Get The Most Out of Retirement With a Personal Concierge
It’s Monday morning. But wait—I’m not going to work! Now what?
If you are new to retirement, you have likely been anticipating this Monday Morning Moment for years, maybe even decades. You’ve imagined the bliss of it. The relaxation and the reduction of stress. The abundance of time to do what you want. But now it’s here and suddenly you’re disoriented and realizing that there are, in fact, things you miss about work. So, now what?
One of the biggest adjustments new retirees face is their daily routine being turned on its ear. Often, we do not recognize how we crave the structure that working creates until we are no longer beholden to it. The joy of retirement isn’t so much in having nothing on your schedule, but being able to fill up your time with things of your choosing, things you really care about. All those worthwhile pursuits you spent your working life aspiring to won’t just happen on their own, but now they can happen if you will tackle them much like you tackled challenges in your career—break them down into steps and make the time to work through those steps. A Monogram Concierge can sit down with you, identify how you really want to be spending your time, and help you get set up to do just that.
4 Tips to Help You Have a Successful Retirement
The truth is, the vast open spaces of retirement can catch you off guard if you are not prepared for them. We humans do not always adjust well to change, even positive change, and retirement is one of the biggest life changes we’ll have the privilege of experiencing. Retirement, albeit hard-earned and exciting, can be jarring. Monogram Concierge would like to share four of our favorite tips to help you mentally prepare for retirement in order to make the transition smoother. We want to see you start enjoying these years you’ve worked toward for so long.
Invest in your physical health.
Being retired means you can no longer claim you are too busy to exercise. If you were faithful to investing in your physical fitness during your career, kudos to you. Keep up the good work. Now you simply have more time for it, and you might enjoy discovering a new fitness program. If you’ve played racquetball for decades, you might enjoy the calmness of yoga. Your extra time might afford you the ability to take your fitness program on the road to go on away hiking trips or weekend canoe outings. The possibilities are limitless.
If you were one of those professionals who couldn’t find the time to exercise due to the demands of work, it’s time to hit the pavement. We are never too old to benefit from introducing exercise into our lives. A study by Johns Hopkins Medicine found that incorporating a regular regimen of fitness and exercise, even if you do not start before retirement, dramatically improves health, lowers your risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, and slows down the aging process. And who doesn’t want those things?
Whether you’re already fit as a fiddle and excited to explore new activities, or you are starting from scratch, your personal concierge can help you be healthier. We can research gyms and fitness programs in the area, help you find the right exercise program, or help you get plugged into something new. We can also assist with general health by setting up regular doctor’s appointments, picking up prescriptions, designing easy, healthy menu plans, and more.
Study that subject you didn’t have time for in college.
Mahatma Ghandi said, “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” Retirement is the perfect time for continuing your education. Education is, after all, a lifelong pursuit. We are never too old to learn new things. In fact, engaging in lifelong learning is proven to have many health benefits. Upstate retirees are fortunate to have access to Furman University’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) where you can take classes in everything from cooking to philosophy. You can learn a new instrument or a new investment strategy.
Monogram Concierge can not only sit down with you to help you identify what you’d like to learn, but also assist with the registration and paperwork so you can focus on learning something new rather than on managing the details.
Spend more time with friends and family.
Even if you have close friends or neighbors outside of work, the importance of the workplace relationships as social connections are sometimes overlooked. There may be colleagues with whom you shared office space, common goals, and celebrated successes for years on end. It is only natural to miss seeing their faces at the water cooler each day. If you feel caught off-guard by the sense of loneliness that can accompany retirement, it is time to invest in relationships that may have been put on autopilot during your professional years. Developmental Psychologist Susan Pinker has found complex social connections to be fundamental to our health and longevity.
Diving back into a complex social network takes time and effort. Your personal concierge at Monogram can help you set up a plan to reconnect with old friends and beloved family members. We’re experts at arranging playdates for retired grownups! Let your personal concierge help arrange social engagements, plan dinner parties and other group get-togethers, and maintain your calendar of birthdays and anniversaries to keep you connected. We can also research the best cultural opportunities, from Broadways shows and plays to concerts and museum openings. Let us handle the particulars of getting good seats, making a dinner reservation, and arranging a car service while you enjoy a night on the town.
Fall in love with a good cause.
Working 40+ hours a week can leave little time to devote to a charity you love. But with some time on your hands, you can now give more of yourself to others. Organizations and charities that lack adequate funding to staff themselves or carry out their mission rely heavily on volunteers. When we volunteer, our community benefits, and when our community thrives, so do we. Studies show that volunteering improves our quality of life. Investing in people and causes outside ourselves brings a deeper sense of purpose to our lives. It nurtures a spirit of gratitude in us and promotes a more optimistic outlook.
If you already have a favorite charity or organization you enjoy serving, Monogram Concierge can help you keep abreast of its volunteer drives or local events you can plug into. If serving in this way is new to you, or you simply want to discover a new volunteer outlet, your personal concierge can meet with you to assess what causes are near and dear to your heart and research opportunities for you to engage, both locally or in other places where there is a need—even in other countries.
With your retirement comes wonderful opportunities to appreciate life and make deliberate decisions about how to spend your time. However, you won’t be able to enjoy your retirement to the fullest if you’re filling your day with mundane errands and other tasks, or if you’re feeling unmoored or socially isolated. Monogram Concierge’s Signature Senior Concierge Service will not only take day-to-day tasks off your plate but also sit down with you to assess your lifestyle and schedule. We’re here to help you shine in your golden years and make sure you’re doing the things you’ve always wanted to do.