Are you eagerly looking forward to retirement, dreaming of carefree days and relaxation? While retirement is often seen as a well-deserved break from work, Ross Andel discusses the potential negative effects of retirement on brain function and ageing in the TEDx talk titled “Is retirement bad for your brain?” The talk is based on data from the Path Through Life Project, a longitudinal study that started in 2001 and involved hundreds of volunteers from the Greater Canberra region in their early to mid-60s. Andel presents findings that indicate a decline in memory performance after retirement. P ..read more

The recent failure of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) has sparked discussions about the importance of diversifying our retirement portfolios. SVB had been a key player in providing finance and services to technology startups for many years but its collapse due to heavy investment in treasury bonds has highlighted the risks of not diversifying investments. This event serves as a lesson for individuals to diversify their own portfolios, regardless of the asset class. The Importance of Diversifying Retirement Portfolio Diversification involves spreading investments across various asset types to limit e ..read more

In this TED Talk, Brendan Murray delves into the issue of losing one’s sense of identity upon retirement. Murray shares his personal experience of feeling lost after retiring, as his career and work had previously defined his identity. However, he realised that his identity was not solely tied to what he did, but rather to what he had achieved. Murray discusses how work provides a clear framework for creating wins and feeling satisfied with a job well done. After retiring, he had to search for ways to recreate that sense of achievement and progress. He emphasizes the importance of finding acti ..read more

What do you think of when you think of “retirement”? Is it about slowing down, stepping aside, withdrawing into an extended period of leisure? In this talk, Dean Waggenspack explains that this typical view of retirement is a historical anomaly, based on a single generation in American history: the Greatest Generation. With increasing life expectancy, retirement can now span several decades, and there is a need to redefine what it means to retire. Waggenspack argues that retirement should be a time of personal growth and exploration, rather than just a time to relax and wind down. He suggests t ..read more

Navigating your retirement can be tricky. What does retirement mean, and how do you continue to live vibrantly during it? In this TED talk, Clare Davenport, the founder of Designing4Better, uncovers how we might reframe and redesign this important life stage and our outdated definitions. She will help you think about another type of Retirement ROI – beyond your bank account – one that could prove essential to your long-term happiness and well-being as we rethink how to best optimize our retirement years. Here are the ROI of retirement well-being according to Clare: R – Reframe Reframe your r ..read more

Dr Riley Moynes, an author and retired educator, recently published The Four Phases of Retirement: What to Expect When You’re Retiring. Dr Moynes identified four phases of retirement that individuals may experience as they adjust to their new lifestyle: Vacation This is the initial phase of retirement, characterized by a feeling of excitement and freedom. People may take extended vacations, travel, or try new hobbies and activities. Loss The second phase is characterized by feelings of loss and uncertainty. People may miss the structure and purpose provided by work, and may struggle to find ne ..read more