The Pros and Cons of Retirement WHAT THE ‘UN-RETIREMENT’ TREND MEANS FOR YOU
If you’ve been out and about in your community, you may have noticed more gray-haired folks working as cashiers at the grocery store and pouring lattes at your local coffee shop. There’s a reason for this upward trend in older workers — and it goes back to 2020. That year, thousands of people near retirement decided they didn’t want to stress about pivoting to remote work or potentially catching COVID-19. So, they threw in the towel and retired early! Experts called this movement the “Great Retirement.” Now, the exact opposite is happening. This year we’ve seen what CNBC calls an “un-retirement” trend: Folks who were retired are returning to the workforce to fulfill the high demand for labor, and pre-retirees are pushing their retirement back in favor of new full- or part-time jobs. About 1.7 million people “un-retired” between April 2021 and April 2022. Should you join them? The Benefits of ‘Un-Retirement’ • Pad your retirement fund. This hasn’t been a great year for stocks or bonds. If your retirement fund has dipped, working full or part time
may give it the boost you need to feel secure in your old age. • Experiment with a new career path part time. Are you a long-time accountant who has always loved flowers? Taking an “un-retirement” or “bridge” job at a florist shop will give you a taste of the career you’ve always secretly wanted without pressure to climb the ladder. • Ward off age-related diseases. Engaging physically and mentally in learning a new job can reduce your risk of illness like dementia and depression. The Costs of ‘Un-Retirement’ • Your travel options might be limited. If you have a long bucket list, “un-retiring” for a year or two may prevent you from getting to every place on it. • You’ll have less time to enjoy your hobbies/family. More hours at work mean fewer hours for your granddaughter’s track meet or working on your classic car. • There’s actually a higher risk of illness. Yes, your health is on both the benefit and cost lists! Work-related stress can take a mental health toll, which you can avoid by choosing retirement.
To help you make the smart choice, visit Forbes.com and read “Is It Worth Delaying Retirement One Year?” It’s an older article but a good one!
September is National Self-Care Awareness Month. It’s a great moment to take that extra time to put ourselves first and make sure we are taking care of ourselves. After all, how can we care for others if we aren’t looking out for ourselves too? Sometimes, it can be tough to prioritize our needs. With children, grandchildren, family members, careers, engagements, and other responsibilities, we may often put “me time” on the back burner — and many people tend to look at self-care as a luxury rather than a priority. It’s true that massages, facials, pedicures, and haircuts are luxuries, but while not “necessary,” they are forms of self-care — and that’s actually important. If that isn’t your style, there are many other ways to prioritize yourself that won’t require you to head to the spa. Physical Self-Care The body and mind are closely connected — when you take care of your body, you feel better all around. Physical self-care embodies how you take care of your body. How much sleep do you get? What types of food and nutrients do you fuel your body with? Are you getting enough exercise? Taking time to stay healthy helps keep stress levels low, promotes better sleep, and can help people achieve greater satisfaction in life.
Social Self-Care Part of being human means that we have a natural drive to be
connected with others, and that’s important for our well-being. However, sometimes time spent with family and friends winds up at the bottom of our priorities. There is no substitute for time spent enjoying the company of others, so be sure to make time for social events, calling an old friend, or setting up coffee dates.
Mental Self-Care Our mindset has a large impact on our mental self-care. When we fuel our minds with positivity, challenges, and new information to keep our minds sharp, we are encouraging ourselves to have a healthy outlook on our lives. Healthy inner dialogue and positive self-talk both go a long way and may do more than most people even realize. Remember that you always come first. Learning to prioritize yourself allows you to reach your greatest potential and can even help you more adequately care for the people you love. What does your self-care routine look like?
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