Designing your ideal retirement in 4 steps
Written and accurate as at: Oct 22, 2025 Current Stats & Facts
Retirement is around the corner and chances are you’re excited to finally reap the rewards of all your hard work over the years. But for a lot of people, that excitement will be tinged with uncertainty. If you’re approaching retirement without a clear sense of what it will look like, here are some things to keep in mind.
1. Visualise your life after work
While there are some items most soon-to-be retirees should try to tick off, there’s no blueprint or set of instructions that will apply to every single person.
Your post-work years will ideally reflect your goals and values, and what that looks like will naturally be unique to you.
One activity you might find useful is imagining your ideal week and then writing it down. How are you spending your mornings, afternoons and evenings? What are you doing to keep the days from blending into one another?
Without work – and the structure and meaning it provides – it’ll be up to you to give each day an identity. Are you up to the task?
Some people won’t have any difficulty conjuring up their ideal retirement, having spent several years (if not decades) looking forward to all the things they’ll do. But others might struggle or be paralysed by indecision. If you fall into the latter camp, see if you can recruit your friends and loved ones (especially those who have already retired) to help.
2. Create a sense of purpose
Unlike during your working years, you won’t have clear goals and measures of success in retirement. There won’t be clients or supervisors to sing your praises when you do well or hold you accountable if you mess up. All this is to say your retirement will be totally self-directed, so what success looks like will be up to you.
This can be daunting, and it might be tempting to sink into the couch and let the hours and days pass you by. But ideally you’ll be able to find a new sense of purpose that gets you excited about each day. To help, imagine you’re already retired and try to answer these questions:
- What are the things that bring you joy?
- What are the things you’ve done that you’re most proud of?
- Is there anything you’d like to accomplish but haven’t?
- Is there anything you’ve been putting off doing that you now have time for?
- What legacy do you want to leave?
3. Keep your brain active
When it comes to cognitive health, your brain operates according to a ‘use it or lose it’ principle. The more you challenge your brain with new and interesting experiences, the better equipped you’ll be to stave off cognitive decline.
There’s a lot of research out there to support this, and it’s something all soon-to-be retirees should keep in mind. Scientists studying 'cognitive reserve' – which is the brain’s resilience in the face of age and disease related changes – have found it’s possible to increase yours through things like learning a new language, playing a musical instrument, and taking part in arts and crafts.
Even ordinary activities like reading, using the computer, playing chess, and having engaging social interactions can play a big part in sustaining brain health.
The lesson here is clear: whatever your plans for retirement, they should include plenty of opportunities to put your brain to work.
4. Speak to an adviser
Once you have a picture of what you want in retirement, a financial adviser can help you assess your financial situation and draw up a plan tailored to you.
If it turns out there’s a gap between how much money you’re likely to have and and how much you may need, they can suggest ways to help make it smaller. And if you need help striking a balance between enjoying your wealth and preserving it, they can guide you on how to pace your spending.
When you’re happy with your retirement plan and are confident you have the finances to make it work, be sure to share it with your family. This helps ensure everyone is on the same page and gives your family a chance to support you as you bring your retirement vision to life.
