Your Guide to the First 90 Days of Retirement

You worked hard for most of your adult life and now you’re retired. The truth is, that it probably feels strange. It’s a totally different life and that can be jarring. There is a lot of freedom and opportunity and wide-open space and, while that can be exciting, it can also sometimes be overwhelming.

This isn’t just a career transition; it’s a major life transition too. That’s because retirement is unlike most situations you’ve been faced with in your adult life. It’s freedom in the way you may not have experienced it before. Yes, there are always some restrictions in life, but for a lot of people, retirement is the first time they don’t have to “answer” to anyone.

You job probably set most of your schedule and, to be honest, most of your goals for the last 30-40 years. You planned your whole life around it. It dictated when you woke up in the morning, when you ran errands, and even when you had personal time. Now, without that structure, everything is different.

That’s a lot to handle.

There are also the emotional aspects of retirement. People respond to retirement in different ways. A lot of strong social connections are formed in the workplace, especially if you’ve worked with one company for many years. Leaving work changes these relationships.

Many people who retire also find themselves missing the sense of purpose they felt in the workplace. Working gives you something to be proud of. It gives you accomplishments to strive for and achieve. When you’re no longer working, it’s common to feel aimless and without direction. 

Plus, think about how often “what do you do?” comes up in conversation or how often you introduce yourself as “I’m a….” and then list your profession. Work often becomes a key part of your identity, and without it, you can feel lost.

How do you handle these aspects of retirement? One of the best ways is by having a plan.

A Plan for the First 90 Days of Retirement

The first 90 days of retirement are often the toughest because everything is new. You’ve never done this before, and you might not know where to start. Here are a few things that can help. 

Come Up with a Schedule

No one says that retirement needs to be as busy as when you’re working. However, without some sort of schedule, it’s easy to have the days all blend together and to see time pass without really realizing it. 

Spend the first few weeks thinking about what really matters to you. You don’t need definite plans at this point, just take the time to reflect and think. What would you like to accomplish? What makes you happy? What gives you purpose? Once you have those things I mind, think of a schedule. How do you want to spend your days? What makes sense for your situation? 

You don’t need to plan every minute of every day, but having certain anchor events (like a weekly dinner with your friends, a day each week to spend with your grandchildren, a regular golf game, etc.) can help you structure your life.

Make Time for Who Matters

One of the most confusing things about retirement is that you seemingly have all the time in the world, but that you also must plan how you spend it. Otherwise, it just rushes by. Just like you need to plan for how you’re going to fill your days, you also want to think about who you’re spending them with.

For a lot of retirees, that means their family, which obviously makes a ton of sense. However, also think about your former coworkers. If you’ve formed friendships with them, you’ll need to plan for how to continue these relationships now that you’re no longer at work. Keeping in touch and maybe scheduling regular events like dinners or nights out can be very helpful.

Reset Your Budget

You’re living on a different budget now, so you need to adjust. Knowing what matters to you and who you want to spend time with can help you create a budget that works. Look at your savings and determine how much you can spend each month. Then design a budget that lets you meet your needs and your wishes without overspending.

Every budget is about balancing priorities; it’s a great idea to make one while you’re thinking about what matters to you.