As for keeping your wits about you, Jacquelyn James, co-director of the Sloan Center on Aging and Work at Boston College, recommends continuing to educate yourself.
"We have found that work stimulates cognitive development to the extent that work is engaging and also challenging," she told the Post. "I think we used to think that doing crossword puzzles was the best way to keep our cognitive ability alive and developing and I think we're seeing that it takes more than that. It's much more important to do things that challenge the mind, like learning a new language, or learning a new technology."
And, of course, since retiring means giving up a steady income, not everyone can quit work, not even when they're technically at retirement age. In that case, some experts recommend "downshifting" and going part-time so you can still cover living expenses. If you're considering the possibility of escaping the nine-to-five while you're on the younger side, it helps to plan accordingly and start putting the right amount of money aside early on.
The bottom line: Leaving your job can come at a cost but it does give you more free time. And as long as you are spending that time wisely, you might be able to prolong your life.
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