The reality of retiring
A lot of people think that retirement is just having all the time in the world to do whatever you want.
But what some don’t understand is that the realities of retirement can trigger stress, anxiety and depression.
What can trigger these feelings can stem from what your life was like before you decided to retire.
Below is a list of common challenges that Help Guide identified that are experienced by people during retirement.
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Struggling to “switch off” from work mode and relax, especially in the early weeks or months of retirement.
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Feeling anxious at having more time on your hands, but less money to spend.
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Finding it difficult to fill the extra hours you now have with meaningful activity.
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Losing your identity. If you’re no longer a doctor, teacher, designer, sales person, electrician, or driver, for example, who are you?
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Feeling isolated without the social interaction of being around your coworkers.
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Experiencing a decline in how useful, important, or self-confident you feel.
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Adjusting your routine or maintaining your independence now you’re at home with your spouse during the day.
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Some retirees even feel guilty about receiving money from a pension without directly working for it.
If you feel as though any of these relate to you and your retirement (or pre-retirement!) situation, we’ve put together a handy list of OverSixty articles to help you overcome these issues and a whole host of others.
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How to make the most of your super as you retire or semi-retire
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Five quick ideas for staying active in retirement
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How much do Australians need to retire?
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5 tips to make transitioning into retirement easier
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Ten key steps to help you make your retirement the best years of your life
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Why retirement living is the perfect way to upsize your lifestyle
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How one day off work led to a dream retirement
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Want to see a therapist but don’t know where to start? Here’s how to get a mental health plan
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Why it's important to try new things in later life
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