There may be some glorious days ahead—the days of your retirement. No longer confined to the rigors of the workday world, you can spend your time doing what you want to do. Don’t, however, expect everything to fall magically into place. Like most things in life, you’ll get the most from retirement by planning.

Start by thinking about how you will replace your work routine with a retirement routine. Before the last day on your job, have an idea of how that first day of retirement will be filled. You don’t want to start this new phase of your life wondering what you’ll do. Take some time to think about your lifestyle and how you’re going to adapt. If getting up early for work has always been drudgery, plan for a leisurely beginning to your day. If sitting at a desk all day was against your nature, now is the time to let your active self take over. Just remember, you don’t have to rush like you did to catch the train or beat the traffic! The goal is to get the most out of a precious resource...your time.