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Three little chores for pre-retirement, and three for post-retirement. The perfect retirement is honestly this simple.

You’ve seen the headlines:

“You need two million dollars.”

“You need three hobbies.” “Get a side hustle.”

“Remember the 4% rule.” “Remember the 80/20 rule.”

“Pay off your house.” “Don’t pay off your house.”

“Take Social Security at age 62 and invest.” “Wait until age 67.” “Or 70.”

Aaargh, all those absolutes and aphorisms are aggravating. No wonder people are confused. Retirement is big business and every message is designed to entice you into buying a service that will make your future shine as bright as the sun. They tell you paradise isn’t free.

Well, this article is free, and it’s as good or better than any advice you’ll get from coaches, advisors, investment counselors, or soothsayers. (And it comes with no advertisements or face-to-face meetings.)

It’s pure, simple, logical advice. Three simple chores for pre-retirement, and three for post-retirement.

Three little chores before you retire

I’m sure everyone would agree that it makes sense to prepare for retirement. But regardless of all the time they had, most people retire with very little savings and ultimately realize that they put more effort into planning their Caribbean vacation than planning the rest of their lives.

You can do better than that.

• Save money
• Practice retirement
• Talk about it (and listen)

1. Save money.

I shouldn’t have to say this, it seems so obvious. But please save money.

It’s not always easy to set aside money when one is living paycheck to paycheck, but it can be done. The key to success is controlling expenses (and don’t tell yourself that you can’t do that).

Look around and see there are people living on $25k and others living on $250k. Imagine how much money the rich guy could save if he had the same expenses as the $25k guy. He may not want to, but clearly, it is possible for people of any income to live on less.

Spend less, save more.

There’s nothing complicated here, just save as much money as you can

You can save more when you don’t have debt, so try to minimize that. You can save more when you live modestly. If your employer matches savings, take advantage of that. Think twice about major purchases. All of this advice points directly to the maxim: “save money.”

As your savings account grows, you can start thinking about investment vehicles and compound growth. Did you know that saving $100 a month over 40 years will grow to $250,000? That’s far more than most people have when they retire.

2. Practice retirement

“Practice retirement?” What a strange concept and how could anyone do that?

The idea of practicing retirement is just like practicing any skill. The more you practice, the better you get.

Quitting your job isn’t necessary for practice, the mental image of being retired is enough

Here’s how: Establish a morning ritual. When showering or commuting, spend a few moments thinking about what that day would be like if you were retired. At first, you may just envision yourself relaxing. In time you’ll start considering hobbies, hikes, traveling, volunteering, and all kinds of fun activities that strike your fancy.

Soon you’ll feel energized and confident that you know what your retirement will look like.

It’s fun to do. Give it a try for a month and see what I’m talking about. I did it for two years before I retired and on my first day, I hit the ground running, never to look back.

3. Talk about it (and listen)

Family and friends give the best feedback. Talk to them about your retirement plans and see what they think. They’ll tell you that you’re crazy or that your ideas are solid. They may bring you back to earth and explain that you need a few more years of work before you can safely afford that second home in Italy. Regardless, you can trust the people who are close to you.

Listen with an open mind, your future depends on it.

Talk to people who are already retired. No matter how fervently you practice retirement, it’s still theoretical. Retired folks will happily share their experiences with you, and give you advice on how best to approach the transition from work to a retirement lifestyle. Listen carefully to their fears as much as to their joys.

Three little chores after you retire

Okay, now you’re retired. You saved a little money, practiced retiring until you were emotionally prepared, and listened to others’ advice. Good for you.

Three little chores post-retirement set the foundation for the best years of your life.

• Everything in moderation
• Relax and be bold
• Pay attention

1. Everything in moderation

The first years of retirement are called the honeymoon period because they are invigorating and inspiring. You’re on cloud nine, enjoying every day without a care in the world.

This is also the time when it’s easy to overspend and overindulge.

Money matters. Look at your savings and Social Security income and calculate how much you can spend each month without running out. Spend appropriately and be sure to include a fudge factor in case of emergency.

Health matters. No matter how young you feel, your body is aging. Eat healthy food, moderate your drinking and bad habits, and see your doctor. Most of all, keep moving — exercise is essential to health and happiness.

Be honest with yourself

It isn’t the number of years you live, it’s the quality of those years. Moderation in all things will allow you to enjoy — and fund — more of your golden years.

2. Relax and boldly go where you’ve never gone before

Let’s face it, retirement is a time for well-earned relaxation. You have the right to relax and you should, it’s good for the body and mind.

But not forever. At some point, you’ll need to get up off the couch and get on with your new life, a life free from the stress and strife of work.

Stress is a killer and almost everyone I know complains of the stress they suffered when they were working. Retirement has its moments, sure, but for the most part, stress is replaced with a feeling of confidence and fearlessness.

Confidence and fearlessness are your new superpowers

Now is the time to push your way out of your comfort zone. You have a limited number of years to go, lots of superpowers, and so if not now, when?

Take a trip to a crazy place. Go out on dates. Take up painting or pickleball. Try raw sushi. Walk the Camino in Spain or drive to Alaska.

Do something new, exciting, and bold.

Reinvent yourself by pursuing those old dreams you’ve had for so long. You have nothing to lose, and if you don’t like it you can just switch over to a new dream. That’s the whole point of retirement — the ability to do anything you want and stop doing it when it’s no longer fun.

3. Pay attention

Retirement has no autopilot. You’ll need to steer it yourself.

The world is a fascinating place filled with brilliant people who keep changing things and aggravating those of us who don’t like change.

Read the news and pay attention to your kids and grandkids so you can stay abreast of technological changes that will affect you. Telehealth is one of countless examples of changes that will disrupt your future. Soon (in your lifetime), medicine will rely on at-home sensing devices and video calls with providers. You need to be ready.

Reservations, shopping, communication, customer service, and even exercise, are already online. Soon you won’t be able to start your car without an online presence.

Don’t fret, you can ask your kids to teach you

Pay attention to your money. Are you on track or do you need to rein it in a bit? The economy wiggles like a snake and your finances need to be flexible enough to ride out the dips.

Feeling lethargic? Get up and walk around. Watching too much TV? Find someone who can challenge you with an interesting adventure.

Lonely? Go out to dinner, join a club, go to a show, and take a walk through the neighborhood.

Notice and appreciate those things that matter most in life: Family, friends, pets, and happiness. When you’re in touch with your physical and mental well-being, you’re far better prepared to enjoy life.

Remember

Life is better when it’s simple.