Would you work in your 80s?

A recent article in the Wall Street Journal shared how many people don’t want to retire but want to remain working.

The reason might surprise financial experts and economists.

Many more people want to keep working, not simply for the added income (although that’s important for a good number of people too).

Productivity is part of life satisfaction and well-being. And it’s often associated with work.

If you’ve followed my posts and read my book, you understand it’s all connected. Work is occupational wellness, a dimension I shared in Happy Money Happy Life.

Remove work and our sense of contribution, productivity and connection disappears. It begins to affect mental and emotional health which can manifest into physical illness.

We’ve heard the stories of people who retire and a year later have passed away.

I’ve met many people all across the country in their late 60s and one person at the “best” age of 90 who shared how important work was to their sense of self, not because of the title, but a sense of responsibility. It motivated them to get up in the morning and kept them going.

Now, there are a few who work because they need the extra income. But after further inquiry, they often share how social interaction was another reason for working. I had one such conversation with a man in his mid-70s who is a greeter at a Florida Walmart. “I don’t need the money. I need the conversation,” he said.

What I hope you get out of this post is a better understanding of how your 8 wellness dimensions–mental, emotional, physical, spiritual, social, occupational, environmental, and financial well-being–overlap and connect.

So removing work, retiring, quitting, or getting forced out, has an impact on your well-being.

But…

…the most important lesson is finding work that is meaningful and purposeful.

Working a job that doesn’t align or is toxic can hurt your well-being too.

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Jason Vitug is a writer and speaker specializing in the human condition and intentional transformations to become the very best versions of ourselves. He is currently on a mission to elevate a generation to reach their full potential and live their best lives by removing the stigma around money and empowering others through financial knowledge, access, and community.

Happy Money Happy Life is Jason’s second bestseller and is increasingly recognized as one of the best books on happiness and wellness.