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Retirement Planning: 5 Reasons to Have a Stop Working Date

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There’s an excellent read over on the Considerable blog titled, “How long will you be able to work?” Regardless of your current age, one of the questions that individuals should ask themselves is, “When would I like to stop working?” Picking a possible retirement date – and I do mean possible – allows individuals to have a starting point in their retirement planning. And that planning date is important for several reasons:

  1. Think about a Plan B just in case you need to retire before the date you’ve chosen. Let’s say you’ve decided to stop working at age 70. But something happens when you’re 65 and you might need to retire sooner. I hear stories of individuals retiring early to care for their health or the health of a family member. What does a Plan B look like? And can you kick it into gear should you need it?
  2. Consider having two dates: a part-time date and a full-time one. Instead of going from fully employed to fully retired, does it make sense to think about a phased strategy? You could transition to part-time at 65 and then fully retire at 70. Of course, I’m just throwing out ages here. You have to decide what makes sense for you. This could also make a lot of sense when trying to coordinate your retirement and your spouse or partner.
  3. Use a retirement date to map out the transition to an encore career. I know several people in their 40s who work insane hours and travel a lot. They love their lifestyle right now but at some point, want to find a different pace of work. Selecting a retirement date (or dates as in #2) could help with planning an encore or second career. Especially if that next career involves getting some additional education or a certification.  
  4. Reflect on how your retirement date impacts savings and spending. It goes without saying – but I’ll say it anyway, our decision to slow down or stop working impacts our finances. When retirement planning, we do have to think about how the bills will get paid and we can maintain our lifestyle. In fact, we might want to consider making some lifestyle decisions well in advance, so we can get used to them.
  5. Get yourself mentally ready for a change. I’ve always been a person who needs a full-plate of activity. I am getting myself ready for retirement to be a major change. It’s one of the reasons we started this blog. As you think about an approaching retirement date, ask yourself if you’re ready. Do you need to think about starting a hobby? I’m not joking. I do believe many people retire without a plan and get bored.

It’s very easy to simply pick the government’s age for collecting Social Security as your retirement date. But if I had a dollar for every person who turned 62 or 65 and said, “I’m not ready yet.” I would be retired right now. LOL! No one is holding you to that date. It’s simply a placeholder for planning.

And retirement planning is important.

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby somewhere in North Carolina

Your 5 Day Plan to Use Instagram in Unretirement

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We have been showcasing the use of social media sites to help with marketing in your encore career. Whether your goal is to work as a freelancer or you plan to extend corporate work, social media can play a significant role. Demonstrating your skills with these platforms could make you a more marketable employee. So far, we’ve talked about Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. If you haven’t check them out, you can find them here:

Your 5 Day Plan to Using Facebook

Your 5 Day Plan to Using LinkedIn

Your 5 Day Plan to Using Twitter

You might be wondering why you should pay attention to Instagram if you’re already using one or all of the social channels we’ve already covered. You will see as we explore Instagram, there are some very unique aspects to this medium. As such, there are many users who spend hours on their accounts – – far more than any other site. So, as any fisherman or marketer will tell you, you need to be where your audience is!

What is Instagram?

Instagram is a free photo and video sharing app where subscribers can upload graphics and share them with their followers. Instagram launched in 2010 and quickly grew in popularity with more the 1 billion registered users as of May 2019. They were acquired by Facebook in 2012 and are arguably the most popular social media site in operation.

The reason for the popularity? Images! The main focus of Instagram is visual, and this has attracted a huge amount of creativity. It allows users to get a glimpse of the lives of their favorite celebrities and engage with beloved brands at the same time they enjoy vacation and children photos from friends and family. 

You can sign up for Instagram easily and, like all other social sites, it’s free to create an account. 

Your 5 Day Plan to Learning Instagram

DAY 1 – Download the Instagram App. The whole idea behind Instagram is to quickly and easily share images and video you capture with your mobile devise. For that reason, it’s easier to use the mobile app which is available for iOS or Android.

