I always say that since I am retired and don't answer to a boss, I only do things that I enjoy doing and do them at the pace I please. Now I realize that this attitude has put me into a nasty internal conflict. There are so many things I enjoy doing and I continue to find more things that I like to do. At the same time, I want to do things at a more leisurely pace rather "multi-tasking" as I did before and facing impossible deadlines. Results: my to-do list grows longer and longer,and I am not accomplishing anything because I have lost the strict discipline that used to help me get things done.
I have two choices: Either drastically cut down my to-do list, or forget about the leisurely pace and set up a strict, and mostly hectic schedule for myself, or both, or part of each.
I am going to have to definitely cut off some of the items on the list, set up a priority list for the rest, and better organize my time so that I can get more done. Most importantly, I have to get back to a work discipline that forces me to get certain items done at certain time.
Of the to-do items, some are one-time, short term in nature, such as changing my computer and have it set up to meet my needs, or organize my video files. Others are more long-term in nature, such as writing my autobiography or putting together the book on Chinese wisdoms. Yet others are seasonal, such as taking care of the garden. My involvement in teaching the Taichi Light exercise and promoting my Taichi Light DVD is an on-going project.
I guess I have just added one more item on my to-do list.
Showing posts with label retirement. Show all posts
Showing posts with label retirement. Show all posts
May 14, 2008
Mar 24, 2008
Retirement considerations
Many factors influence the shape of your retirement life because they either expand or limit your options.
First of all, your health status determine the kinds of activities you can engage in and how much you can do. By the same token, with retirement you are likely to have more time to spend on strengthening your health by getting more rest and having time to exercise. Your financial health is also very important. It determines the kinds of things you can or cannot afford to do. In fact, you may decide that you have to find some gainful activities to supplement your income. Your family environment is another factor. Whether your spouse (if you do have one) is still working and your relationship in daily life determine to a large extent what you can and cannot afford to do on account of money and time. If you have dependent children, or if you have grandchildren, that will also be a big factor. Your education and carrier background will also help lead you to your decision. These are but a few of the more major and obvious factors; there are many others.
However, the one key factor that should shape your retirement life is you yourself. First you have to decide the kind of life you want in retirement, i.e. whether you just want to fade away quietly or have a long-awaited second life, or something in between. Once you make this decision, all the other factors that we mentioned earlier will just follow. For instance, if you want your retirement to be your second chance on life, then regardless of your health, financial or family situation, there is always a way to work out something out. It's just a matter of choosing the activities that your physical strength, your income or your available time permit.
Retirement is a good time to relive your childhood or your young adulthood. Remember when you were deeply involved in stamp collection? or when you got your first model air plane kit? or when you built your doll houses? Due to school work and then the work work, and then the family, you have totally forgotten about them. Now is the time to go back to the hobby you loved or to engage in new ones.
On the other end of the scale, there are many new things you may want to explore: the computer is obviously a big area. Many people are familiar with using the computer. But even if you are a complete computer illiterate, it is not to difficult to learn. The Internet has opened up a whole new world for everyone regardless of technical skill or financial status. With a computer connected to the Internet, there are enough things you can do to keep you busy all day especially if you are intellectually curious. If you love to travel but don't have enough money or physical strength to do so, Internet would be the next best thing to see the world. On the Internet, you could even learn a new language, and find online friends to practice it. On the Internet, you can read books, watch movies, listen to music, tour museums, all for next to no cost. With some many social networking going on on the Internet, you can also build a new social circle while sitting by your computer. I could go on and on.
But, if with all these opportunities around, you still choose to sit on your rocking chair and rock your way to senility, then that is your choice. That is why I said the key factor in shaping your retirement life is you yourself.
First of all, your health status determine the kinds of activities you can engage in and how much you can do. By the same token, with retirement you are likely to have more time to spend on strengthening your health by getting more rest and having time to exercise. Your financial health is also very important. It determines the kinds of things you can or cannot afford to do. In fact, you may decide that you have to find some gainful activities to supplement your income. Your family environment is another factor. Whether your spouse (if you do have one) is still working and your relationship in daily life determine to a large extent what you can and cannot afford to do on account of money and time. If you have dependent children, or if you have grandchildren, that will also be a big factor. Your education and carrier background will also help lead you to your decision. These are but a few of the more major and obvious factors; there are many others.
However, the one key factor that should shape your retirement life is you yourself. First you have to decide the kind of life you want in retirement, i.e. whether you just want to fade away quietly or have a long-awaited second life, or something in between. Once you make this decision, all the other factors that we mentioned earlier will just follow. For instance, if you want your retirement to be your second chance on life, then regardless of your health, financial or family situation, there is always a way to work out something out. It's just a matter of choosing the activities that your physical strength, your income or your available time permit.
Retirement is a good time to relive your childhood or your young adulthood. Remember when you were deeply involved in stamp collection? or when you got your first model air plane kit? or when you built your doll houses? Due to school work and then the work work, and then the family, you have totally forgotten about them. Now is the time to go back to the hobby you loved or to engage in new ones.
