Advice to Make the Most of Senior Living in Ottawa
These days, retirement is becoming more of a privilege. Many Canadians are working into their retirement years, and don’t get to enjoy the rewards of having time for themselves. So, if you’re entering retirement, pat yourself on the back and start enjoying this luxury to the fullest.
In case you don’t know where to start with your extra free time retirement, here are seven tips for a fun and rewarding retirement that can be had at Wildpine’s community for senior living in Ottawa.
Celebrate!
After years of hard work, you deserve to celebrate this accomplishment. You should treat yourself wtoa special activity, such as going out for a nice dinner, having a weekend getaway, or celebrating with friends and family. Do whatever special thing you can think of to make for a grand celebration.
Take Time for Yourself
With retirement comes a lot of decisions about your time, finances, and where you plan to spend your retirement years. But the best thing you can do for yourself is to enjoy your free time however you please without feeling the pressure to make all of these decisions at once.
Your kids may ask you to babysit once a week, or your friend may try to sign you up for volunteering. But before you commit any of your new free time to someone else, or make a big decision, let your loved ones know that you are taking some time for yourself to get used to your new lifestyle.
Find Alternative Activities to Watching TV
It can be easy to fall into the routine of watching TV all day. But as we all know, too much TV is bad for our mental and physical health. So, instead of spending hours in front of the TV, find other activities for your relaxing leisure time. Read books, visit with friends and family, and live life instead of watching it on TV.
Embrace an Active Social Life
Having meaningful relationships with others significantly helps with the transition to retirement life. And now that you have more free time, you should make a point to follow through with your plans to visit with friends and family. Mark down each event or date you have planned on your calendar and embrace your social life. Many people are not fortunate enough to be close to friends and family, so take the opportunities to spend time with loved ones and those in your community.
Write Down Your Experiences
While writing is good for your mental health at any age, it is especially useful in retirement. If you write a daily journal entry about your experiences, you can look back on them as a reminder of how meaningful your life is. Write down your activities, thoughts, feelings, and review these journal entries on a regular basis to keep your memory sharp and your mood elevated.
Reduce Stress
Although you will no longer have to worry about work-related stress, life can be stressful even in retirement. And in retirement, you will have less distractions and more time to ruminate on your stresses. So to avoid experiencing extra stress in your life, take time to address the issues that are bothering you. Look up resources to help you out in your situation, and talk to others about your concerns. They may have a solution to your problems, and they can certainly help alleviate stress just by being there to listen.
Be Active
Whether you already live an active lifestyle, or you’re planning to start one in retirement, make sure to keep it up. It can be difficult to get motivated to exercise and stay active, but if you start a routine early on, it will get easier. You can go to the gym, go out for nature walks, or take up a class, like yoga. There are many activities you can choose from, so find one that you think you’ll enjoy so you can stick with it.
Staying active, being social, taking time for yourself, and finding ways to reduce stress are all part of a fun, healthy, and rewarding retirement. Remember these tips to take care of your well-being and to make the most of senior living in Ottawa.