Retirement has the potential to be a very difficult period of life. And it's not just because your finances are shifting and you're going from earning a regular paycheck to living off a combination of savings and Social Security.
Rather, retirement can bring about a host of mental health and emotional issues. And the new lifestyle it brings about can have negative physical impacts, too.
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Many retirees find that they end up home a lot. And all of that sitting around isn't particularly good for people's mental and physical health.
In a recent survey by Nationwide, some of the top concerns current retirees expressed include:
- Staying physically active
- Staying mentally healthy
- Finding meaning and fulfillment
- Boredom
- Maintaining social connections
But there's one move you can make in retirement that might address all of these issues, not to mention leave you with extra money each month.
There's a real benefit of going back to work
Some people refuse to entertain the idea of working in some capacity during retirement. The way they see it, they've already put in their time in the labor force, and they have no desire to hold down a job again.
If you're doing well financially -- say, you can cover your bills with ease based on withdrawals from savings and Social Security -- then you may not be particularly motivated to work as a retiree. But you should know that the benefits of work in retirement extend well beyond the paycheck a job might provide you with.
Let's revisit the issues above:
- Staying physically active. A job could get you moving and out of the house. Even if your job has you at a desk, you have to get to that desk somehow.
- Staying mentally healthy. A job might help you feel like you're doing something with your time and aren't just wasting away at home.
- Finding meaning and fulfillment. If you find work in retirement you enjoy or you feel is important, it could make you feel much better about yourself and your life on a whole.
- Boredom. Working is an easy way to stay busy. And if money is tight, it's a great way to stay occupied without spending anything.
- Maintaining social connections. Unless your job has you working solo, it could allow you to meet new people and expand your social network. And you don't necessarily have to make lifelong friends at your job -- having people to talk to during the day might be enough.
A move that might improve your outlook on a whole
If you're having trouble adjusting to retirement, it pays to consider going back to work in some shape or form. Even if you don't need extra money, you may find that a job offers the structure and routine you've been missing.
And if you're doing just OK financially but aren't exactly rolling in dough, the money you earn from a part-time job could make it possible to do more fun things with your time. There's a huge value in that.
