Youngsters among you are also going to be affected from the shape of things to come. You love your parents , you can help, how ?
The latest census figures shows the number of people over 60 to touch the 10 crore (100 million) mark and will double by year 2030. Those days are gone when parents could expect support from their children. Consider, yourself lucky, if you can have a joint family. Indifferences, callousness, cruelty to elders are on the increase. Many children, even if they want to are unable to look after their parents, due to job compulsion, financial constraint or geographic location.
To deal with the situation we have to improve the health facility, shelter for senior citizens, geriatric care methods, professionals and so on.
A retirement means, there is no more deadlines, no boss (in office, not at home), no traffic, sleep when you want, get up whenever you decide, go wherever you want, freedom to do what you want and whenever you want. All of a sudden time is yours, you are full of leisure time.
You are not the first one to retire, there have been many before you. You suddenly start missing the routines of your work life. Accomplishments, satisfaction, challenges all gone, no purpose and you start feeling an emptiness. No coffee times with your colleagues, no management bashings, no client calls, no greetings, and nowhere in particular to go. Suddenly you realize a leisure time is attractive when you have work, a time to relieve your stress. Now with out work the leisure time becomes a stress. Sleeping, relaxing, reading newspapers, loafing and TV is an idler’s life. The idleness and uselessness causes a rapid decline in physical and mental health
All retirement plans consists of only one element and that’s finance. You may have had many advisors telling you how to save money for your retirement. No body tells you how to enjoy retirement life.
Relax and enjoy your retirement. Thanks, you retired from your full time employment to do things you want to do, the way you want to, and when you want to , which you could never do. Earlier, time was not yours, now it is yours. But you will not have any one to blame.
Earlier you had to earn to live and save. Now you can let go of the savings component and offer your service at a discount. One more, never stop learning…
Ask yourself :
- Am I in control of my lifestyle ? (No ?, Why not)
- What can I achieve in my retirement that would make me proud ? (plenty, think about it, you can)
- Do I have enough great friends in my life ? (make a list of them, it is fun)
- Do I devote sufficient time to meet my close friends ? (whats stopping you, make an association)
- DO I watch too much TV ?(Reduce, avoid addiction)
- Do my life style compliments my partners ? (Talk with the family members and learn what changes in behavior can keep the environment cordial)
- D0 I travel as much as I would like ? (not a necessity)
- Do my time commitments allow me to indulge in creative endeavours ? ( Schedule the day, it is your time)
- Am I developing spiritually as a human being ? (Look into it, if you have never, it has nothing to do anything with religion)
- Do I exercise enough, in my own enjoyable way ?(Don’t try for six packs, walk and few gentle ones will do)
- Do I complain too much ? (Stop reacting and start responding, if the power goes light a candle)
- Am I grateful as I should be or what I have in my life ? (be grateful, you have enough, otherwise you would not be reading this)
- Am I continually learning something new ? (answer should be yes))
- Do I do something special for myself each and every day ? (Keep asking what did you do for the first time, today)
- DO I take enough time to meditate and keep my mind in tip top shape ? (half an hour close your eyes and observe your breathing, never mind where the mind goes)
- Am I living in the right country or right part of the country ? (well, you have a choice)
- What will make me feel better ? (Do it)
- Do I have everything I need to be happy , but don’t realize it ? (We all have enough or what we have is enough)
A few cool activities that can be part of your daily routine
Time with grand children
TV/Radio
Newspaper (Sudoku, crossword, jumble word)
Visit friends
Worship places
A few activities you can consider for your occupation (monetisable) for the rest of your life
Writing (blog, book, newpaers, magazines)
Social media (facebook, twitter, Linkedin)
Healing (alternate medicines like acupressure, pranic healing)
Photography
Yoga
Music (vocal/instruments – you can start learning now
Paintings/Cartoons
Cooking
Give back from your experience and learnings
Teaching School/College students (part time, tuitions)
Get into social groups, NGO,
Build houses for others
Consultancy (your filed of expertise)
Learn a new language, sign language (you can be an interpreter, trainer)
Be a guide, mentor, coach
Be a travel guide (why not)
Learn golf/chess/bridge or any stimulating card game/tennis or any game
Take up agency like finance products of LIC/ICICI/ HDFC, health products
Play safe in stock market
Do a correspondence course in some subject of your interest (age no bar, avoid bars)
Become an entrepreneur
Join toastmaster club
Any body wants to add to the list, please do. A retirement life can be of 30 to 40+ years duration, so plan seriously and enjoy.
