Stress from retirement

There are a number of reasons for the stress of retirement:

• Feeling of loss of purpose - Many people that stop working begin to feel as though they don't have a purpose for getting up in the morning. While work once defined what they did each day, it actually didn't define who they were or are. To help you move past this feeling, you may want to find new activities to do, classes to take, or volunteering opportunities.
  

• Feeling of a loss of achievement - Much like the idea of losing a purpose, the gratification of being told that you're doing a good job on something or some project is lost once you stop working. To help you deal with this change, you might want to learn ways to congratulate yourself: write down a list each day of the things that you accomplished, for example.
  

• Feeling of being too crowded - While you might not have been able to see your partner or spouse as often when you were working, seeing them all of the time can be a stressful change. To help combat this, you should try to find activities that keep you from having to see each other every moment of the day. You need your independence still, so taking time for yourself should be a priority.

In terms of relaxation methods for dealing with the stress of this time, you can try a various number of classes and activities:

• Yoga
• T'ai Chi
• Meditation
• Nature walks

What's even better is doing these activities with your partner or spouse so that you both reap the benefits, but still get to spend time with each other. These activities are not necessarily done through interaction with each other, so you will avoid feeling that ‘crowded' feeling.

Retiring can be the beginning of a time of learning more about yourself and your partner, but it doesn't need to be stressful. Simply learning a few relaxation techniques and tips will allow you to transition into a blissful state of non-work.

If you aren't yet ready to contact us, please read our publications, familiarize yourself with our services, and get to know more about us .

Relaxation Training specialists, The 4th R, 020-8974-8974