Why Planning for Retirement at 60 Is Causing Me Anxiety About the Future

Planning for retirement is a long-term process. You establish a plan, start working toward it, and make adjustments as needed.

A Redditor recently posted about their experience with retirement planning in the FIRE subreddit. The original poster is 40 years old and hopes to retire at 60. However, the retirement planning process left the Redditor bummed out as they thought about what life will be like at 60.

The Redditor mentions potentially having less energy as a 60-year-old and uncertainty around what entertainment and technology options may look like in 2045. Several people swooped into the comments section to offer their thoughts.

Start Addressing Your Health Now

One of the top comments came from a Redditor who told the original poster to start addressing their health now. The commenter said that the poster was talking about life at 85 instead of 60. You can still be energetic and in shape in your 60s, but you have to instill good habits now.

The commenter suggested several steps the Redditor can take to become more healthy. “If you are worried about your health, start working on that now: eat a vegetable, hit the gym, walk more, quit drinking and smoking, and no more doughnuts. Keep your brain engaged, read, meditate, [and do] whatever it takes.

It’s easier to get away with bad health habits in your 20s and 30s. The 40s are when some of those habits start to hit, and it progressively gets worse unless you make your health a priority. Retirement planning requires a long-term focus and great discipline. It would benefit anyone to place that same emphasis on their health.

You Can Still Do a Lot at 60

The top commenter wasn’t the only one who critiqued the Redditor’s thoughts about 60-year-olds. Some people said that 60 isn’t 90, while others assumed that the Redditor hasn’t met anyone who is 60 years old.

If you retire at 60, you can still pursue a lot of hobbies and pursue long-term goals. However, if you just sit on the couch when you’re retired, life won’t be as exciting. You can also set yourself up for a shorter life if you aren’t staying active.

Waking hard in your 40s and 50s will give you more choices in your 60s. The Redditor may even want to work a remote part-time job upon living their full-time job instead of retiring completely.

Don’t Over Plan or Obsess Over the Future

Planning your finances and mapping out the mini milestones is a great way to achieve long-term goals. However, you don’t want to get too stuck in the planning. You have to take action on your goals and live in the moment. Someday, the Redditor will turn 60, but the Redditor shouldn’t spend the next 20 years thinking about what 60 will look like.

If you get anxious, you can review your progress instead of focusing on what you haven’t done yet. Seeing that you are implementing parts of your plan correctly can give you reassurance as you pursue bigger goals.

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