Retirement Evaluation

When we were in the workforce most of us experienced annual performance reviews. A supervisor rated our performance on a continuum. We learned where we were doing well, identified areas for improvement, and set goals for the future. Hopefully the evaluation kept us on track for achieving personal and professional success.

In retirement, no one is completing a performance review on us. And while that might bring a sense of relief, if we’re off course, if we’re paying attention to things that don’t align with our goals, (if we have goals) a supervisor isn’t going to get us back on the path. The good news is your job isn’t on the line. Instead, what’s on the line is your happiness, which might matter more than a job.

When was the last time you evaluated your retirement?

In the beginning, also referred to as the “honeymoon stage,” you might experience retirement similar to the euphoria you felt when you landed that dream job. It’s everything you hoped for—freedom to do whatever you want, going to bed without setting an alarm clock, traveling to foreign countries, and spending more time with friends and family.

However, when the honeymoon phase begins to lose it’s luster, (which happens to most of us) or when we start to take our freedom for granted, we settle into a pattern of living. Time goes by without pausing to question, “Is my retirement the life I want?”

A regular “performance review” will remind you that this is your life—your one life. What do you want to do with it?

Imagine that you have to write a report for your supervisor. Set aside a time and place to give serious consideration to these questions. Add questions that fit your needs, dreams, and goals.

Have you set clear goals and expectations for retirement? Please describe.

Do you know how you want to invest your retirement years? Please describe.

What was your greatest accomplishment in the past six months?

What do you hope to accomplish in the next year?

What’s missing in your retirement and what are you going to do about it?

Where do you feel there’s room for improvement? What is your plan to address this area?

Overall, rate your retirement lifestyle on a scale of 1-10. Then describe what you will do to increase your rating by one or two points.

Copyright 2018. Patrice Jenkins. All Rights Reserved.