Pocket Coaching Planning Your From luminosity-life-coaching.co.uk What is Pocket Coaching?

• Welcome to your pocket-sized coaching guides. • Our Pocket Coaching guides are designed to give you quick tips, techniques and strategies to help you become better at what you do. • We have developed them as practical guides and included things we consider will help you learn quickly and easily. • Our top tip – work through all of the slides but go at your own pace. You can go through it in one go or in stages – it’s entirely up to you. • If you consider you would benefit from one to one coaching do email us for an initial free appointment to discuss your needs • [email protected] Consider your retirement options

Explore how to stay What you healthy, happy and busy will learn in this guide Suggestions on how to spend your time

Some activities to help you see the bigger picture Did you know?

• “Life expectancy at age 65 in the UK has reached its highest level ever for both men and women. Men aged 65 can expect to liver a further 16.6 years and women a further 19.4 years if mortality rates remain the same as they were in 2003-05”

• www.statistics.gov.uk • Retirement is defined as the point at which an individual stops full-time paid work. Of course, an individual can also semi-retire and keep going with some sort of . Nowadays, this can be out of choice – but quite often it is out of Your necessity. retirement • The age at which individuals in the UK retire has changed. Once upon a time a man retired at 65 years and a woman at 60 years. However, with changes to the age at which State Pension is paid individuals are working longer. Due to the Equality Act, age discrimination is against the law, in almost all cases. The Equality Act is a law protecting you from discrimination, it means that discrimination or unfair treatment on the basis of certain personal characteristics, such as age, is now Your against the law in almost all cases. For more information you can call the Age UK retirement Advice Line on 0800 678 1602 or visit ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/work The following information is taken from “The Rainbow Years” Hopson B & Scally M pub Middlesex University Press 2008.

Did you “Six in ten people define the word “retirement” as some combination of know? work and leisure.”

“There is evidence that many who retired early and found nothing to replace their paid work have regretted it; and that subsequent generations are slowly beginning to reject it as desirable.” “The same survey shows that, far from being a time of misery, penury and frailty, life for most people in their 60s and 70s is characterised by good health, independence, control and a good quality Did you of life.” know? “A study by insurer GE Life has estimated that 10% of retired people now work part-time for an average of 14 hours per week to supplement their income.” Moving on from paid work • Pause for a moment and consider (it can be useful to make a list) of what you stand to lose when you leave paid . Moving on from paid work

Your list might Somewhere to go A structure and include any or all Income A reason to get up every day routine of the following:

Opportunity to A sense of An opportunity to A chance to learn meet Respect/pride importance and use your skills new things people/friendships achievement

Doing something you love Take time out to imagine ways in which you could have your needs met if/when you Sell your skills or experience retire. Consider in what to earn some income? ways, apart from a full-time job, could you:

Structure your time to give Try this Contribute your skills to your days order and worthwhile groups/causes? activity purpose?

Be involved in things that Be involved with other maintain pride in yourself people? and respect from others? Maintain or enhance your standing in the eyes of others?

Activity - Learn new skills or develop continued new expertise?

Start to be involved in projects or activities that will give you a sense of achievement and fulfilment? Tips on retiring

• Hopson & Scally cite “101 Secrets of a Great Retirement” by Mary Helen and Shuford Smith (McGraw Hill, New York, 2000 as being an excellent book to explore retirement tips from individuals who have taken the plunge. • “It there is nothing else you would rather be doing, then continuing to work will serve you well”. And.. • “Retirement may be one of the greatest changes in our lives and offer us one of the greatest challenges. Yet for most of us, we’ve only considered how much money we have saved and what trip we would like to take.” Thus it would appear that continuing to undertake some work is an option.

Tips on If retirement is chosen then approaching it with a positive attitude and good retiring planning is key.

With good planning the experience of retirement can be an exciting phase of life offering many meaningful opportunities Seeing the bigger picture

YOU MIGHT FIND IT THE MIND MAP IS A IT CAN HELP YOU WORK SEE GO AHEAD – CREATE USEFUL TO CREATE A USEFUL TOOL INVENTED ON LOTS OF WWW.IMINDMAP.COM YOUR BIG PICTURE MIND MAP. BY TONY BUZAN INFORMATION AT THE MIND MAP SAME TIME Staying engaged

• Remaining active during retirement has many health benefits since busy minds and bodies are simply much healthier. • Hobbies like art and craft stimulate your mind and offer a sense of accomplishment. Consider taking up a hobby – always wanted to paint? Have a go! Want to play a musical instrument? Go on – do it! • Hobbies also offer opportunities to meet new people. • Many community centres and adult education services offer classes. Consider

• Volunteering your time can offer a sense of purpose and offer you a meaningful outlet. • A study focussing on the of aging identified that volunteering for around 4 hours a week can decrease your blood pressure! • Many areas will have a central volunteer register – search for this online. • Make a difference – be the change you want to see in the world. Learn something new

• Make a list of 12 things you want to know how to do, things you currently have no experience of. Challenge yourself to learn one new skill a month over the next 12 months and celebrate your successes! • Learning something new offers a structured opportunity to meet new people, grow your confidence and motivation and provide you with a sense of belonging. • There is a plethora of online courses and courses offered by adult education and University of the Third Age. Stay social

• Getting involved in social groups can provide you with friendship and interesting conversation. Your library is a good place to start to research all sorts of groups such as book groups, hobby specific groups, lunch and dinner clubs, The Rotary Club etc. • Joining a group not your cup of tea? Then plan in regular time with friends for a coffee, walk or sharing a hobby. • If social media is your thing then the internet is a great way to reconnect with old friends and make new ones. Go for green!

• Spending time outdoors is beneficial for your mind and body. You don’t have to join a gym or be an expert Nordic walker – simply get out in the fresh air. • Consider organising a walk with family or friends in the countryside with a picnic, a stroll along the beach or around your local park. • Participating in outdoor activities increases your levels of vitamin D (from the sun), happiness levels, and provides you with vital exercise to maintain mobility. • Taking 30 minutes of exercise everyday, not drinking more than 14 units of alcohol per week, eating five portions of fruit and vegetables daily and not smoking, can add up to 14 years to a person’s longevity. • Inactivity causes muscle mass to drop 22% Did you for women and 23% for men between the ages of 30 and 70. Bone loss outstrips bone build-up about age 35. Kidneys know? gradually lose their efficiency. • The good news is – the above can be offset or delayed by adopting a healthy life style. A thought to end..

• As you get older you will understand more and more that it’s not about what you look like or what you own, it’s all about the person you’ve become”. • And a Tibetan Proverb: • “The secret to living well and longer is: eat half, walk double, laugh triple and love without measure”. • Happy retirement! • If you would like to discuss and plan your retirement with a life coach contact [email protected] for an initial free discussion.