Retirement Yenta

Non-financial tips for retirement

Tip #212: Work ’til You Die (Such a 212 thing to do)

By Leave a Comment

Retirement Yenta is a die-hard New Yorker. One thing that makes your dear Yenta think of her beloved city more than anything is her 212 area code. With that in mind, dear Readers, Retirement Yenta decided tip number 212 would be directed to all the New Yorkers (and all you workaholics) out there. There’s a saying…if you can make it in NYC, you can make it anywhere. There’s truth to that. BUT, in order to make it here one has to constantly stay on top of their game and one has to constantly work. If you are a business person (or artist) in NYC, you have to be on 24/7 (more like 25/8…if we could just have that extra hour every day and an extra day every week)! Well, dear Workaholics, we never know when the ultimate Retirement in the Sky will descend upon us. So, Retirement Yenta is recommending that you start enjoying your life. Maybe a little at a time. If your work is the thing that gets you “juiced,” then “have at it”…but, if you work to work, and have little time for the things that DO get you “juiced,” then, your dearly-beloved Retirement Yenta wants you to gather your thoughts and consider starting her Retirement Levels Plan. Begin at Level 1. Work 4 days a week, using the remaining three days to eat bon-bons, or fish, or better yet, raise money for your favorite charity. If these three ideas are not for you, put your thinking cap on and figure out what you will enjoy most. Once you have adjusted to Level 1, consider Level 2. This level is flexible, you can have another day off or fewer hours the 4 days you are working. In this little Yenta’s Retirement Levels Plan, there are 10 levels…each with less work and more fun involved as the levels get higher. It’s like Angry Birds, but funner…yes, she said funner.

Retirement Yenta says: When retired, don’t sit down and wait to die. Do something that gets your batteries charged. Keep yourself engaged–your mind and body will appreciate it…but only do things you enjoy doing!

Tip #205: Renovate!

By 2 Comments

Retirement Yenta has been preparing her NYC home for her impending retirement. Yes, that’s right, dear Readers, Retirement Yenta has a “new kitchen.” The past few years, Retirement Yenta has upgraded different parts of her home and the goal in her process is to upgrade her home to something that feels like a luxury hotel. Once she has finished, your dear little Yenta is going to follow through with her master plan to retire to Miami Beach (and tell no one–so she can continue to work) and she can rent her NYC home and make a buck or two while she’s sitting on the beach. Now, while this impending retirement is a little ways away, your dear Yenta wants to enjoy her home before the big move. With this in mind, Retirement Yenta says: “Upgrade your home. Renovate! Then you can sit in the sun and acclimate (to retirement, that is).”

Tip #203: Socialize…More!

By 1 Comment

Last evening, Retirement Yenta attended a social event with some long-time members of a professional organization. It was a loosely structured event, all about ladies of a certain age, with a common background getting together and re-connecting, connecting, and whooping it up a little. Let me tell you, dear Readers, this is one of the best things your dear Yenta has done in ages. Some of these women have such inspiring stories and lives. Some are in retirement, some are considering retirement, some have found their appropriate “Retirement Level” and all are happily living their lives.

This event reminds your little Yenta of a post from long ago: #78: Borrow a Boss. The gist of this post was that Retirement Yenta was going to miss the annual office holiday party, so she was going to get a friend to join her for a night out on the town and “play boss.” Well, dear Readers this solution is even better than the idea of playing boss. This event was like all the office workers getting together without the boss looking over our shoulders and judging us! The event was so successful, Retirement Yenta is going to make it a bi-monthly affair.

Retirement Yenta says: Add Socializing More to your Retirement Bootcamp…you will thank me.

Tip #202: Start a Retirement Bootcamp

By 2 Comments

Retirement Yenta really wants to retire. She’s not quite ready to take the big plunge. While your dear Yenta was practicing for her impending retirement in Miami Beach, she discovered she had work to do to prepare herself for the leap. This little Yenta is starting a Retirement Bootcamp. Retirement Yenta’s Retirement Bootcamp is going to be an exercise in figuring out what your dear Yenta will do when she goes into full-retirement! You know Yentas, dear Readers, they can’t stop Yenta-ing, and that’s only the half of it. So, the Retirement Bootcamp is about several things:

  1. Journaling every day about a Yenta’s heart’s desires. One needs to feed their soul, and when not in the work force, a Yenta will have time to do some heavy soul feeding.
  2. Creating a group of friends that not only can be a mentor group for young upstarts, but also can be a mentor group for each other, as they cross the Great Divide.
  3. Simplifing this Yenta’s Life. ‘Nuff said. Simplicity is zen, and zen is good.
  4. Creating a Retirement Job. This is Retirement Yenta’s biggest anxiety. We all well know, dear Readers, today’s retirees do not sit in rocking chairs and do needlepoint all day long. They are active, involved doers with a purpose in life. They may make a few extra bucks in this job, or it may be volunteer work. This is not the workforce grind, but goes back to a Yenta’s feeding of her soul.

So, dear Readers, if you suffer from Pre-Retirement Anxiety. Start a bootcamp, or contact Retirement Yenta and join her in her bootcamp! We  will do the world some good, while doing good for ourselves.