Category: Retirement 101

Break bad habits easily: The 10-minute rule for retirees

Breaking an unwanted habit doesn’t have to be overwhelming. A simple and effective technique is postponing the habit for 10 minutes. This small shift can make a huge difference in changing behaviours and regaining control.

How the 10-Minute rule works

Instead of forcing yourself to quit a habit abruptly, practice delaying it. When the urge arises, tell yourself, “Not now, but in 10 minutes.” This small delay reduces impulse actions and gradually weakens the habit.

Example 1: Reducing screen time

Many retirees find themselves reaching for their phones out of boredom, stress, or habit. Instead of immediately checking notifications, try this:

• • When you feel the urge to grab your phone, pause and say, “Not now. I’ll check it in 10 minutes.”
  • Place your phone in another room or face down to resist temptation.
  • Set a visual reminder on your lock screen, such as a motivational quote or calming image.

After 10 minutes, you may realize that the urge has passed, and you no longer feel the need to check your phone.

Example 2: Cutting back on coffee

If you want to reduce caffeine intake, applying the 10-minute rule can help:

• • Place a sticky note near your coffee machine with the words, “Not now.”
  • When you feel like having another cup, delay it by 10 minutes.
  • Engage in a different activity, like drinking water or stretching, to distract yourself.

Over time, you might find yourself drinking less coffee without feeling deprived.

Why This Method Works

The goal isn’t to completely eliminate the habit immediately. Instead, postponing it weakens its automatic nature. Here’s why this technique is effective:

• • Reduces impulsive actions by giving you time to reconsider.
  • Breaks the cycle by delaying instant gratification.
  • Increases self-awareness of triggers and habitual behaviours.
  • Encourages mindful decisions rather than acting on autopilot.

Small delays lead to big changes

By using the 10-minute rule, you take small yet powerful steps toward breaking unwanted habits. Over time, you might even forget to indulge in them at all! Try this technique today and notice the difference in your daily routines.

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If you are determined to enjoy a meaningful retirement, my newsletter ‘Retirement Success Strategies for Professionals’ is for you.

Every week, I will share proven strategies & practical tools that will help you create the retirement life you want.

Sign up for the newsletter here.

What happens after we set ourselves a challenging goal?

The next step is usually figuring out how to achieve it. We identify the actions needed or the behaviours to develop. We might even create a detailed action plan. Then, hopefully, we follow through.

However, as we all know, sticking to our plan isn’t always easy. Motivation often wanes.

One way to boost motivation and willpower is to attach a second desirable outcome to our original goal.

Strengthening motivation with a second goal

Consider these examples:

• • Joining a running club improves fitness (original goal) and helps you meet new people (additional goal).
  • Decluttering your home creates more space and order (original goal) while clarifying your values and priorities (additional goal).
  • Volunteering in a community project gives a sense of purpose (original goal) and helps you build new friendships (additional goal).

Exercise

Think of a goal you struggle to achieve. Ask yourself:

• • How could the actions I take to achieve this goal also lead to another rewarding outcome?
  • What additional benefits might I gain that I haven’t considered?

Write everything down. Don’t just think about it – put it on paper! Brainstorm all the added benefits that come with working toward your goal.

Then, when motivation dips, remind yourself that you’re not just achieving one goal—you’re achieving multiple benefits at the same time!

My experience with this strategy

I recently used this approach to boost my motivation for writing my weekly newsletter.

While I usually enjoy it, there are times when I struggle. This exercise showed me how many valuable outcomes stem from my writing habit:

• • I provide helpful retirement-organising tips to my subscribers (original goal).
  • I develop and refine new organising and retirement success strategies (additional goal).
  • These strategies improve my coaching sessions (another bonus).
  • And they help me simplify my own life (yet another outcome!).

Now, I no longer see writing my newsletter as just a single task. It’s an opportunity to grow, contribute, and improve multiple areas of my life—all at once.

By linking additional meaningful outcomes to your goals, you can do the same!

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If you are determined to enjoy a meaningful retirement, my newsletter ‘Retirement Success Strategies for Professionals’ is for you.

Every week, I will share proven strategies & practical tools that will help you create the retirement life you want.

Sign up for the newsletter here.

What’s your relationship with your goals?

Do you like choosing goals and then investing time, energy, and effort in achieving them?

I believe goal-setting is important because it keeps us moving forward and helps us live our lives intentionally.

Goals provide us with direction, motivation, and focus.

I also believe that it’s important to regularly re-evaluate our goals and ensure they continue to guide us in the right direction, in the direction we want to go NOW.

• • If, on our journey to the goal, our priorities change,
  • or if we realise that this particular goal is too far away
  • and that it costs us too many resources to get there,
  • and that it is not that important to us (any longer),

then we are free to say, ‘No, I changed my mind. This is no longer one of my priorities. I no longer want to go there.’

