Now that you’ve retired, you may or may not feel like you have a lot of time to burn. If you went from working full-time to suddenly having all sorts of downtime, it’s quite the switch!
You may be feeling overwhelmed with all the changes, and if you are, that’s understandable. Thankfully, there are people you can depend on during this transition:
Your family!
If there wasn’t time to spend with your kids and grandkids before, now you have plenty. And that’s good, because quality time with loved ones is great for all aspects of your life.
Here are some of the many benefits of spending time with loved ones.
1. Keeps Your Mind Healthy
You may feel sad if you’re not as busy as you’d like to be. It’s understandable, considering that you have more time on your hands than ever before.
Instead of moping around, make plans with family members. Hanging out with them can urge you to keep your mind healthy.
Focus on Your Mental Health
It’s common for older adults to experience depression. Retiring is a big switch, especially if you’ve been working most of your life.
And if you miss heading to the office, that makes it even more challenging.
To prevent getting depressed, spend plenty of time with your family members. Making an effort to be social will help you combat the blues.
Exercise Your Brain
Another way to take care of your mind is to play games with other people. Games get you to think outside the box, which gives you some mental exercise.
Suggest having a game night with a few family members, and play some games that’ll make you use your cranium (such as the game Cranium!). Games like this will give you the chance to show off your talents and learn about your family’s skills.
Exercising your brain and tending to your mental health is essential, so don’t neglect it!
2. Exercising More Frequently
Besides focusing on having a healthy mind, it’s necessary to keep your body active.
A study by the Journal of Applied Physiology revealed that 75-year-olds who stayed active through the years are as fit as the average 45-year-old!
So if your family members enjoy exercising, take advantage of that. Even if you don’t hike or bike at their pace, you’ll still have a good time and get some exercise.
And if they don’t like to do a lot of physical activities, get them to go on walks with you.
You could be the one helping them get fit, instead of the other way around!
3. Enjoying the Precious Moments
Time may have passed you by when you were working all the time. But now, there’s more time for you to spend with your loved ones.
That means you get to cherish the precious moments spent with them!
Reconnect With Family
If you have extended family you haven’t reached out to in a while, reconnect with them.
Now is the perfect time to get to know family members you never grew close with. And, you can work on relationships that may have fallen by the wayside while you were working.
If pride or a past grievance is getting in the way, let it go and seek forgiveness. Life’s too short to hold grudges. To be a part of someone’s life, it’s up to you to move forward and cherish every minute!
Watch Your Grandkids Grow Up
If your grandkids are still young, you get the privilege of watching them grow up.
Sure, it may take a lot of work to care for a young one. They have so much energy when they’re still in their youth.
But chasing after a little one can keep you young. So, offer to take a grandchild once in a while when they’re not busy. That way, you can spend more time with them!
4. Planning for Your Future
Even if you’re just a few weeks into retirement, it’s never too early to plan for your future.
Have a serious conversation with your kids about what your future looks like.
Here are a few things to discuss:
- Whether you’d like to stay in your current home or downsize to a single-level house
- What your finances look like and how much you’d like to spend in the future
- A course of action to take in case of emergencies
Having everything planned out before you grow older will reduce stress. And if you experience health issues down the line, you’ll all know what to do.
5. Bringing Joy to Your life
I already mentioned how family members can help you combat depression. And I also spoke about how they prompt you to cherish the little moments. It all comes down to this, though:
Family fills your life with joy.
There are a lot of introverts out there, and you may be one of them. Even if you prefer to do many things alone, push yourself to get out of your comfort zone.
Staying focused on your family not only makes you happy, but it can make them happy, as well!
Conclusion
In closing, spending time with family members is good for everyone involved. Even if they don’t say it enough, they love having you around (as long as you give them some time to themselves, too).
Continue to enjoy your time with them, and improve your health along the way. Every minute is worth it!
Author bio
Leon Grundstein has more than 28 years of experience in real estate development, with over two decades of experience in the retirement industry. He founded Granite Falls with a game-changing business model to promote a healthy and robust retirement lifestyle for older adults.