An article last year in the Huffington Post was headed up "What Do You Actually Do When You Retire?" The gist of it was that most of us spend time planning the financials (which is an essential first step - see Sorted, the NZ website set up to help you do exactly that) but many of us have no idea how we will fill the time, how we will continue to have stimulation, purpose, relationships, structure in our lives. 

I tend to think we should just see the transition from career to retirement as the steps towards "the next phase". Your next phase may be 50% work, 25% giving back voluntarily and 25% personal health and well being. Or is may be 25% work, 25% travel, 25% family and 25% fun! There is no right mix. But you do need to think about what matters to you and how you would like to spend that extra time. 

In one-to-one sessions (or small groups within an organisation) I use a resource developed specially for thinking about priorities when you have more time for life outside of, or alongside work.

It provides an easy hands-on way to: 
> remind yourself what matters, and/or 
> trigger new possibilities.

This tool is a simple yet powerful way to move forward and help you prioritise what's important in life. These effective cards will prompt you to look at different aspects of your life alongside your career and help you plan for the short, medium and long term. They will help you remember what you are interested in. Based on the theories of positive psychology, they offer a broad range of new ideas that could be engage you, offer challenge and meaning, enable more pure fun in you life and/or help you focus on relationships. 

The Future Focus cards are deceptively easy and fun to use. Within minutes you'll be contemplating those big or small questions that had daunted you until now.  Uncover surprising areas of interest.  Let your 'bucket list' emerge. 

​They are used by people who work with people and also for individuals who want to design their own futures or take control of their lives. There are 147 suggestions to help discover your interests, your values, your touchstones for the next phase. For more details visit futurefocusplan.com.

​PLANNING A FULFILLING RETIREMENT