You’ve hung up your work boots and are enjoying a long-awaited life of leisure. But instead of feeling elated and excited, you’re starting to feel a little daunted by your retirement.  

Moving from full-time work to retirement is a significant life change. We’ve outlined some ideas to help you keep active and ease the transition during the early days of leaving employment.  

Explore part-time work  

Retirement might be cause to hang up the working boots, but that’s not for everyone.  

Returning to your field of expertise, or exploring a whole new industry, allows you to bring your years of experience to your chosen part-time role. It’s also a great way to spend your time, earn some money in retirement, and meet people through your new role.  

We’ve previously looked at working in retirement, and what that might mean for your Age Pension and overall income. 

Volunteer at a local organisation  

Check out local charities that are aligned to your passions and investigate ways you can lend a hand. You can also look out for local organisations, where you can meet like-minded people.  

If you’re not keen to volunteer, look for local catch ups, like book clubs, or walking groups. You can also look into whether your local sports club runs classes or activities for your age group.   

Complete those household projects  

Retirement is a great time to do those projects that have been put off and fallen down the personal to-do list. Throw yourself into redecorating a room, re-organising the garage, or whatever else might need to be done now you’ve got more free time.  

The structure of a project can help you to adjust to life away from the workplace. It can also help to provide purpose, especially in those early days of retirement.  

Looking ahead  

There’s no one answer to how you can spend your retirement. Getting into a routine will help you to get used to life without the structure of full-time employment, and once you’re over the initial change, you’ll soon fall into the rhythm of your post-work life.  

Meanwhile, our financial planners can help you ensure your finances are in order and set you up for success in retirement. The initial appointment is available at no additional charge for members.