DAY 2 – Start Following. Like most social sites, you have a feed that will showcase the people and brands you follow. At the bottom of your screen you will see a magnifying glass so click on that. Here you can enter names of people you know and follow elsewhere or topics you find engaging – like retirement. Just like with Twitter, hashtags will bring users with similar interests together. If you find an image you like, click on it to launch a window with all the posts within the hashtag. From here, you can immediately follow them simply by clicking “Follow” or click on their user name to see everything they’ve shared. After a short while, clicking on the magnifying glass will give you recommendations on people and brands to follow based on your interests and likes.

Day 3 – Engage, engage, engage. Social media is all about engagement and Instagram is no different. Now that you have people, brands and hashtags to follow, you are bound to find photos and videos you really like. If so, go ahead and click on the “heart” under the image. That will tell the person – and Instagram – that you like it. You can also post a comment by clicking on the “word balloon” or you can “heart” other peoples’ comments. Pay attention to the hashtags that your followers share. If you like their content, chances are good that their hashtags will lead you to others who share similar – but different – images.

Day 4 – Post a Photo. By now, you should be pretty comfortable getting around the app. You found some people to engage with and you want them to interact with you. It’s time to post a photo! Once you have a subject, take 2 – 3 photos at different angles. At the bottom of the Instagram app is a plus sign – clicking on that will bring up your camera roll where you can choose the best image to share. Click on the image then click “Next”. This will take you to an editing screen where you can quickly edit the shot before posting. Or you can quickly apply a “filter” which applies a preprogrammed set of attributes to your image. For now, just keep it normal and click “Next” again. In this screen, you can say something about the image (don’t forget hashtags), tag people, and add location information before sharing. 

Day 5 – Set Audience Goals. To be really successful at something, we need to have goals. As you can see with Instagram, like most social channels, success is centered around growing your audience. And growing an audience takes more following, posting and engaging. You can make your goal to follow 5 new people every day and follow one new hashtag every week. Set aside 20 minutes every morning to like images and share comments. And don’t forget to snap some photos and share them as well. Remember, there aren’t any shortcuts for this so just schedule the time. Before you know it, you will have a fun and engaging audience!

BONUS! Repost for Instagram. You may have noticed that Instagram differs from most social platforms in that they don’t easily allow you to share other people’s images. The idea behind Instagram is to informally let others get to know “the real you” through pictures. So, they want you to share YOUR pictures. Fortunately, enterprising app developers have created independent apps that will allow you to repost what other people share. Just look for them wherever you download your mobile apps.

Instagram has set itself apart from other social platforms by creating a unique and exciting ecosystem and remaining true to their brand. That should be a lesson for all of us! Another thing to know is that 80% of Instagram users follow a business brand. That shows the power of Instagram in brand marketing. Just think what it can do for your personal brand in Unretirement!

Encore Careers: 4 Ways to Find a Thriving One

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In a recent AARP Bulletin, they published a list of the “99 Ways to Add Healthy Years to Your Life”. Number 83 caught my attention. It was “Don’t cling to a dying profession.” 

We’ve been talking about encore careers here at Unretirement Project. One of the things to consider as you’re thinking about an encore career is what the jobs of the future might look like. Here are a few recent articles that you might find interesting.

The fastest-growing job in the US is expected to grow 105% by 2026—here are the other 19.

The 20 Fastest Growing Jobs in America—And How Much They Pay.

Bureau of Labor Statistics: Fastest Growing Occupations

These types of lists can be used to identify a potential encore career. It’s possible that you have many of the transferrable skills that would make a shift logical and easy. Or you might see something completely different that looks interesting and exciting, so you can go to school and get the necessary skills. Either way, these lists serve a purpose. That being said, there are bigger messages here. 