On the other end of the scale, there are many new things you may want to explore: the computer is obviously a big area. Many people are familiar with using the computer. But even if you are a complete computer illiterate, it is not to difficult to learn. The Internet has opened up a whole new world for everyone regardless of technical skill or financial status. With a computer connected to the Internet, there are enough things you can do to keep you busy all day especially if you are intellectually curious. If you love to travel but don't have enough money or physical strength to do so, Internet would be the next best thing to see the world. On the Internet, you could even learn a new language, and find online friends to practice it. On the Internet, you can read books, watch movies, listen to music, tour museums, all for next to no cost. With some many social networking going on on the Internet, you can also build a new social circle while sitting by your computer. I could go on and on.
But, if with all these opportunities around, you still choose to sit on your rocking chair and rock your way to senility, then that is your choice. That is why I said the key factor in shaping your retirement life is you yourself.
Feb 6, 2008
My take on Retirement
Retirement seems to be a rather recent phenomenon. In the old days, there was no such thing as retirement. In a farming community, one works all his/her life until one is too old and weak to do even some light chores. In the city, one works until one loses the job or until one is too old and weak to trot on. Then one would have to depend on children or relatives for support and care. Of course I am talking about the common man. If you are rich with lands and gold and other assets, then you never had to work and there is no retirement either.
More recently, retirement generally means the end of one's lifelong career. After working for a company or the government for 20 or 30 years, one got to a certain age and is allowed to stop working and receive a pension or other type of benefits.
Today, retirement means different thing to different people. For some, it is the "hallelujah" moment when one is liberated from that daily grind of the past 40 years and time to sit on the proverbial rocking chair on the front porch and watch the world go by. For others, it is the long-awaited moment when one is able to devote time on one's favorite hobbies day and night or to play with grand children. For yet others, it is a long-awaited opportunity to start a second career and fulfill one's lifelong ambition. Which path does one follow depend on one's personality, health condition, financial status, family situation and life's other circumstances.
For those who spend their lifetime on the same job or same kind of work without outside interests, or those whose line of work limit their contact with the outside world, retirement can be a ticket to another world unless they have a very supportive family or can quickly change their mindset and develop some activities that make their life meaningful. Even an interest in reading and to acquire some new line of knowledge can make one feel fulfilled. As our life expectancy increases, how to make our retirement life enjoyable becomes all the more important.
I retired 12 years ago at the age of 61, none too early since I found my career was heading to a dead end and the company was willing to give me a quite generous package. Except for a short period of doing some free-lance writing for the company, I never look back. The last 12 years have been the most enjoyable years of my life and I am looking forward to many many more such years to come. My definition of retirement is "the time when one can do whatever he wants to do, rather than what he has to do."
Not everyone is so lucky though. I have seen some people, including friends of mine, who retired, sit back to "enjoy life," found life pretty meaningless without work, and promptly passed away.
My advice to the would-be retirees is this: If you have a choice, don't retire unless and until you know what you want to do in retirement, something that make you find some meaning in life. If you have dreams of doing something all along but were unable to because you didn't have the time, whether it be a hobby, a volunteer opportunity, a new career or business, and if you can financially afford to, then by all means take the plunge. The more "dreams" you have the better. You may be wondering what has taken you so long to make the move.
I would like to share my retirement experience with others in my future postings. I welcome your feedback.
More recently, retirement generally means the end of one's lifelong career. After working for a company or the government for 20 or 30 years, one got to a certain age and is allowed to stop working and receive a pension or other type of benefits.
Today, retirement means different thing to different people. For some, it is the "hallelujah" moment when one is liberated from that daily grind of the past 40 years and time to sit on the proverbial rocking chair on the front porch and watch the world go by. For others, it is the long-awaited moment when one is able to devote time on one's favorite hobbies day and night or to play with grand children. For yet others, it is a long-awaited opportunity to start a second career and fulfill one's lifelong ambition. Which path does one follow depend on one's personality, health condition, financial status, family situation and life's other circumstances.
For those who spend their lifetime on the same job or same kind of work without outside interests, or those whose line of work limit their contact with the outside world, retirement can be a ticket to another world unless they have a very supportive family or can quickly change their mindset and develop some activities that make their life meaningful. Even an interest in reading and to acquire some new line of knowledge can make one feel fulfilled. As our life expectancy increases, how to make our retirement life enjoyable becomes all the more important.
I retired 12 years ago at the age of 61, none too early since I found my career was heading to a dead end and the company was willing to give me a quite generous package. Except for a short period of doing some free-lance writing for the company, I never look back. The last 12 years have been the most enjoyable years of my life and I am looking forward to many many more such years to come. My definition of retirement is "the time when one can do whatever he wants to do, rather than what he has to do."
Not everyone is so lucky though. I have seen some people, including friends of mine, who retired, sit back to "enjoy life," found life pretty meaningless without work, and promptly passed away.
My advice to the would-be retirees is this: If you have a choice, don't retire unless and until you know what you want to do in retirement, something that make you find some meaning in life. If you have dreams of doing something all along but were unable to because you didn't have the time, whether it be a hobby, a volunteer opportunity, a new career or business, and if you can financially afford to, then by all means take the plunge. The more "dreams" you have the better. You may be wondering what has taken you so long to make the move.
I would like to share my retirement experience with others in my future postings. I welcome your feedback.
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