Our most recent episode of Leading the Factory Forward was a little different. It wasn’t about running your business, but about how to make a transition. 

I had the opportunity to speak with Dan Allen about his transition to retirement. Dan had a wide-ranging career from which he retired last January. He recently posted a summary on LinkedIn of his observations on his first year of retirement. Because that was such a significant transition for him, he has a lot of wisdom to share on seasons of transition. 

Here are some of the things he shared from his perspective on preparing for and transitioning into the next chapter of life:

What He Noticed About the Transition to Retirement

One of the biggest adjustments was the lack of socialization that came with retirement. Dan was used to interacting with multiple people every day at work and, when he retired, that was all gone. 

He also realized how much harder it was to stay in touch with people once he lost all of his work accounts and, therefore, his work contacts. 

He has also noticed that he feels much more energized and rested now that he is retired. He isn’t stressed about work, getting up as early, or falling asleep on the couch at the end of every day. He feels much more at peace about his life as a whole.

What is Important to Consider Before Retiring

• Make sure you have contact information written down for everyone you want to stay in contact with once you retire.

• Think about how you want to better take care of yourself in retirement whether that’s eating better, exercising, or just getting outside more often.

• Find activities and hobbies that keep you engaged mentally. 

• Have your vision for retirement in mind and begin saving incrementally very early on.

• Work with somebody who will ensure you have the funds to live how you want to when you retire.

Designing Your Life in Retirement

Many people retire without any sort of plan for how they’ll spend their days. They just wake up every day and think, “What will I do to get through this day?” 

However, retired people have the opportunity to design their lives. So, plan ahead for how you will spend your time. Be intentional and thoughtful about it. Find activities, hobbies, and other things that you enjoy doing. 

Having purposeful things like that in your life is very important once you retire.