· Retirement is a transition but viewed as a mere endpoint by many
· 70 per cent nearing retirement focus on finances but majority neglect post-retirement plans for time management
· Planning should include time, connection, wellness, curiosity, and legacy
By Bhuvanaa Shreeram
Young girls in our town, when we were growing up, had one clear goal in life - to get married. Everything that came before was preparation: learning to cook, dress modestly, behave well, and adjust quietly. Parents spoke of marriage as the ultimate milestone, the solution to every problem, the answer to every question. Find a decent groom, tie the knot, and life would take care of itself. Little did we know that marriage was not a destination. It was just the beginning of another, more complex, more layered journey.
And now, as adults, we seem to think of retirement in the same way. We treat retirement as an endpoint - a reward for years of hard work. The finish line. We plan and prepare and save and invest for it. But just like the young bride who wakes up after the wedding day to the realisation that the real work and real joy only lies ahead, retirement too is not an event. It is a transition. The start of something new.
In every marriage, there are stages. The honeymoon period, when everything feels exciting and new. The adjustment phase, when expectations meet reality. The parenting phase, when individual dreams take a backseat to shared responsibilities. The empty nest phase, when one must rediscover companionship all over again. Through it all, one learns essential life skills: negotiation, compromise, scheduling, decision-making, managing money, managing emotions.
But what really helps couples endure is not just these skills-it is the intention to make it work. The respect. The patience. The willingness to keep learning.
Retirement follows a strikingly similar arc.
1. The Honeymoon Phase No meetings: No deadlines, no rush-hour traffic. There is a lightness, a sense of relief, often accompanied by long-postponed holidays, home renovations, or sleep-ins. But this phase is short-lived.
2. The Boredom Or Restlessness Phase: The freedom that once felt luxurious begins to feel a little too open-ended. You wake up one morning with nowhere you have to go. You begin to wonder, What now? This is the silent stage - where many feel lost, but few talk about it.
3. The Rediscovery Phase: New interests begin to take root in this phase. Old hobbies are revisited. A rhythm emerges. Some pick up part-time work. Others mentor, volunteer, or explore spirituality. This is the heart of retirement - the phase where meaning is often found again.
4. The New Normal: With time, a new identity is built. One that is not tied to a job title or a salary slip. It is quieter, yes, but deeper. Routine returns, but this time, on your terms.
Just like no marriage thrives on wedding photos alone, no retirement thrives on numbers alone. Retirement planning has been dominated by the financial lens-calculating the corpus needed, planning withdrawals, minimizing taxes. While all of that is necessary, it is not sufficient. The deeper question is: What will I do with my time? What will give my life meaning once the applause fades and the work emails stop?
In a 2024 study by House of Alpha and Eleveight, over 70 per cent of individuals nearing retirement admitted they had given serious thought to their finances, but only 28 per cent had given similar attention to how they would spend their time.
And perhaps most tellingly – 65 per cent of them feared losing relevance or purpose more than running out of money.
If you really want to retire well, your plan needs more than investment returns and expense budgets. It needs:
• A Time Plan: What will a great day or week in retirement look like?
• A Connection Plan: Who will you see regularly? Who will stimulate and support you?
• A Wellness Plan: What will you do to keep your body and mind sharp?
• A Curiosity Plan: What new things will you try or learn?
• A Legacy Plan: What will you leave behind beyond just assets?
In Conclusion
In our twenties, we thought the wedding was the dream. In our fifties and sixties, we think retirement is the dream. But dreams begin, not end, at these milestones. If marriage taught us how to grow with someone else, retirement teaches us how to grow with ourselves-to find joy not in professional achievement but in personal exploration, connection, and contribution.
So do not just plan to retire. Plan to begin. And ask yourself the one question that matters most: Now that I finally have time, what will I do with it?
The author is a certified financial planner and co-founder and head of financial planning, House of Alpha Investment Advisors Private Limited
(Disclaimer: Views expressed are the author’s own, and Outlook Money does not necessarily subscribe to them. Outlook Money shall not be responsible for any damage caused to any person/organisation directly or indirectly.)
