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Working after retirement might be healthy for you
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Is retirement what you thought it would be?
DEAR JIM: I retired last year after 37 years working for an accounting firm, but retirement is a lot less satisfying than I thought it would be. I have more free time, and I don’t have to get up every morning to go to work, but there is something missing.
I find myself sitting around watching TV and generally getting under my wife’s feet. Worse, I have gained almost 20 pounds, my blood pressure has increased, and I’m feeling increasingly depressed. I’m only 66, and it wasn’t supposed to be this way. What can I do to get things back on track again and get myself back in shape? DOWN IN THE DUMPS IN DES MOINES
DEAR DOWN IN THE DUMPS: Well, to start with, get off your hind end start walking. Yes, walking. Around the block, to the store and back, to the barber shop – anywhere. Just start walking every day for at least 30 minutes. Set a brisk pace, and move your arms back and forth like you mean business. This will help you to start losing weight and generally improve your frame of mind.
Next, find a part-time job. According to a recent national study "Bridge Employment and Retirees’ Health: A Longitudinal Investigation," reported in the October issue of the Journal on Occupational Health Psychology and published by the American Psychological Association, retirees adjust better to their new circumstances if they continue working on a part-time basis.
Moreover, the study showed that people whose post-retirement jobs were related to their previous careers reported better mental health than those who fully retired, so you might want to start by looking for something in your previous field of work because the same mental health improvements were not found among people who worked in jobs outside their career field post-retirement. This may be because retirees who take jobs not related to their career field may need to adapt to a different work environment or job conditions and, therefore, become more stressed – something you don’t need at this time.
The important thing is to start doing something now. Don’t wait until things grow worse. Your retirement years can be as good – or as bad – as you want them to be, but you have to take an active role in the transition . So, shake a leg and get moving.
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