Nothing! ...is probably what you are thinking. What about your friends and coworkers? What about the sense of purpose and structure that work provides? Then there’s the money and benefits. As much as you may dislike your job, there are things you are going to miss when you retire.

Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

Right now the automotive industry is in the midst of a sea change. Tech giants like Apple and Google are teaming up with automakers like Ford and General Motors to perfect the all-electric self-driving vehicle. Breakthroughs in battery technology will allow you to recharge your battery in less time than it takes to fill your tank with gas, and a fully-charged battery will provide more range than a full tank of gas. Once they do that and iron out the bugs, every corner of the world will be flooded with autonomous vehicles.

Recharging stations will supplant gas pumps and the internal combustion engine will become a thing of the past. An engine and steering wheel will be put on display at the Smithsonian and that will be the end of it. Who knows, the car you drive today could be the last conventional vehicle you own. This will be, by far, the biggest change in automotive history.

As big as that is, there is a change on the horizon in your personal life that will be even bigger.

Retirement

No alarm clock and no work is nice, but there is more to retirement than that. You need to ask yourself what you are going to do with all that free time.

It’s likely that whatever you do to relax after a hard day’s work is different than what you will do to pass the time in retirement. Maybe you like to have a couple of drinks and watch television when you come home from work. That works fine because after the commute and dinner you only have a few hours. But when you are retired, drinking and watching television 16 hours a day might be a problem.

Be Prepared

Don’t enter retirement with only a vague notion of what you will do. Was that your approach when you chose your career? No, you took your time and put some thought into it. It was important because the rest of your life was at stake. Retirement is no different; it's for the rest of your life, too. With people living longer today, your retirement could last 30 years or more.

During your working years, you have a golden opportunity to experiment with different things to see what you like. Try this on for size and that and anything you can think of. Find something that you like to do that will sustain you in retirement. 

If you can’t think of any new hobbies or interests to pursue, Google it. There’s an article right here on Eggstack entitled Start a New Hobby, and another that asks and answers the question What's on your Bucket List?

Final Word

You spend years saving for retirement, shouldn’t you spend some time thinking about what you’re going to do? Consider what you will miss about work and the best way to replace it. If it’s camaraderie and the social aspect, look into social clubs and volunteer opportunities. If you think you will miss the sense of purpose and structure that work provides, consider opening a small business or working part-time in retirement. If it’s intellectual stimulation you will miss, take up a new hobby that challenges you. Give yourself the best chance at a happy and rewarding retirement.

Photo credit: Pixabay Eggstack News will never post an article influenced by an outside company or advertiser. Our mission is to help you overcome uncertainty about retirement planning and inspire confidence in your financial future.