Key Points
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A lot of people fear running out of money in retirement.
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Healthcare costs are also a big concern.
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My big worry stems from the fact that retirement sounds inherently boring.
There are many people I know who spend years counting down to retirement after successful but stressful careers. And I get it. As someone who hustles and works a lot, I can see the appeal of a more relaxed schedule and less pressure.
But even though retirement has the potential to be an exciting period of life, let’s face it — there’s also lots to worry about. For one thing, there’s running out of savings — something 64% of people fear more than dying, according to a recent Allianz survey.
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There’s also the fear of mounting healthcare costs. Medicare premiums could rise over time, straining seniors’ budgets. And health issues tend to arise with age, which can lead to larger bills.
Fidelity puts the average cost of healthcare in retirement at $165,000 for a 65-year-old retiring in 2024. That doesn’t even include long-term expenses.
But while running out of savings and large healthcare bills worry me, too, there’s another retirement concern I’ve been thinking about on a more regular basis lately. And it’s one that I’m trying to work on solutions to fix.
When retirement just plain sounds boring
I’m someone who’s not used to having much downtime. I work more than 40 hours a week. And when I’m not at my desk, I’m usually walking one of my two dogs, running errands, cooking, cleaning, or shuttling a child to an after-school activity or weekend sporting event.
Right now, I definitely lack “me time” in a serious way. But I also know that too much “me time” isn’t going to work for me.
There lies the problem with retirement. In a nutshell, not working at all sounds boring to me.
This isn’t to say that I don’t enjoy taking a break from the grind and going on vacation. But vacationing as a decades-long lifestyle probably isn’t feasible. And I don’t want to end up in a situation where I retire and hate it.
Now at this point you may be thinking, “Well, then just continue to work in retirement.” And I’d love to do that. The problem is that the future of my industry is unknown.
Years ago, I absolutely pictured myself working several hours a day in retirement, plugging away at my laptop like I do now. But as a content writer, there’s a very real fear that in time, AI will take over my job and render professionals like me obsolete.
Of course, this is a concern I may need to deal with ahead of retirement, too. The point, however, is that I’m no longer confident I’ll be able to work in retirement the way I initially planned. And if I can’t work, I’m worried I’ll hate retirement as a result.
I’m trying to pivot
It’s too soon for me to be making concrete plans for retirement. I’m still probably a good couple of decades away from it, and a lot could change — for better or for worse. But one thing I’m trying to do is shift my mindset a bit and come up with other ways to make retirement more fulfilling if working doesn’t pan out.
I do recognize that I could always volunteer, and that there’s a lot of value in that. Robots may one day take over my job as a content writer, but I don’t foresee a scenario where robots will be able to enter an animal shelter and take neglected puppies out for a stroll. I, on the other hand, would be delighted to do that several times a week.
I also think I’ll need mental stimulation in retirement. If working isn’t feasible, perhaps I’ll try taking classes or maybe learn a new language.
And of course I could look for a job that AI hasn’t taken over yet. It may not be my ideal job, but it could be a better option than sitting around the house unhappy.
Make sure you have a plan
A lot of people look forward to retirement only to realize it’s not so easy to have all of that constant downtime. That’s definitely a concern of mine, and it’s one I don’t think people should ignore.
If you’re approaching retirement, think about what you’ll actually do with your days. And if you find that it’s a struggle to come up with activities to fill those hours, you may want to consider working a bit longer, or finding some type of part-time work to transition to. Otherwise, you risk ending up dissatisfied with retirement after spending so much time looking forward to it.
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