The Gentleperson’s Guide to Pre-Retirement

(hint: it’s about more than money)

The notion of retirement is fairly modern, and varies by country and culture and class.   In the olden days there was no retirement, there was death.  This is still true in many parts of the modern world, even in America.  Putting aside the extreme example of Scandinavia (where some retire whenever they want, thanks to generous social-welfare systems), in general the modern notion of ceasing regular work in one’s early-to-mid-60s is the norm.

As the EKG-like trend line above suggests, Americans have an ADD-like fixation/avoidance relation with this topic, so here is a holistic guide to retirement planning.

Test Your Romantic Visions Against Reality: points to consider (and reconsider):

Replacement Activity(ies): type and frequency… relaxation, renewal, or sense of anomie?

Partner (who knows as little as you): are they prepared?

Finances: important for sure, but no matter what your nest-egg you won't know how you feel about not having income until you don’t have it… look in the mirror as hard as at your bank statements.

Homework: ask around… and press.  Many “congratulations” become confessions of restlessness, even visits to therapists’ couches.

Proust 0, Socrates 1: it isn’t that past memories are always rosier, it just may be that free time frees you up to introspect as much on life’s absurdities as its delights... there may be a (not so) gentle roller coaster in your early “retirement.”

And furthermore, why do so many people say “my so-called ‘retirement,’” bracketing the word in quotation marks with implied irony?