  1. We should be regularly evaluating our career possibilities. Whether you’re 30, 40, 50, or older.The last thing you want to hear is that your long-term career potential is dwindling. These lists might offer some insight about your current career that would be helpful. And of course, your current career could have an impact on the decisions you make about an encore career.
  2. Career choices involve decisions about knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs).It’s important to keep the KSAs for your current job relevant. It’s also important to think about the KSAs you’ll need in the future. I cannot emphasize enough the need to embrace lifelong learning. Not only is it good for your mental health, but it’s good for your career and encore career. 
  3. Figure out how you like to learn and what you need to learn.The conversation about KSAs and being a lifelong learner is really about self-learning. As we start to think about our unretirement and retirement, we need to think about how we will continue to learn. There won’t be any more corporate training programs. Or vendor sponsored webinars. Our learning will come in different forms. But it will start with us personally. 
  4. Today’s hot jobs might be lukewarm tomorrow. While lists of growing occupations can be helpful, we must be careful when it comes to taking these lists as the only truth. If today’s fast-paced, technology-driven business world has taught me anything, it’s that today’s bright shiny concept could be a dud tomorrow. As you’re looking at your future career, make sure you’re not trading one dying career for another.

There are many factors that go into the encore career decision including what we like, what we’re capable of doing, how much money the job pays, etc. One important factor is the future for that role. Will it be around in a decade? Researching industries and occupations can help us find an encore career that’s growing and thriving. 

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby while exploring the streets of Disneyland and San Francisco, CA

5 Activities to Avoid Becoming the Indoor Generation

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I heard a term recently that fascinates me – the “Indoor Generation”. As the name implies, it’s a label for people who spend most of their time indoors. They’ve figured out how to do as many things as possible without leaving the house. 

I totally get it. We can do our shopping on our home computers or mobile devices. We can order food, and have it delivered to our home. We can talk with a doctor via webcam. Keith and I are building a house and we talk about it being both the place we work and our sanctuary. I can absolutely see how the term came into existence. 

The indoor generation is also a term that defies age. I see young people who spend a lot of time inside – maybe reading or watching television and playing video games. But for today’s post, I want to talk about the indoor generation in the context of getting older.

In a study sponsored by Velux, it’s been found that there are health risks to being indoors all the time. We need sunlight as part of our wellness. The research found that daylight can improve learning abilities up to 15 percent. We need fresh air for our health. Living in damp or moldy homes increases our risk of asthma by 40 percent. And a lack of sunlight impacts our general wellbeing. According to the research, a lack of daylight makes 15 percent of us sad. 

So, what’s the answer. Well, it’s easy just to say get out more. But the reality is, going outside needs to feel good. Otherwise it will be a chore and we won’t get the desired benefit. Here are five things that might help us get outside more:

  1. Talk and walk. I’m going to mention this one first since it’s the most obvious. Find time to take a walk. Keith and I have what we call walking meetings. Instead of sitting inside the house to talk about stuff, we take a short walk. It’s good for us and we can still have a productive conversation.
  2. Take up an outdoor activity. People laugh when we mention that we play Pokémon GO. But it gets us out of the house every single day. We also discovered a nearby botanical garden that has lots of Pokémon Gyms and PokeStops. So, we purchased an annual membership. We get to see the gardens and play at the same time. 
  3. Build outdoor time into our daily routine. One of the things we’re looking forward to in our new home is drinking our morning beverages outside. It doesn’t seem like a lot, and it’s not, but it’s a few more minutes outside. 
  4. Turn outdoor chores into something worth looking forward to. This is totally not me, but Keith loves working in the garden. And he enjoys mowing the lawn. Once a year, I’ve been known to assist with mulching (well, maybe). My point is, find a way to turn being outdoors into something more than drudgery. 
  5. And finally, if all those ideas don’t work, try to bring some plants and sunlight into your home. We’ve discovered that we enjoy having live plants in our home. And dark walls might be on trend, but they make the house dark. So, we’re opting for lighter colors.

