A huge majority of people live in a very busy, loud, and sometime chaotic world outside of our homes and unfortunately sometimes inside them as well. This makes it impossible to sit down, think, contemplate, and write about your ideal life in retirement. Fortunately, if you are creative, you can find contemplation time to formulate the next phase of your life.
Stay Up Late or Get Up Early
This may be tough but I bet that there is quiet time in your home before everyone else gets up. If you get up early an hour or two, drink your favorite morning beverage, and think about what you want in the next phase of your life, you will find that it is time well spent. To ease into it, perhaps one day a week up an hour or two early can lead to more early morning planning sessions.
On the other side of the morning, staying up late at night as soon as everyone is off to bed. They both require discipline. Turn off the television, computer, iPhone, Android or other device and focus solely on your task.
Turn Off Your Car Radio
Another technique is to turn off the radio in your car as you are driving anywhere. Of course, it is impossible to write while you are driving but you can make mental notes of what you want to include and exclude in your ideal life in retirement and write them down once you have arrived at your destination. In fact, very few people use this time for contemplation because we are accustomed to listen to our car radio. Who knows, you just may become addicted to the quiet inside your car and keep the radio off for good.
Wear Noise Cancelling Headphones or Earpplugs
This is a tough one but if you travel by train or by plane, you just may have some extra time to plan that you did not count on. One you are underway, put on noise cancelling headphones or earplugs to block out as much noise as you can. Although it’s difficult on some aircraft, you can get out a laptop or pen and paper to write about your life in retirement. You just may find that getting lost in your thoughts is the best way to make it through the trip and in the end, congratulate yourself on spending your time wisely.
Find a Park or Get Outdoors
When the weather is agreeable, one of the best places to contemplate your retirement plan is a local park or outdoor space. They often have picnic tables or benches that can act as your desk while your write down your thoughts, feelings, and goals. Sometimes you have to sequester yourself away from others but you will find your efforts rewarding. Being away from other people and in nature allows you to contemplate the meaning of your life and how you want to spend your next years. It makes you appreciate the beauty of the world and gives you encouragement to move forward with your dreams.
Now it is Your Turn
How can you find time in your busy schedule to plan for retirement? If you are creative and really scour your schedule for extra minutes, I bet that you can find time everyday to plan for your ideal life in retirement. You just have to commit to and do it! You will find that it is a very valuable investment of your time and energy as your plan for your ideal life in retirement takes shape.
Judy Juricek is passionate about helping women in their 40's, 50's, and 60's attract, plan for, and live their IDEAL lives in retirement through exercises, questions, coupled with thought, soul searching, and writing. She is the President of Attract Your Ideal Retirement, Inc.
You can reach Judy by using this email address: judy@attractyouridealretirementblog.com.