I regularly get asked to comment in articles including how to make the most of your retirement

One was on – how to make the most of your retirement and quotes from me include:

The act of being prepared for retirement is also something that Denise of Amazing People recommends. Denise is a career and life coach, and the Chief Inspiration Officer at The50pluscoach. She says that retirement should not be seen as an end but a new beginning.

Denise spoke to us about how important it is to start thinking about retirement early: Start thinking now, and think about your wider life you will have an extra 2,000 hours a year, how do you want to spend them? Do you want to start a new hobby, go back to work, to do a job you love, focus on volunteering, or devote time to a sport or hobby? Get thinking of all the things that you would like to do. Also, think about where you want to live. Do you want to downsize or right size? Maybe a move from the country to a town or city.

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Be open to new opportunities
Those in retirement have often found that saying yes to new opportunities is the best way to make the most of this rewarding period. In the earlier years of life, when family and career responsibilities are often the driving force by each decision we make, its often the case that we have to say no to various opportunities that come our way. Well, retirement is the time to start reversing this trend. By saying yes more often, without being irresponsible, many new and exciting opportunities will open up to you, whether that is new friendships, adventures, or discovering passions you never knew you had. The time is truly now, and retirement is the perfect chance to start saying yes, a little more often.

There is an important caveat to be made, however. You should not feel pressured to do anything you don’t want to do or feel unable to manage. This is an excellent point made by Denise of Amazing People: Think about the demands on your time. Just because you have free time it does not mean you should say yes to everything, whether it be babysitting, volunteering, or doing everything with your partner. Think about what you want to do and know that you can change your mind.

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Exercise is also an immensely enjoyable hobby for many people, so it certainly shouldn’t be looked at as just a chore. If you do not already enjoy a sport, think about what you might like to try, you never know, you might discover a pastime that you can enjoy for many years to come!

Denise from Amazing People acknowledges the importance of staying active and challenging yourself when looking to manage your health. She spoke to us about the benefits that can come with an active lifestyle: You do not have to train for a marathon, but you could find road cycling, or weights at the gym give you both fitness and confidence.

Much of the other advice within this article on How to make the most of your retirement is what I cover when I run Pre-Retirement seminars for organisations. We benefit from planning in advance for this major change in our life.