Financial advisers will tell you it is critical that you
enter retirement with both a financial plan and a plan that lays out what you
will do every day. Otherwise, you could end up looking desperately for
something to do. Or, you could be totally dependent on your spouse for your
daily activities — which just might account for the rising divorce rate among
Baby Boomers.
The key to that successful retirement is to make sure you
have two plans — one a financial plan, and the other being what you will do for
the rest of your life. And a big part of that latter plan is to make sure you
stay connected.
When you technically retire from whatever it is you've been
doing, it doesn't mean you retire from life, says George Fraser, 70, corporate
networking guru and author of Click: Ten Truths for Building Extraordinary
Relationships. Fraser says networking and staying involved is critical in
every stage of your life. And it takes on added importance once you leave the
workplace.
Fraser, who has 51,000 people in his network and has written
and spoken on networking for 40 years, has six networking tips for retirees and
pre-retirees.
1. Join retirement
groups of like-minded people. Fraser suggests creating a business card
with your name, address, e-mail address and that you are retired. Let people
know what you've been doing and who you were doing it for. When they look at
that card, they see that you are of value. They appreciate you for the elder
statesmanship and wise counsel you bring in your subject of expertise.
2. Develop a
networking system. Fraser says make five calls daily to friends or
family (warning them you have only 10 minutes); contact five new friends,
people you met through speaking engagements, church or other activities (usually
by e-mail); and, lastly, make five introductions of people who need to know
each other. These are good habits. If prior to retirement you have not
developed them, it would help you greatly to maintain and fuel new and interesting
relationships in your life.
3. Develop a regimen
of retirement activities. Fraser says develop a regimen that includes
social media on a daily basis for at least a half-hour, visiting websites such
as AARP, LinkedIn or financial sites. You should do "casual contact
networking" at an event where there are hundreds of people. The more
active you keep your mind, the better you are in warding off Alzheimer's.
4. Develop new
streams of income. Although you are retired, people should have an
interest in developing new streams of income doing something that they love. It
is also a way to keep your mind sharp and network with new people. But be
careful, earned income may have an impact on your Social Security.
5. Do the things you
were always too busy to do. Learn about, dabble in and have fun with
those things we were to busy to do while we were raising a family. Your life is
consumed by that. The kids are gone and you're empty-nesters. It is a way to
keep active in spite of retirement.
6. Read. Find
book clubs. There are reading events at Barnes and Noble bookstores. Meet
authors. Make new friendships and stay alive and vibrant and interesting.
That's one of the key ideas around retirement and networking. If you are
interested in things, it means you are interesting. The more interesting you are,
the more people you attract.
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