If you have been a career person all of your life, going to work every day in a meaningful job such as a firefighter, or EMS personnel, creates a high level of responsibility and can take its toll emotionally. What do you do when you are suddenly faced with the prospect of sitting at home?
Here are a few tips to ensure a smooth transition into retirement.
- First Responder Retirement Guidance – Check out https://firstresponderretirement.com/, a leading organisation dedicated to supporting first responders in their retirement years. This should be a priority and you will find lots of valuable resources on their website, which is committed to supporting you through your transition.
- Find a New Passion in Life – When you suddenly stop saving people’s lives in real-life scenarios, this can leave a huge hole in a person, much like a combat soldier returning home, and finding something to channel your energy is recommended. It might be fishing or golf, or building that boat you always dreamed of sailing, something that ignites a passion within and guess what? You have all the time in the world to enjoy doing what you love!
- Stay Active – Age is just a number and all that, if you are healthy, you need to work out daily and an early morning run or brisk walk is advised. A balanced diet and a regular exercise regime will keep you in good health and take up a sport of pastime and have some variation in your life.
- Keep in Contact with Colleagues – Just because you’re retired, doesn’t mean you have to cut off contact with friends and colleagues; they are always happy to hear from you and in not too many years, they will be enjoying their golden years. It’s easy to stay in touch with Skype or Facebook with a real-time video call and this will make the transition that much easier.
- Distance Learning – With so much time on your hands, you could go ahead and get that BA in local history and get actively involved with a local archeological group, or you might like to learn how to write code (there are many free online courses) that introduce you to Python and C++. If you are not IT competent, you could make it a goal to learn more about IT and the many applications it offers, which will change your life for the better.
One of the hardest parts of retirement for a first responder is losing that rush you get when you are in a real-life emergency and that’s where the first responder support organisation can help.
