Knowing when to retire is an interesting proposition. Many articles today address the importance of keeping busy, and most of them imply that continuing in the workforce is the best for everyone. There are two sides to that proposition. Some people want to continue working indefinitely, while others recognize that when work is no longer and exciting challenge it may be time to let it go. For many the decision is taken out of their hands. They retire when they lose their jobs.
A challenging and exciting job is indeed a blessing. Unfortunately many people perform rather meaningless work, or work that is so stressful that the word burn-out becomes a mantra. Ernie J. Zellinski the author of” How To Retire Happy, Wild, and Free,” writes that you are never too young to retire. If you recognize the signs that you are burned out and your finances are where they should be, the time is now. Hopefully you are able to recognize that at some point time becomes more valuable than money. This is especially true if you are having any health issues. It is okay to put off retirement if you are having a great time, but it is another matter altogether if you put it off because you are trying to sock away extra money. Regardless of how much wealth you acquire, you never know if you are going to live long enough to enjoy it.
Zelinski writes that there is no ideal time to retire, but you don’t want to put it off any longer than you have to. Health is always an issue. No matter how hard you work at it, the percentage of people enjoying good to excellent health starts to shrink rather alarmingly as each decade of life passes by. People who retire early have more time and energy to explore options and activities that they might really enjoy. Working years and working vacations are not conducive to doing things that you really enjoy. Younger retirees have more energy and are more adaptable to the changes ahead. Think about all of the things that you put on the back burner for so many years. Retirement is rather a Zen experience as it could be your last shot at being the person you would like to be. It is essential that you still have hopes, dreams and goals. If you retire too late you may not have the chance to do it right.
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