The future always seems like a long way off, while we all know this time will roll around eventually it can sometimes be hard imagining life in a year from now- let alone decades in the future. For this reason, planning for the future can be particularly difficult, but it doesn’t have to be. Some simple changes you make in the here and now can set you up for a happy retirement, here’s how.
Health
Looking after your health in the here and now is one of the best things you can do. Not only will you look and feel better right now, but you’ll future proof your health and can prevent yourself from suffering later on. Of course, there’s no guarantees in life and anyone can get ill with something that wasn’t their fault. But some of the world’s biggest killers (such as heart disease, lung cancer and type two diabetes) can often be avoided completely by making the right lifestyle decisions. This involves eating the right things and exercising to maintain a healthy weight, staying hydrated, getting enough sleep and avoid dangerous vices such as smoking, binge drinking and taking recreational drugs. Taking a vitamin tablet along with a healthy lifestyle can be useful too, buy a brand which is tailored to your age and gender as we all need slightly different balances of things. It can help you to reach your daily quota of things like calcium for example, which needs to be stored in the bones from a young age to prevent osteoporosis later on.
Community
As the saying goes, ‘no man is an island.’ As humans we’re a social species, we simply do not do well being isolated from others. In order to be happy and fulfilled, we need time with other people and to feel like we’re part of something. Later in life this can be even more of a problem, surveys and research show time and time again that older adults are among those that suffer most with loneliness. This can be a result of outliving friends and spouses, mobility issues making it difficult to get around and lack of technology to keep up to date virtually. While the world will likely look a lot differently by the time you’re retiring yourself, one thing is certain- we all need our loved ones. Building a great community around you now and staying in touch is important for both now and in the future.
Finances
We spend our entire lives working hard, raising a family, stuck in the rat race and generally putting ourselves last for the greater good. Retirement is a chance to enjoy life, indulge in hobbies, travel and do all of the things you want without having to feel bad. However, you can only do this with enough money which can be tricky once you’ve stopped working. Because of this, it’s important to start thinking about your finances early, putting away a little each month into a pension which will support you and allow you to have a good quality of life later on. Another thing you can do to improve your financial situation later on is to buy your home. By the time you retire you’ll own it outright, and even if you decide to move into a great retirement community rather than live in it when you’re old you have the option to sell your home and use the money to live on.
Hobbies
Hobbies are something that people of all ages need. They keep you productive, help to build your skills and can give your life purpose. Once you finish working full time, it’s your hobbies that will fill your days and prevent you from getting bored. Hobbies can include anything the list is endless. But finding your passions now and enjoying hobbies that you can pick up again later is a smart move. Of course, interests change over time and there are plenty of hobbies you can start later on, but in the case of certain hobbies you can build skills now which you can improve and enjoy throughout life. This includes learning to play an instrument, learning the basics of baking, understanding how to publish your own e-books and much more.
