The Value Of Time In Retirement
Time is free, but it’s priceless.
You can’t own it, but you can use it.
You can’t keep it, but you can spend it.
Once you’ve lost it you can never get it back.”
—Harvey Mackay
I’m on the membership committee of our local Rotary club. During the first 10 days of the COVID-19 quarantine, our committee decided to make phone calls to each of our members to determine if they were managing well and, if not, to see how we could help them. During my conversation with one of our members, she mentioned the book, Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb. I ordered the book on Audible and listened to it on my daily walks. One of the phrases in that book really caught my attention. “You won’t get today back.”
Precious Time
What struck me about that phrase was how each day is filled with 24 hours and those hours are so precious. Many of us have had lots of hours at home during this quarantine. I have heard all kinds of stories about people cleaning out cupboards and closets, spending more time with their children outside, taking walks, becoming Zoom specialists as many of us work from home, etc.
So many of the people I have talked to have said they were glad they could keep working, even if it was from home. Throughout the quarantine, their work provided them with a sense of normalcy, structure, and purpose. That makes sense because if you are still working, that is your world. But the question that’s still relevant is — are you using all your time wisely? Remember, “you won’t get today back.”
If you are considering retirement, it’s important to pay attention to what it’s like for you right now and how your life will be different after retirement. Right now, you are occupied with work which consumes your time. That’s at least eight to ten hours of the day. What will you do with those eight to ten hours when you’re not working anymore? It’s a particularly important question as you contemplate retirement.
Dreams
Many of us have spent our working years dreaming about when we would not have to work anymore. It’s like a vacuum that pulls us forward through those productive and important years, giving us something to look forward to, while we contribute to organizations and our community. We say things like “when I retire: I will travel more, spend more time with my adult children and grandchildren, volunteer at the American Cancer Society” (or some organization that you have some passion about). You might dream about starting a small business, writing a book, learning a foreign language, and there is so much more!
Yesterday is but today’s memory, and tomorrow is today’s dream.”
—Khalil Gibran
During this COVID-19 quarantine, whether you have retired or are thinking about leaving work, you have the opportunity to begin exploring what kinds of activities and interests will create meaning in your retirement and begin to slowly incorporate those activities into your day, week, or month. It’s an ideal time to have conversations with your family about this transition, whether it’s one year from now, three years from now, or five years from now.
If you have retired, have you done some of those things yet? Are you following your dreams? It’s okay to take time for yourself to rest, relax, and catch your breath. But ultimately, retirement will be devoid of much meaning if you are not doing something that really fulfills your talents, interests, and passions. I have talked to many people over the years who had dreams that were not realized because they didn’t have a plan and didn’t have any structure to their day. Without a plan, you can lose your momentum along the way for any number of reasons.
Some people need varying degrees of structure to get things done. Others are self-starters and can accomplish things alone. You might need more information before you get started on pursuing an interest. I know it helps me to have someone to collaborate with, like my husband, a friend, or my virtual assistant, so I can talk about ideas and get feedback from them. I might ask, “how does this sound?” or “does this make sense to you?”
You Won’t Get Today Back!
Things are just beginning to open up in our communities but there’s still time left for you to consider beginning to explore a retirement planning strategy that will work for your current family and work situation. Here are some ways that you can accomplish this.
- Find 30 minutes of quiet time to reflect on your dreams for your retirement years. What have you always wanted to do and never done?
- Read an article I published on LinkedIn in 2016 that can still help you today: “A Time Of Uncertainty — A Challenge To Retirement Planning“
- Identify several people you trust, who are positive and supportive, who will be a realistic sounding board for your ideas or plans.
- Include your spouse or significant other in these ideas; if you are single, include your friends and family in your discussions.
- When you have some ideas, do some research on them. If you are interested in volunteering for an organization, research it to make sure it is well organized and a good fit. If you want to take a celebratory trip, get some information about it, and begin planning to make it a reality.Time is a precious commodity that we often take for granted. Use it wisely. We only have as much time as we have, and no one knows its limits.
Take care of yourself and stay safe in these uncertain times,
Dee
As you face these uncertain times due to COVID-19 as well as changes and transitions in life and work, I welcome the opportunity to assist you. I am available for virtual consultations and virtual presentations at this time instead of corporate and group seminars and community workshops. Please contact me.
Dee Cascio
Author, speaker, Licensed Psychotherapist, Certified Life Coach, Retirement Lifestyle/ReCareer Coach, and Life and Work Transitions Strategies Coach.
The Life and Work Transitions Community
You’ve joined a great group — people who plan to make successful transitions in life and work. May you be inspired to use your strengths and skills to grow in this season and may each transition be your best ever.
Need inspiration for retirement planning and other life transitions?
Ready To Retire? Successful Retirement Planning To Make The Best Of The Rest Of Your Life