As we age, it can be very easy to shift our routines, so we spend more time inside and less outdoors. It could have a negative impact on the way we feel. Maybe we just need to change what we do outdoors. Find new activities that fit more with our unretirement lifestyle. 

Image created by Sharlyn Lauby

6 Ways to Get Better with Technology and Cybersecurity

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I met someone the other day who said they didn’t have time for technology. Whether we like it or not, technology is a big part of our personal and professional lives. We can buy things, make appointments, and manage information using technology. And I don’t anticipate that changing anytime in the near future. 

But with technology comes risk. I’m sure that’s one of the reasons that people say they don’t want to use technology. They figure if they don’t use it, then no one can hack their accounts or get their private information. Unfortunately, just because we don’t use technology doesn’t mean that everyone arounds us doesn’t put our names in a computer database that can be hacked. The answer is to be responsible technology users. 

TechCrunch recently published five “how-to” guides focused on covering cybersecurity basics. If you’re not familiar with TechCrunch, they are a U.S. based publisher of technology industry news, owned by Verizon Media. The site has about 17M monthly readers worldwide. While I wouldn’t say this is everything that you need to know about cybersecurity, it’s an excellent start.

  1. Why you need to use a password manager – Are you looking for a way to keep track of all your passwords? Or do you use the same password for everything because you don’t want to remember multiple passwords? It might be time to consider a password manager.
  2. Two-factor authentication can save you from hackers– Many sites already use two-step authentication or verification. And while we know it’s to help us be safe on the web, it’s still a major pain in the you know what. Maybe if we learn more about how two-step authentication works, we won’t get quite as frustrated. And we’ll opt-in to use it.
  3. How to protect your cell phone number and why you should care– According to Pew Research, ninety-five percent (95%) of Americans own a cell phone of some kind. This places a huge importance on a single device and protecting it from hackers is important.
  4. How to browse the web securely and privately– Personally, I’ve become much more interested in learning about virtual private networks (VPNs) and HTTPS lately. Specifically, what they can and cannot do. Not because I’ve got some big, dark secret to hide. But if I’m traveling then I want to know I’m using the right technology the right way.
  5. How to get started with encrypted messaging apps– Finally, short messaging service (aka SMS) has become a primary means of communication for some. I receive SMS messages to confirm appointments and get messages from family and friends. I want to know those messages are secure. 

Number six on this list comes from Google. It’s about phishing, which is defined as an attempt (usually via email) to trick you into giving away personal information. Google has published a “phishing quiz” which allows you to guess which emails are legit and which are fake. It’s not as easy as you might think. If you decide to take the quiz, one quick heads up – the quiz asks you to provide a name and email address at the beginning. You can totally make one up. They’re not collecting information. But as you know, some phishing scams look pretty legit because they include your name. 

I thought these articles were a great primer about cybersecurity regardless of where you are in your unretirement journey. They could benefit you at work or at home. They might also be something you’d like to share with friends and family. 

Helping people become better with technology benefits everyone. I hope you’ll take a moment to check out these TechCrunch and Google resources. And a huge thanks to TechCrunch and Google for publishing them. 

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby while exploring the streets of Reykjavik, Iceland

Make a Checklist of Your Wishes For Your Family

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For the last decade of my father-in-law’s life, every time we visited him, he would find an hour to chat with us about his final wishes. It was never on the first day or the last. It was never over dinner. But at some point, he would find a few moments to talk about what he wanted his final days to be like and how he wanted his matters handled by family when he was gone. 

Keith and I came to expect these little chats every time we visited him. 

Now that we’re getting older, we’re trying to figure out when we should start having those chats with people. First of all, it’s a great reminder that if you haven’t already thought about the executor of your estate…now’s a good time. And don’t let that term intimidate you. Whether you have $1 or $1M, somebody is going to have to handle your final affairs. 

