It is important to prepare or plan adequately when one wants to travel outside the country. It is essential to plan to ensure a proper transition from active work life to retirement. The transition from active work life to retirement must be smooth to avoid running out of money or not having the necessities of life after retirement.
At retirement, believers should be financially independent, live comfortably, and achieve retirement goals. Since retirement is a lifelong journey, the transition must be smooth and must be with ease. Today’s lesson will help us know what other preparations are essential for a smooth transition from active work life to retirement.
1. Spiritual Preparation
The most important preparation needed for a smooth transition into retirement is spiritual preparation. While some people find the retirement period interesting, others find the transition from regular work to retirement challenging, even to the point of inciting anxiety and depression. Many retirees experience an initial boost in health and happiness after retirement, and then a few periods later, they become dissatisfied and experience a decline in health. This is the reason why spiritual preparation is necessary. Looking back in faith can give retirees a perspective of hope.
One must begin by committing his life to God’s hands through prayer, being involved in God’s work, and service to humanity. Seeking God’s face for direction and leading, for every journey has a long way in helping one have success and fulfilment. The retirement period is another phase of life’s journey. It is a life that transitions to death. Since death is inevitable, believers must be prepared to live a fulfilled life here on earth and also reign with Christ in eternity.
2. Health Preparation
Health preparation is another important aspect that one must consider when transitioning to retirement. Believers must take adequate care of their health to enjoy retirement. Proper hygiene, a balanced diet, and regular exercise must never be toyed with either before or after retirement. This will help a believer keep a healthy lifestyle even after retirement. People should join various health insurance schemes where they can get proper health care cheaply. This will help them monitor their health and receive proper health advice when necessary and at appropriate times. People who die not too long after retirement are probably people who pay less attention to their health while they are in active service.
3. Economic Preparation
Economic preparation for retirement makes retirement easy and lessens the burden on the children, family members, and society. Both economic theory and common sense say that someone is adequately prepared if they can maintain their level of economic well-being. Economic provision and stability are essential for retirement, considering the dwindling economic situation of the country. Anyone who is retiring must make adequate financial provisions for retirement or have individual plans of savings and investment for the future. Make savings your priority while in active service to prepare for retirement. Besides retirement or pension schemes, let members mention other economic provisions that could be made for retirement.
4. Retirement and Responsibility
Retirement is a transition from work responsibilities, not an end to work. Nowhere in the Bible does it mention we should stop working? This does not mean that one needs to work until one dies, but the type of work one will do later in life is different. As a cultural concept, retirement allows retirees to be involved in work or things they could not do while in active service. If God gives retired disciples breath, it is because He still has work for them to do.
Their goal should be to finish life well. Inasmuch as retirement is a phase where one can see the gifts, skills, and abilities full-time, it is also a time to rest and enjoy life. However, if the focus of this stage of life is for selfish reasons, like personal comfort and enjoyment alone, then such a retiree is missing out on the joy that God has planned.
5. Redirection at Retirement
When someone retires from an active work life, such a person should not become idle. The retirement period is not a time to sit down and become useless. Some people find other menial or less tedious work to do after retirement. Besides having something that could fetch little income, the time of retirement should also be a period of making oneself available for the service of God.
Moses was a shepherd, but later, he released himself to be used by God to lead his people out of Egypt. The same applies to Joshua. Moses’s servant was told to lead the children of Israel to the promised land. Whether a secular or religious assignment, retirees must not sit down and become idle after retirement. They must continue to work and serve God wherever they are until they lay down their lives.
6. Suggestions for a successful retirement
Many people have the erroneous idea that retirement is a period for them to just wake up, eat, and stroll around each day. This is not good enough. If a retiree does not have the strength to work, there are other things such an individual can do. At retirement, one should have a daily routine.
Some things that can be included in the routine daily walking exercise are eexercise-inspiringbook books, visiting other retired members or friends, and keeping abreast with happenings in society, etc. At retirement, one should learn to live within means. Do not be overburdened by unnecessary pressures. Other suggestions include: Read extensively to keep your mind active and alive.
Conclusion
The transition from active work to retirement can be extremely overwhelming. Moving from a full-time income-paid or personal job to living on retirement savings can cause a sense of uncertainty for anyone.
People must be wise to ensure a smooth transition from active work to retirement life by equipping themselves spiritually, having health insurance schemes that could help cater to their health challenges as they grow older, and making adequate provisions to meet the economic situation of the country.
The preparation we make will determine whether the transition will be smooth or rough and the kind of retirement life we will live. This is why it is essential to adequately prepare before retirement comes. Retirement life is meant to be enjoyed and not endured. Read further on our business page