We are free to decide to go somewhere closer (a similar but smaller goal) or change direction completely (choosing a completely different new goal).

How can we know for sure that changing direction and giving up a goal is the right thing to do?

We can ask ourselves questions like the following (and answer them honestly!):

• • Does the goal still align with my values and my current priorities?
  • Does working on the goal energise me or make me feel exhausted?
  • What impact would letting go of this goal have on my well-being?

Letting go of a goal isn’t failure; it’s prioritising what’s important NOW.

It’s about being honest and courageous and making changes – if what we want to achieve has changed.

So, how is your relationship with your goals?

When did you deliberately decide to let go of a goal? What made you change your mind? Was it a good decision to let it go? Why yes? Why not?

Are you currently pursuing a goal that seems no longer worth the time, energy, and effort? Are you torn between thinking you need to stick to it and wishing you could let it go?

Could questions like those above help you find the right answer?

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If you enjoy exploring ideas and tools like this,

you’ll love my newsletter, ‘Retirement Success Strategies for Professionals’.

Every week, I share proven strategies and practical tools that you can apply to create and enjoy a meaningful retirement.

Sign up for the newsletter here.

If you feel overwhelmed in your daily life, it’s usually because you are experiencing something as being ‘too much’.

The ‘too much’ could be

• • too much work/too many tasks to do,
  • too many appointments/events/calls to attend,
  • too many discussions/arguments in your relationships with your spouse/boss/sister/etc.,
  • too many choices when you get dressed,
  • too many options of things to do over the weekend,
  • too many ideas for the content of the next blog post, too much/many … (fill in the blank).

The ‘too much’ is not a fact or reality; it’s no real thing. It’s something that’s created by your thoughts.

You are not feeling overwhelmed because there is too much; you feel overwhelmed because you think there is too much.

You feel overwhelmed because you have a human brain.

The brain can focus only on one thing at a time.

If we have various things going on in our life, our brain spends a lot of energy trying not to forget anything. That’s why it jumps from one thing/thought to the next and backwards, trying to take care of everything simultaneously.

So, the natural response of the human brain is to create feelings of being overwhelmed if we try to keep too many things in our heads and if we haven’t decided on what to focus on.

You can take the ‘too much’ burden from your brain’s shoulder.

You can help your brain move away from being overwhelmed and relax.

There are two steps to solve the ‘too much dilemma’:

Step 1 – Write down everything that’s going on in your head. Everything.

For example:

• • If the ‘too much’ is about your work, create a to-do list and write down every task that you think you need to do.
  • If it’s about your relationship with your sister, write down anything that worries or frustrates you.
  • If it’s about weekend planning, write down every activity you could possibly choose to do.

Step 2 – Pick one thing from your list to focus on now. Just one.

For example:

• • Prioritise the tasks and work and choose the one you will start working on.
  • Pick one of the worries about your sister and plan how you want to sort out that worry.
  • Make a list of all activity ideas for the weekend, then choose one you want to do and, therefore, plan/organise now.

That’s it.

Give it a try.

Next time you feel overwhelmed,

• • accept it as something normal (it’s just your human brain talking to you),
  • write down what is on your mind,
  • and choose one thing to focus on.
  • And do that thing.

IMPORTANT: Your brain is not stupid. It will only trust you if you prove to it that you are trustworthy.

Writing everything down is always helpful, but it’s not the whole solution here. You need to pick and do the next step. Otherwise, your brain will not trust you, it will not relax, and it will keep you overwhelmed.

The Rule of 3 is a super helpful tool we can apply whenever we are feeling overwhelmed by endless to-do lists or unsure about what to focus on next.

This simple yet powerful approach brings clarity and structure to our day, helping us direct our limited attention, time, and energy intentionally and efficiently.

The Rule of 3 is straightforward: it’s about prioritisation, focus, and action.

How to Use the Rule of 3 with the ADA Framework

You can apply the Rule of 3 by following these three simple steps, which I call the ADA Framework:

Step 1: A – Gain Awareness

Start your morning with five quiet minutes.

• • Take a moment to reflect: What do I want to accomplish today? What are my top priorities?
  • This is your opportunity to pause, lean back, and set your intentions for the day.

Step 2: D – Make Decisions

Next, make two crucial decisions:

• • Choose your top 3 priorities. Write them down—just three things. This forces you to focus on what truly matters.
  • Pick your No. 1 priority. From the three, choose the one task or goal that deserves your immediate attention.

Step 3: A – Take Action

Start working on your No. 1 priority while setting the other two aside. Focus solely on this task until it’s completed.

• • Once done, move on to the next item on your list.
  • Repeat the process until all three tasks are complete.

This method ensures you work with intention and avoid the trap of multitasking or distraction.

