Читать книгу The New Retirement - Jan Cullinane - Страница 27

It would be an omission to discuss retirement without exploring the effects of the pandemic on retirees' beliefs and attitudes. A 2021 study by Age Wave, Edward Jones, and the Harris Poll provides some important insights:

 61% of retirees reported that “the pandemic has given them more appreciation for what makes life meaningful.”

 92% of retirees agree that “purpose is a key to a successful retirement.”

 67% of retirees said “spending time with loved ones provides them with the greatest source of meaning.”

 93% of retirees believe it's “important to feel useful in retirement,” and 87% said being useful “makes them feel youthful.”

 89% of retirees feel that “there should be more ways for retirees to put their talents and knowledge to use for the benefit of their communities and society.”

 Regarding finances of those not yet retired, a third are “contributing more to their retirement savings because of the pandemic” and a third plan to “delay retirement because of the pandemic.”

 Finally, 77% “wish there were more resources available to help them plan for an ideal retirement beyond just their finances.” (And that, of course, is a major purpose of this book.)It will be interesting to see how – or if – these beliefs and attitudes will change as we return to a postpandemic “normal” or a “new normal.”

Freedom, purpose, enjoyment, stress-free. These were the most common words when more than 5,000 workers were asked in a Transamerica Center for Retirement Study what the word “retirement” meant to them. Let's turn those words into reality by exploring what to do with your “168 hours a week” in the next two chapters. And, remember, much of learning is trial and error – retirement is a brand-new experience. Keep these wise words of Nelson Mandela in mind: “I never lose. I either win or I learn.”