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Rajmenon's Blog 
Very well thought out and written. Someone said that you lose your identity when you retire from work. You are no one to the folks anymore, with whom you had worked. You now need to build a new identity for yourself. Being part of any social organisation helps. You can also use your free time teaching/training younger ones. Many more things can be done…remember “who will cry when you die?”
The whole village cried when some one died, because he owed them a lot of money :-). Jokes aside, senior citizen population growth will require a lot of attention like senior citizen homes, medical facilities, trained professionals for geriatric service. But more important, the individuals plan and decide on activities to have an identity and acceptance in the society within their physical and mental capability.
Your blog has given many insights as to how one can keep himself busy for retired people. However many do not come to release that after retirement it is difficult keep an identity which was automatic during the working life.
If one gets a job after 60 it is the most significant achievement for them & they will be talking about it all the time. I think that this is because of insecurity one feels after retirement as no one takes him seriously- neither wife nor children. It is very easy to say that retired people have plenty of time which in reality is very difficult to get by.
This phase of life is not easy to get used to. One has to have an iron will to spend almost 30 to 40 years in this state.
You are right, Bala. The preparation has to start before retirement. Everybody talks of financial planning, not the life after retirement which is very important. And we have to bring out our other skills, it can be anything from golf to music to travel to writing to…
As average life expectancy increases, and the population growth rate decreases, this problem applies to all developing nations. Youngsters may have lot more burden on themselves to support the aged. Perhaps one way to deal with this is to increase retirement age?
Most of the people wants to be in some service or the other, in other words, employment. The country needs more entrepreneurs.
Dear Rajendra Menon,
Thanks for the above email.I am following most of them. One of them “Do not stop learning” I am doing it as if there is no tomorrow. While reading many books a spooky thing called “Quantum theory” used to pop up very frequently, especially in consciousness. As electricl engineers we cannot live without complex numbers and algebra connected with it. A person called Gerolemo cardano invented whole theory of complex numbers in sixteenth century. He also came up with probability theory. About 300 and odd years later they found that Quantum theory which applies to the inner and invisible world of atoms, molecules and fundamental particles can be explained only by complex numbers and probability forms a link between inner world and classic outside world. I am reading right now a book “Shadows of minds” by Roger Penrose and I have been transported to my engineering college days,
Rayadu.
Thank you, Sir. You are an excellent role model . I shall post this reply in my blog so that I can share with others . I remember reading middles written by you. Do you still write?
Regards
Menon
Good blog, as always! In my opinion retirement is that phase of life where you are free to do what you want to. Not that you were not allowed earlier but there were commitments, obligations and social standing etc. etc. you no longer need to be worried of your job, clinging to an employer for security etc. Now is the time you choose what kind of work you want to do, for how many hours a day and how many days a week (I am doing that). If you enjoy being at home playing with grandchildren, just do that.
I frequently use a statement (my own) “If you are not generating, then you are degenerating”. You must keep your mind active and energetic else you will slowly deteriorate physically & mentally and soon hit the bed. Keep looking out for activities that excites you, it could be a job, a social activity, mentoring youth and many more.
If you are not generating you are de generating – well said. The preparation to nurture your other talents should Start mich before retirement . In My previous post ‘ Your job is going ..’ we had discussed the avoidance of dependancy on Single skill.
Hello Mr.Menon,
It was good to connect back with you after nearly 10 years. I finally found time today to visit your blog. This post definitely strikes a chord though not in the post retirement context but in doing more with our time. I made a small start when my tv conked out 8 months ago and then I shifted to an independent place later. Staying without a TV has not been difficult but has given more time for a bit more intellectually stimulating pastimes like some serious reading which had become a lost habit for a reader of 3-4 books a week years ago. Next on the agenda is to follow old creative pursuits.
Interacting with the hearing impaired for around 12 years now has taught how we take a lot of our abilities for granted.
We can make a world of difference to other peoples lives if we over come our sloth and ennui.
Thanks Rajiv. The post before this called ‘ your job is going..’ covers action plan for people who are still working
Sorry Menon. I missed this post and all the interesting comments.
I would like to share a few random news and experience. In India, those above 60 years are only 4% (may not be accurate). It is alarming to me. In a country with vote bank politics, we are a inconsequential minority. I wish that some one points me out that my figure is wrong.
I also feel curiosity and learning keeps one physically and mentally fit.
Enjoyed Shri Royadu’s comment.
With good wishes.
May be its 4% now, that’s nearly 50 lacs and growing. So along with financial planning for retirement, its good to think of making a life after.