Is your retirement looming off in not too distant future? Do you have dreams of a life filled with rest and relaxation? Perhaps you envision vacationing year round. Those images sound pretty idyllic, especially if you are currently working long hours and feeling stress and strain of your job. Working women are continually being stretched in a myriad of directions. That often translates into putting retirement planning and plans for retirement on back burner of life.

Do you know that Baby Boomers are retiring at rate of 10,000 every day in United States! The oldest boomer is now 58 years old; youngest is 40. They number 76 million in our country. Are you in that number?

The boomers have had a huge impact in our country. The first wave of baby boomers filled up our schools in 50’s. They changed campus politics in 60’s with their protests, marches and sit-ins. They were entering work force in 70’s and 80’s. The 90’s brought changes to workplace such as flextime and family leave time. Now boomers are entering retirement phase of life. They are living longer, retiring earlier and their focus is on lifestyle, not age. Imagine impact they will have on retirement!

Boomers are redefining retirement as a new career life transition. However, most aren’t prepared for managing that transition. More time is spent on planning a vacation than on next thirty years beyond retirement! Yes, many have been preparing financially with contributions to their 401K’s, Roth IRA’s, etc. However, retirement is more than finances.

There is human side of retirement. For retirement to be truly successful people need to embrace idea of life planning. How can we workers replace function that work has played in our lives? One of benefits of work is remuneration. We get paid for what we do. It gives us a sense of financial security.

But work provides us with more benefits than just remuneration. It helps us with following: time management, socialization, a sense of purpose and status. Let’s take a closer look at those benefits.

1.Choosing obvious ones to avoid: addicts, child abusers, chronic gamblers, felons, “boys”, etc. If you keep falling in love with wrong type of guy, you need help. Please seek it.

2.Choosing by sexual attraction alone. That’s a choice your reptilian brain is making which is to say not a choice at all. “Choosing” implies weighing alternatives and being rational. In no area of your life do you want your reptilian brain in charge. It doesn’t “think.” 3.Choosing by externals alone. It’s nice if he’s handsome, but not if he’s just another pretty face. Are you choosing a 37’ powerboat instead of a man who owns one? His face will change; his toys may disappear. It’s “for better or for worse,” not “for as long as he can buy me Fendi handbags.”

4.Rushing. Date him long enough to go through actual situations that test what you can’t see and touch – his values, priorities, manners, morals, and interests. At first you’ll go to drag races, WFW matches and duck hunting just to be with him, right? Do you really see yourself doing these things every weekend for rest of your life? By same token, is he being nice to your kids just to get to you? Is he willing to go shopping with you and to art museums? Only time will tell.

5.Rushing. Give it time so he can sort out his feelings. Men tend to go from desire to action without thinking in between. This is why we see them make such poor choices in women, and then do it again. You may be sure, but is he?