Broader Applications of the Rule of 3

The Rule of 3 isn’t just for managing daily tasks—it’s a versatile tool that can simplify any area of your life. Here are some ways you can use it:

Weekly, Monthly, or Yearly Goals:

• • What are three things you want to accomplish this week? This month? This year?

Relationship Improvement:

• • What three actions can you take to strengthen your relationship with someone?
    (Write them down, pick one to start with, and take action.)

Morning Routine:

• • What three habits or activities do you want to incorporate into your mornings?
    (Choose one to focus on first.)

Decluttering Your Home:

• • What three areas of your home need decluttering?
    (Write them down, pick one area, and start decluttering.)

Improving Your Health:

• • What three steps could improve your physical or mental well-being?
    (Decide on the three most promising changes, focus on one, and start implementing it.)

A Practical Way to Regain Control

The Rule of 3 is especially valuable when you feel stuck or overwhelmed. By narrowing your focus to just three priorities—and starting to work on one—you can regain control and make meaningful progress.

Ready to Try It?

Experiment with the Rule of 3 for a few days to organise your tasks and experience its benefits firsthand.

Or, apply it to a specific life area that currently feels confusing or frustrating.

Whenever you feel stuck, ask yourself:
“How could the Rule of 3 help me gain clarity and get moving?”

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If you have any questions or want to discuss the planning, organisation, or management of your retirement life –

LET’S TALK.

You can easily book a free Zoom Meeting with me HERE.

Picture this: you’ve just spent hours, maybe even weeks, researching the perfect destination for your next vacation. You know the best places to stay, eat, and explore, and you’re ready to make the most of your precious time off.

Now, imagine if you dedicated that same energy and excitement to planning for one of the most significant chapters of your life: your retirement.

Many people think of retirement planning primarily in terms of financial security.

And while finances are very important, a successful retirement goes beyond saving and investing. Just as you would plan for a memorable vacation by choosing locations, events, and activities that match your interests, retirement planning should be about intentionally designing all areas of your life, not just the finances.

5 reasons why retirement planning deserves (and needs!) more of your time, attention, and energy than your next vacation:

#1 – Retirement is a major life change, and careful planning can ease the transition.

A vacation changes your daily life just for a few weeks. The retirement transition changes the rest of your life.

It requires adjustments to your identity, purpose, relationships, and daily life structure. Taking the time to plan for these changes helps you manage them successfully.

#2 – Intentionally planning your retirement puts you in the driver’s seat.

Just like planning a successful vacation relies on managing all the details, achieving a fulfilling retirement requires you to take control of the important aspects of your life.

To be in command of your future, you need a solid plan.

#3 – Your retirement planning will greatly affect your future lifestyle and well-being.

Like selecting vacation activities that keep you happy and engaged, a well-planned retirement can impact your overall well-being and mental health.

Thoughtful planning for your future lifestyle enables you to honour your values, passions, and interests, allowing you to create and live the life you desire.

#4 – Creating a new life structure in retirement requires time and a clear plan for preparation.

Even on a vacation, you usually need some days to adapt to the changed flow of your days. When you enter retirement, the loss of the daily rhythm of work can cause confusion and a lack of direction and focus.

By planning your retirement thoughtfully, you can create a life structure (identity, purpose, connections) that keeps you engaged and excited about each day.

#5 – Planning involves envisioning your future, and you deserve a clear vision for your retirement.

Just as you envision the joy and relaxation of a vacation, give yourself the gift of envisioning your ideal retirement.

Take time to dream, brainstorm, and design the next chapter of your life so you can look forward to it with excitement.

Take some time to sit down and plan your ideal retirement future – you’ll thank yourself later.

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If you have any questions or want to talk about the planning, organisation, or management of your retirement life –

LET’S TALK.

You can easily book a free Zoom Meeting with me HERE.

Entering ‘the 4th quarter of our life’ is a big move into unknown terrain.

That’s why I love learning about theories, strategies, and tools that can help us transition into retirement successfully.

And, yes, many external resources (books, blogs, podcasts, YouTube videos, etc.) are available that offer information and advice for a smooth transition into retirement.

However, I suggest you start preparing for the next phase of your life with some internal research before you search for external ideas and recommendations.

Kickstart your retirement journey by reflecting on crucial questions.

Questions like these:

• • Your Identity: Who are you right now? What are the essential parts of your current identity? – Which of these parts will you take along into your retirement? What do you need/want to change about the person you are right now? What are the essential parts of your new identity?

• • Your Purpose: What are your current values, beliefs, and the things you stand and fight for? – What are the topics, goals, passions and interests you want to focus on in future? How do you want to (re-)define the meaning of (your) life?

• • Your Relationships: What does your social network look like just now? Who are the important people in your life? What do you appreciate in your relationships, and what frustrates you? – Who will naturally drop out of your contact list? Who do you want to add? Which relationships do you want to change or intensify?

What else could YOU ask yourself to move forward intentionally?