Tips for making (and maintaining) friends in retirement
Before retiring, the workplace provides us with ample opportunity to make and develop new friendships. The simple act of being in the same place as a lot of other people, as well as the chances for interaction each day in the lunch room or in meetings means that friendships can easily develop over time.
When retirement looms, the idea of losing the ready group of friends can be a little scary. It’s not likely that you will continue to see all of the people that you used to work with anymore.
It’s easy to focus on your bank balance when thinking about retirement planning. But it’s also important to think about investing time in your friendships so that the important ones will survive the transition to retirement life.
You can also plan ahead so that you will have the chance to develop new relationships with other people in your community.
While you are still in the workplace, put steps in place to strengthen the friendships that you think could survive outside of the office. Start conversations that aren’t work focused – it could be about family, holidays, current events or sports. This way you will see if you have a real connection or whether your friendship is more site-specific.
You could also start to meet outside of work, for lunch or for a bike ride on the weekends. It might even be joining a local sports group or hobby together.
When you are officially retired, making new friends can take a little more effort. You will need to be prepared to put yourself out there and be open to new experiences to meet people.
Now is the time to take up a new hobby like photography, study a course such as creative writing, and practice new skills like tennis. All of these will lead you to naturally meet others who have similar interests to you.
Another great option is to get involved with volunteer or charity work were you might even be able to use the skills you have from your years of work.
If you really want to throw yourself in the deep end you could even sign up to an organised tour group and go travelling. Spending time with people on a cruise or bus trip is a great way to find like minded people who appreciate art, culture, history – or just good coffee.
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