments. His mindset and knowing why his work is one of the greatest benefits for him personally are proof of how you can successfully reframe your thinking.  

Ignoring the US spelling of the word ‘tire’, how can you re-tire rather than retire? 

Consider how often you need to re tyre your car. After 20,000 miles or so. Now think about why you change the tyres. To overcome wear and tear, for safety reasons, or for improved driving control.

Imagine you are facing the prospect of retiring from your work. Change your mindset to see your new ‘re-tired’ working lifestyle. Hold that picture in your mind as you discover why you’ve decided to work for longer, doing what you enjoy doing, together with the added benefits of happiness, fulfilment and good health. 

When you re-tire your life you can:

- Achieve Better Grip on the Road – you control what you do.

- Drive Efficiently – economise your lifestyle, be flexible, stay healthy & happy.

- Enable Smoother Cornering – enjoy the curves of your new road ahead, it’s your new journey.

- Explore your New Tread, your New Life Path – you can ‘drive’ (work) for longer on your new road of choice, the one less travelled, your open road… 

‘Re-tire’ your ‘wheels’ and inject your life with a new sense of purpose, perspective and well-being!