My friend's husband closed his business of 30 years a few months ago. He wasn't planning on retirement but the economy proved too much a battle. His major customers were closed or in bankruptcy. My friend's husband is bored, lonesome, and depressed. His self-esteem is most likely way down because he put so much of his life in his business.
The research from the last 10 years shows that physical illness and depression occur more frequently among retirees then people of the same age who are still working.
On the other hand, many people do benefit from retirement. They find that retirement has eliminated the stress that a job brings and the anxiety over time not spent with family and friends. They may also have plans for volunteering and for traveling.
Retirement, however, is especially hard on people who are forced to leave their jobs or those who don't have interests or hobbies outside of work. You might think that doing nothing will feel good and then are surprised when you experience anxiety, depression and other negative feelings.
The secret, of course, is to plan ahead for retirement and to challenge yourself after you stop working just as you did when you had a job. You need to set goals, do interesting and demanding things, maintaining and developing meaningful relations and keeping well informed. In other words, as your environment changes, you have to change also.
Psychologists say to establish a routine for yourself to help you manage your time wisely. Replacing the structure of your work with your own flexible schedule can help you reduce feelings of depression and force you to stay focused. Don't limit the routine to chores. Include activities that are fun and challenging and helpful to others.
You may even want to consider starting a business at home, using the internet as your foundation, and drawing on the skills you already know.
To your successful aging.
Ruthan Brodsky