"Simply, they've spent the past 35 to 40 years saving money, but they haven't spent much time at all thinking through how they want to invest their time once they retire."

Last fall, Kiplinger's explored a very important issue in "The Biggest Oversight in Most Americans' Retirement Planning." This article warned about the perils of poor preparation for the mental and emotional demands of retirement.

Many folks head into retirement with a sense of excitement and a bit of anxiety—but they haven't given much thought to their actual goals: they haven't spent sufficient time thinking about how best to use their unique skills and abilities in their future. Many folks do very little "avocational" planning when preparing for retirement and plan to just "take it as it comes." But those who put some time and effort into planning prior to the day they stop working will have more meaningful and interesting lives. You can devote your time of service to others, newfound creativity, or even start a new business.

If an individual uses good time management and active planning, retirement—and the freedom that comes with it—can be the best part of your life. But for too many people, retirement is a big disappointment. Loneliness, depression, and alcoholism are common afflictions of retirees.

But that's not you. You have a plan!

You're getting your finances ready for retirement. At the same time, you are going to set some worthwhile goals. Take time each week to determine where you excel, to define your interests, and to consider what types of things you'd like to learn and what experiences will give you the most satisfaction. Then, look for ways to employ those skills and goals. Retirement isn't the end of anything. Quite the contrary, when you plan and prepare, it's really the beginning of new pursuits.

Don't spend your retirement sitting in front of the television! Start planning what you want to do in your retirement. If you don't know where to start, chat with family and friends. Ask them what they could see you doing. Don't delay! Figure out today what's going to bring you a sense of purpose and fun in retirement.

Reference: Kiplinger's (October 2015) "The Biggest Oversight in Most Americans' Retirement Planning"