Achieving work-life balance prior to retirement

Retirement is often a time for relaxation and enjoying activities, but you don’t have to wait until your golden years to find fulfillment. Creating work-life balance before you retire not only supports current mental and physical wellness, but also allows more enjoyment while you’re still in the workforce. Here are tips for balancing your personal and professional life and developing habits that can create a smoother transition to retirement.

Successfully transitioning to retirement

If retirement is approaching, there are many factors to consider for transitioning to the next phase. Along with prepping financially for what’s ahead, taking steps to be emotionally and mentally prepared for retirement is crucial too. Consider thinking about your current lifestyle and your desired lifestyle in retirement. Do you envision your life as a retiree to be full of travel and hobbies, or do you plan to work part time? Will you stay in your current home or downsize? Will you need to adjust your budget to live comfortably? Gaining a clearer idea of what’s ahead can make planning easier and allow a smoother exit from the workforce.

 Balancing personal and professional life

Achieving work-life balance may seem like a difficult task, but there are ways to make it more achievable. Here are tips for preparing for retirement and adopting habits now that can have a positive impact on the years ahead.

 Prioritize tasks

A workday is often full of multiple tasks to complete, so it can be helpful to develop a system for accomplishing them in a time-efficient manner. Prioritizing means deciding what should be completed first based on importance. By focusing on high-priority tasks, it’s easier to take control of your time, focus, and feel more confident and effective at work. Determine the value level of each task—is it immediate, short-term, or long-term?

• Complete high-priority tasks first
• Don’t try to do more than you can manage
• Keep the most essential activities on your schedule and cut out unnecessary obligations
• Do low priority tasks last or ask for help with the work you can’t make time for
• Finish each task carefully to avoid having to circle back

Take small steps

With retirement on the horizon, it can be difficult to concentrate on work tasks, especially with visions of fun and freedom on your mind. Or you may feel you need to focus heavily on work in the pre-retirement years. Either way, it’s important to try and strike a balance so you still feel productive at work, while allowing downtime to rest and enjoy your personal time.

Whether it’s at work or at home, focusing on one task at a time can help boost concentration and efficiency and lead to a greater sense of satisfaction. In a work environment, here are helpful tips for staying on task:

• Clear workspace of clutter, which can make working difficult
• Schedule designated times to check email to reduce distractions
• Avoid multitasking, which can lead to inefficiency and unwanted stress
• When working on an important task, turn off social media notifications

 Take time for yourself

For many people approaching retirement, they may have more flexibility at the office or vacation time available. If there is an option to work remotely, you could use the designated commute time to do things for yourself, whether that’s going for a walk, doing a crossword puzzle, or reviving a hobby that may have been put aside due to work obligations. By making time to do something that centers you and brings you joy, you can be your best self on and off the job.

 Stay connected with others

If you’ve formed close bonds with your coworkers, transitioning to retirement may be emotionally difficult to think about. But leaving the workforce doesn’t mean you have to completely sever ties with the people you’ve grown close to over the years. Keep those connections strong by planning to meet up for dinner, game nights, or coffee. This can also be a great opportunity to enjoy a shared activity with like-minded people. You’ll be more likely to maintain that friendship after you retire and make regular social interactions part of retirement.

 Review your finances

A successful work-life balance strategy often includes prioritizing financial goals and creating a budget. With a plan that pays off debt and supports long-term financial security, you can make the most of your earned income and help lessen money stress, while also creating good habits to carry into retirement. Before your time at work winds down, seeking the support and guidance of a financial professional can ensure you have the income needed to support your retirement lifestyle. With a solid financial foundation and money management skills, you can gain more freedom to create a well-balanced life and a fulfilling retirement.

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