For many people facing retirement, it may seem exciting to finally be free of the daily grind. You may have a million plans for this new found freedom. However, after a few short months into your retirement, those feelings may begin to change. There are many reasons that an hourly job may help you in your retirement.
Boredom
From the start of the retirement, you may feel happy to finally take some time off to spend with your family or just relax. Unfortunately, that can soon fade into boredom. You may even begin to feel as though your life has no real direction. In your sixties, you still have decades of living to do. No one wants to spend all those years watching television or sitting around the house. An hourly job can help to break up your days and bring a little purpose to your life again.
Extra Cash
An hourly job can provide a little extra income during your retirement. Earning well past retirement can also help to increase your income with your retirement savings and Social Security payments. This can help ensure that you are prepared for any extra expenses that come your way or in the real possibility of outliving your savings.
Staying Active
One of the worst things you can do for your body and your health is to become sedentary. The CDC recommends at least some regular physical activity throughout your retirement to help prolong a healthier life. Even a part time job can provide enough activity to help keep you healthier throughout your retirement years. Regular activity has been shown to help maintain healthy bones and muscles. It can even help to prevent injuries and various diseases.
Staying Social
Any job you pick up will allow you to stay social in your community. Retirement can often isolate you from the rest of the world. Isolation can lead to loneliness and depression. This has been linked to many adverse health effects in older adults. With a job outside the home, you are able to interact with those at your job and people you meet to and from work. It may even push you to go out with coworkers or other social groups.
Staying Mentally Alert
As with almost anything in life, if you don’t use it, you just might lose it. Staying active by having a job after retirement could help provide benefits for your mental health and your cognitive abilities. Zoning out on a television show will not provide you with the mental exercise your brain needs. The brain needs mentally challenging activities to help maintain cognitive function. Cognitive decline has been shown to increase greatly after retirement, especially verbal memory function. The activities and interactions involved in a job can help provide the mental activity you need to prevent decline.
Retiring at 65 may seem like the perfect end to a long and prosperous career. Unlike your parents and grandparents, you still have a long life ahead of you. Most baby boomers can expect to live until 85 or much older. This can leave you with several decades after retirement to figure out what to do with your life. Getting an hourly job can help ensure you achieve all your retirement goals.