Adopting simple healthy lifestyle is what matters in the end
Published on: Sunday, November 22, 2020
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Credit: tehrantimes.com
Unless this large group of contributors has private savings, retirement may not be an option for them even though they live into their mid-60s or beyond.
Many of my elderly friends and neighbours are still toiling in all kinds of odd jobs to earn a monthly meagre income to see them through their sunset years.
Most of them have exhausted their EPF savings not too long after their retirement and have no private savings either.
In most cases, relying entirely on children for their expenditure may be an unworkable option for them.
As a retiree, I urge working young adults to plan ahead for their retirement even though they may have a few decades of earning capacity ahead of them.
I started taking my retirement seriously when I was in my 30s. Leading a simple life, I put aside a portion of my monthly earnings regularly and allowed it to grow on a compound basis.
The growth was a great motivation for me to save more as I could see positive results through the years.
Leading a simple life does not only enable you to save more, it also motivates you to lead a healthy lifestyle as you would spend more time at home.
There is a high tendency that you may feel a need to exercise and bring your children into the regular workout as a family.
Once you have embraced a healthy lifestyle, you may be on the right track to age gracefully and adopt a positive outlook in life.
Having retired at 55 nine years ago, I continue to lead an active and healthy life without any chronic ailment.
Unless I encounter a sleepless night, I used to wake up every morning in good spirits.
Apart from undergoing my yearly medical check-up and blood test, I exercise daily to maintain my fitness and wellbeing.
Yes, I need a glass of iced coffee without sugar every morning to make my day. It is simple, but I enjoy every moment of it.
A friend of mine, who had been suffering from diabetes, hypertension and hyperuricemia for more than three decades, passed away a few months ago due to cirrhosis.
He was in his early 70s, and retired for more than a decade before his death. His retirement was marred by chronic ailment and frequent hospital admissions.
He suffered persistent pain and anxiety in his retirement even though he could afford private medical care as he was a successful businessman.
Undeniably, we need sufficient financial resources to achieve a comfortable retirement.
After working so hard for more than three decades, you deserve a happy and not just a comfortable retirement.
To achieve that, you need to work hard to keep chronic ailments at bay as they can have a serious impact on your health as you age.
If you lead a simple life with daily exercise while you are young, you will be rewarded handsomely in your twilight years.
Retiree
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