Read time: 5 to 6 minutes
Imagine what your new life will look like. Then take steps so your retirement can be the one you’ve always dreamed about.
- Embrace your new lifestyle
Make a schedule of what your typical day will look like.
- Discover your purpose
Find something you'll look forward to doing, like a hobby, volunteering, or even starting a new career.
- Stay healthy
Exercising, eating well, and keeping up with your regular checkups can help you enjoy a healthy and happy retirement.
Imagine your new life
Retirement is a big life change. It’s a happy and exciting time, but one that will come with some adjustment—to your daily schedule, your social life, and your free time.
Here are some quick tips and tricks to think about as you transition to retirement. A little bit of planning now can go a long way to helping you have the retirement of your dreams.
The activity sections below will get you thinking about the future. Close your eyes and picture a regular day in retirement—from morning until night.
Activity: What does a typical day of retirement look like for you?
Then I ____________.
After that, I ____________ until ____________ o’clock, or so.
I usually have a lot of fun doing ____________ with ____________.
When it’s time to relax, I usually ____________.
Tip: When you’re retired, it’s important to find things to do that you’re passionate about. If you’re not sure how you want to fill your days, keep reading for ideas.
- Keep your mind and body in top form. Check out this article on staying active in retirement. You’ll get tips for developing a new routine, exercising, and sharpening your mind.
- Prioritize your emotional well-being. Check out this article to learn about the 5 stages of retirement and the common pitfalls new retirees face.
Discover your purpose
Happy retirees are busy people. Remember how your job was the main reason you became a morning person—or a night owl (depending on your schedule)? As a retiree, you’ll have a lot of time to fill.
Activity: What interests will you pursue?
Find 3 or 4 hobbies or activities that you’re passionate about and go after them with gusto. Unleash your inner painter, beekeeper, or photographer.
I really enjoy:
- ________________
- ________________
- ________________
- ________________
In addition to hobbies, you can also volunteer. Volunteering can be a great source of satisfaction—and help keep you mentally healthy. If you know you want to help but aren’t quite sure where to begin, you can find volunteering opportunities* in your area to which you can apply your own skills and interests.
Or you can even start a new career. Maybe you never had the time or energy when you were working. So why not use this time to pursue your passion and continue to earn some money in retirement?
Get started by reading these stories* about people who turned retirement into their dream job.
Everyone needs a reason to get up in the morning, something they look forward to accomplishing during the day. Find what motivates or inspires you.
Create a new you
Have you ever dreamed of living someplace else? Someplace that’s perhaps a little more exotic than where you live today? Someplace warmer, perhaps?
Activity: Where do you think you’ll go and what will you do there?
"If I could snap my fingers and do something else, I would be a/an ________ in ___________."
Before you pull up stakes and head to a new location, figure out how much a move will cost and how you’re going to cover expenses once you’re there.
- This comparison tool* from Sperling’s Best Places compares the cost of living for various U.S. cities.
- AARP* gives a rundown of the most livable U.S. cites based on such criteria as housing, transportation, and general health.
Tip: Aside from the cost of living, how’s the weather in your new hometown? See if your new locale is right for you by renting for 6 months or so before taking up permanent residence.
Retirement is the time to live out your fantasies. Just be sure you know what you’re getting yourself into and make the right adjustments to make your dreams come true.
Make new friends or reconnect with old ones
Activity: Who will you hang out with?
I will reconnect with _________ (and __________).
I'll try to meet new people at _____________.
Tip: If you want to branch out, some of the best ways to meet new people with common interests are to join social clubs or sign up for adult classes. Indulge your love of B movies with a class at the local high school or community college, join a board gaming club for a game night every few weeks, or share your love of reading in a book club.
There's a lot to experience in retirement. Share it with someone close.
Stay healthy
Activity: How will you be physically active during the week?
What activities do you enjoy doing? List ideas here for how you plan to stay active:
- ________________
- ________________
- ________________
- ________________
To keep up with your health, here are 3 things you can do:
- Exercise. If your doctor says it’s okay, go outside and play—well, exercise. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,* regular physical activity (150 minutes a week) can help prevent health problems and keep you in a good mood.
- Keep up with your checkups. Medicare pays for a free comprehensive wellness exam when you first join the program. As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Check out this article to learn about Medicare coverage for checkups.
- Eat well. There are a lot of pleasures in retirement. Eating is one of them. Enjoy your favorite meals while maintaining a balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables to keep you going strong.
A healthy retiree is a happy retiree. And nothing is more important to maintaining happiness in retirement than maintaining yourself.
*When you access this site, you will be leaving our site. Vanguard is not responsible for the accuracy of information on third-party sites. Vanguard receives no remuneration for website links.
**Source: Social Security Administration. 2023, using data from 2020.