Face it. You can’t afford to retire. And if you don’t believe me, read THIS article which says you will need between $1,000,000 to $1.500,000 to retire. It looks like you will need to keep working beyond retirement age. Does that thought fill you with anxiety?
It’s easy to imagine what retirement is like if we can afford to walk away from our career. Check out this video of retirees who seem to be enjoying their life:
When you turn 60 and retirement age is staring you in the face, it’s easy to curse yourself for not being better prepared. Maybe you’ve experienced some of these thoughts:
- Why didn’t I save more?
- Why didn’t I seek the help of a financial advisor?
- Why didn’t I worry more about working in a higher salaried industry?
- Why did I spend so much money?
Society teaches us that when we reach a certain age the greatest good is to quit working. It’s as though there is some magical retirement age when we pull the plug on what we’ve done for decades. We are told we will be happy when we no longer work.
But wait. Working until the day you die is not all bad. It is not a terrible thing.
Here’s 6 crucial benefits to working past retirement age:
1. Working past retirement age is a blessing and not a curse.
Too many people think working is a curse. Maybe that idea resulted from doing a job they hated. But here’s the truth: working is a blessing. Read again the story of creation in the early chapters of Genesis. Adam, the first created person, was given a job to do in the Garden of Eden. We were created to do work and make a contribution to the world around us. Work, is a blessing we ought to embrace.
2. Working beyond retirement age keeps you connected with others.
One of the real dangers in retiring is that it cuts us off from our established social network. It tends to isolate us. We no longer go into work, but end up sitting on the couch watching TV. When we retire our social network shrinks dramatically over night. But if you keep on working you stay connected and interact with others.
3. Working beyond retirement age keeps you healthier.
Too often I’ve heard of people who retire and die within the first year of retirement. It’s as though the body decides to shut down. We exchange a vibrant work life for a sedentary lifestyle and the body rebels. When you keep working the blood flows. You stay healthier. Read THIS article if you doubt the health benefits of continuing to work.
4. Working past retirement age helps you maintain a schedule.
Too many people retire and end up forgetting what day of the week it is. They tend to coast aimlessly from day-to-day with no schedule in mind. At the end of each day the only thing they’ve achieved is to move one day closer to the die they die. But when you keep working you will maintain a schedule. You will stay focused on the passing of time and value the hours and the days.
5. Working past retirement age gives you a sense of purpose.
It’s hard for me to imagine retiring without a sense of purpose in place. It’s possible to no longer work and maintain a sense of purpose. But when you keep working, your ability to hang on to a sense of purpose is assured. And when you get up on the morning you know, at the very least, you will be headed to work to do your job.
6. Working beyond retirement age reminds you that you are still needed.
Too many people retire and feel useless. The days when they were needed to make something or decide something is gone. No one needs them any more. As you continue to work people will depend on you. Even if it is sacking groceries at the local supermarket, people will look to you to do your job. Working beyond your retirement years reminds us that you are needed.
If you want to keep working past retirement age there are many options. Check out 8 Best Job Ideas for Retirees and Seniors. There are a few possible drawbacks to working past your retirement age. THIS article tells you about those drawbacks.
So maybe the BEST retirement option is to keep on working beyond retirement age.
What would be your dream job after you leave your career behind?
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