AARP Publishing has a book out titled, “Checklist for My Family” by Sally Balch Hurme, J.D.. This 250-page book outlines ten areas of our life that we might want to consider documenting. Some of them are very predictable like life insurance, investments, and real estate. Others are more surprising such as items to destroy, rewards programs, and pet care. 

I’m sure for many, the task of handling a person’s final affairs is given to a child. Keith and I have an interesting dynamic to consider because we don’t have children. I found this book to be something that we could complete and leave it in a place for the executor of our estate to review. I love that everything is in a single book, so our executor only has to find one thing – the book. And we can keep the book in a safe place or mail it to our executor.

The book has two parts. The first part is my “to-do” list. This is where I need to review items, make decisions about how I would like things handled by family, etc. The second part is where I document those decisions. Looking back, my father-in-law was quite the planner and there were plenty of things he forgot to tell us. This book reminds me that while there are several major decisions to make, there are lots of smaller decisions to consider as well. 

If I have one criticism about the book, it’s that the author doesn’t put enough emphasis on technology. The book does reference digital assets, but most of us have multiple social media accounts, emails, etc. and at some point, somebody will be given the task of deleting my digital life. In future editions, I could see technology being a separate chapter versus just a few pages.

At some point in time, we have to start making plans for our final days. I can’t speak for anyone else, but I don’t want to rush those decisions. Having a checklist for family that I can pick up and put down at my leisure makes me feel in control. And isn’t that want we’re trying to do – be in control of how our affairs are handled. 

What We Are UP To – February 2019

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Watching | Chuck

> Or should I say rewatching. The TV series Chuck, starring Zachary Levi, is one of my favorites. In honor of DC’s Shazam (starring Zachary Levi) coming out in April, we decided to rewatch Chuck. Still excellent after all this time. 

Reading | Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

> I’ve heard for years that the Harry Potter series is reading for all ages. So, I finally broke down a picked-up Harry Potter book number one. I must admit it grabbed me immediately! I can see this being a series that both Keith and I will enjoy and want to chat about. 

Remembering | Fort Lauderdale

>We were in our old stomping grounds early in February for client meetings. We had a wonderful time and enjoyed visiting some of our favorite places. But OMGosh, the traffic! We actually we’re held up in traffic one afternoon because nine police cars apprehended someone (guns drawn) on the I95 highway. I love you Fort Lauderdale, but I don’t miss that.

Working On | Travel

> I’ve been home for a couple of months and, while I love being home, I’m looking forward to spring travel season. I have trips planned to some places I haven’t been to lately – like Oklahoma City, Salt Lake City, and St. Louis. It should be great fun to get out and explore. 

Feeling | Ready to move!

> While moving your household is never fun, can I tell ya that I’m ready to move! We’re still a few months away but becoming incredibly conscious that a move date will be soon. In February, we drove by the construction site recently and saw a pile of baseboards in the house. Stuff is happening!

Planning | Ace Your Retirement

> Keith and I ran across a billboard on the Florida Turnpike promoting AceYourRetirement.org. It’s a (chatbot) digital retirement coach sponsored by AARP and the Ad Council. Takes less than 5 minutes to answer some questions about where you are in your retirement planning and offers some suggestions. No registration required. 

Loving | Girl Scout Cookies

> I was a Girl Scout so I appreciate the frenzy that is “cookie season” in February. Typically, we just pick up our Girl Scout cookies in front of the grocery store. But no one was selling! I couldn’t believe it. But good news! The Girl Scouts have gotten smarter and allow people to set up small storefronts to sell cookies online. I was able to support my friend’s children, no matter where they live. 

Geeking | MasterClass

> I’m sure you’ve heard of MasterClass. It’s an online education portal with programs from famous people. Like Annie Leibovitz teaches photography. And Gordon Ramsay teaches cooking. We decided to sign up for a year and test it out. I’m currently listening to Nobel Prize winning economist Paul Krugman talk about economics. Absolutely fascinating. 

What’s UP with you?