Janet Butwell - Enjoy Retirement: 52 Brilliant Ideas For Loving Life After Work

Copyright The Infinite Ideas Company Limited, 2006

The right of Janet Butwell to be identified as the author of this book has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

First published in 2006 by

The Infinite Ideas Company Limited

36 St Giles

Oxford

OX1 3LD

United Kingdom

www.infideas.com

All rights reserved. Except for the quotation of small passages for the purposes of criticism or review, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except under the terms of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 or under the terms of a licence issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd, 90 Tottenham Court Road, London W1T 4LP, UK, without the permission in writing of the publisher. Requests to the publisher should be addressed to the Permissions Department, Infinite Ideas Limited, 36 St Giles, Oxford OX1 3LD, UK, or faxed to +44 (0)1865 514777.

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN 1-904902-58-8

Brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

Designed and typeset by Baseline Arts Ltd, Oxford

Printed by TJ International, Cornwall

CAREFUL NOW

Some people seem to have come to the conclusion they can get compensation for just about anything that goes wrong in their lives these days, so forgive me for being a bit stroppy now. Whatever age you are lifes about risk, and you dont get to be compensated for getting into some kind of trouble just because something youve done was sparked by an idea you read in this book. Your actions are your own responsibility and its up to you to make sensible choices. The publishers and I are not prepared to accept any responsibility for any kind of harm or damage that comes to you from any decision you reach as a result of reading this book. If youre in any doubt about whether your ideas are safe, speak to an expert on the subject (if youre the litigious kind, find one whos got insurance cover). And dont do anything I wouldnt do.

Brilliant ideas

Find out how to live in the moment and make the days of your retirement your glory days.

Theres a growing trend for pensioners to take up physically challenging sports. Well, why not? Lets see what gets your adrenalin pumping.

Jobs for the over fifties? Youre having a laugh arent you? There are more opportunities than there used to be, and with a little know-how you can track down a job that will suit you.

Togetherness may be great for a weekend or a holiday, but its not always so great when you and your partner are forced to share the same space full time. Anticipate problems and work out how to avoid them.

If youve always spent your income (or even more than your income) and you cant imagine how youll cope on your pension, this ones for you. Its all about managing the budget.

Whats all that down there made of? Muscle! What does muscle do if it isnt used? It withers. Youre never too old for sex, so get flexing.

Hey. This is going to be great. Itll be the first time since you were a child that youll have the chance to have fun without feeling guilty. Can you even remember what fun is? Remind yourself of the things that make you laugh.

Weve all heard the bitchy comments: Do you think hes wearing a toupee? Look at her! Has she had another face lift? Ignore the critics. Look good and be proud of yourself.

Some people think retirements just one long holiday. But exactly what is a holiday for you? What makes it different from daily life? Have another look at your holiday plans before you settle for the usual comfort zone.

It can be a weight off your mind to know youve found a way to take care of your loved ones after you pop your clogs. Make sure now that they can manage after youre gone.

Are pensioners more vulnerable to crime than other people? Well, no, but if youre worried, do something to help yourself anyway.

And so are cakes, biscuits, sweets and diets. But obesity puts you in the risk zone for illness so dont ignore it. Bin the diet books and look at better ways of keeping your weight under control.

You know what I mean. That insidious inner demon that tells you Youre not good enough.Well the demons had a good run but nows the time to get rid of it forever and boost your self-image.

Take a look around you. See how our society treats pensioners. Do you want that to happen to you? Make a stand against ageist attitudes.

Relax. De-stress. In fact, lets go a bit further than that and learn the art of meditation. Youve got the time now, right?

Because if action really does speak louder than words, youre about to make a lot of noise. Get started on those goals.

Its not only the wrinkles on your face that age you. Give your home a facelift.

Because if you havent already found out, youll soon discover when you get your pension forecast that its in a kind of code. You may need to call in the experts.

Whaddya mean you dont understand? Shame on you. Get down and work that body at once.

People tend to class anyone with lines on their face and a few grey hairs as just another old person. Keep your personality intact. Walk the fine line between passivity and aggression and make sure youre not overlooked.

Now youve left work you can relax on the grooming regime cant you? Well, no. Unkempt hair, torn nails and eau de tramp arent nice. Have a long, hard look at yourself and make sure youre not displaying bag lady chic.

Community activities for the retired seem to have got stuck in a time warp. Can we invent something new? Or maybe its already out there and no ones told us? Well, its a bit of both actually.

Theres nothing sadder than someone struggling alone, unnoticed. Unless its two lonely people living yards away from each other and never speaking. Build yourself a network of new friends.

There are better ways of working out how much space you need in your home now youre retired. In fact, there are probably better ways of using the space youve got.

(Well, as long as its not your staple diet.) Ditch the supplements and start to eat the kind of food your body really needs to keep it healthy.

Retiring doesnt banish stress it just brings a whole new lot of things to stress you out. This is bad news (especially at your age!) so when it happens you need to be able to manage it.

Teenagers are punks with multiple piercings one year, Goths with black eyeliner the next, and then elegant Romantics! But old people are always just old people. Why? Find out, and avoid becoming a stereotype.

(Especially if its in the same newspaper every day.) You want to stay sharp and alert till the day you die, so how many ways can you find to stretch your mind and keep those brain cells working?

Obviously, you do it one bite at a time, which is exactly how you deal with major problems.

Are your children still on your hands? Or are you on theirs? This ones about how to manage the changing relationship between you and your offspring once retirement is reality. Oh, you dont think itll change? Just wait and see!

Trust me. You dont want to spend your retirement sitting in an armchair watching TV when you can be having the best time of your life. Work out what gets you really excited.

Bad back? Try Alexander lessons or an aromatherapy massage. Stressed? What about tai chi or meditation? Youre never too old to try alternative therapies, and you may be surprised how effective they can be.

Depression is one of the most common illnesses but its sometimes difficult to spot. So first you have to recognise it; then you have to find enough energy to want to beat it. Learn how.