If there is anything permanent in this world, it is “change”. Retirement from work is such an inevitability and one of the most important transitions in the life of all employees. Understandably, it comes with uncertainties and anxieties as it changes the status quo and takes one out of the comfort zone. One has to face it, plan and manage it effectively so that the post-retirement life can remain meaningful, purposeful and enjoyable. With the average life expectancy in India going beyond 70, management of retirement life has become much more important now.
The word “retirement”, for many, rings alarm bells as it is associated with a perceptions of “boredom”, “losing power and authority and thereby respect”, “losing identity”, “health problems”, “feeling neglected”, “finding no meaning in life” and so on. Going from a well-structured life to no structure is indeed challenging. While retirement means life coming full circle for many, for some, it means a new-found freedom and the beginning of a new phase of life. New-found freedom to choose to live the remaining life in all its hues and to indulge in things out of reach all these years due to never-ending professional demands and filial responsibilities. Most of the people live their entire productive life with one single identity attached to their job. For many, work offers meaning and purpose.
With one stroke of retirement, they lose their identity and typically experience what we call it an ‘existential vacuum’, a feeling of nothingness and meaninglessness. Viktor E. Frankl, in his book, Man’s Search For Meaning, says that “people have enough to live by but nothing to live for; they have the means but no meaning”. He also says that “a human being is not one in pursuit of happiness but rather in search of a reason to become happy, last not least, through actualising the potential meaning inherent and dormant in a given situation”. This existential vacuum will lead to boredom, frustration and ultimately lead to losing the will to live.
