Retirement eliminates your “guardrails”
Guardrails are what kept you on track during your working years. They told you when to sleep, arise, eat, have activity, add value to others and rest. Guardrails represented the structure and boundaries in your everyday lives. In the military, every person starts their day with making the bed. Is starting each day with a made bed really that important? Of course, the answer is no. However, this act is more than just spreading sheets and blankets over a mattress. It represents structure. Furthermore, making the bed is a task that initiates another set of tasks for a productive day.
Loss of structure is detrimental to your health
There are three main areas of health that are affected when your structure is gone: physical, emotional and relational. First, your physical health suffers. There is a rhythm and a frequency your body desires. Your body was created to move and be active. Without structure, it’s very easy to slowly adapt to a more lethargic way of life. Secondly, your emotional health suffers. Depression is very common among retirees. Also, one of the biggest problems with retirees is “there’s nothing to do.” Depression can lead to isolation and isolation exacerbates poor emotional health. Finally, loss of structure affects your relational health. Socializing is often baked-in to your daily and weekly schedules while working. Without structure, social connections often fade naturally over time.
Recreating structure in your retirement
Structure is necessary. Kids won’t admit it, but they crave structure and boundaries. Humans on every level and at every age require the same. Newsflash: your schedule should parallel that of when you were working. Each day you should have a set time you wake up, eat and accomplish tasks. Plan out your day before it begins. Go into your days knowing the sets of tasks that need to be accomplished. Schedule in time of contributions and adding value along with activity and earned rest.
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Ready to take the next step? Repurposed University will show you these unknowns and prepare you for a passionate, fulfilling and impactful retirement.
Jerrid Sebesta
Co-Founder of Retire Repurposed
