I’m spending my retirement money now, in the form of time, and it’s the best investment I’ve ever made.

I’m launching a new section on the blog called “Stuff I’d Do When I Retire, But Doing It Now.” This is my first post in the series. My delivery is mildly tongue-in-cheek, but I’m also 100% serious.

The standard advice is simple: Grind out the next forty-ish years, then cash in for the idyllic future state called retirement. We’re told we’ll finally earn the right to the good stuff like travel, hobbies, and long afternoons of sitting in sunshine, after four decades of work. That’s nice and all, but I’m calling time-out on this model. Why defer joy, vitality, and intellectual curiosity til our later years? The key to staying young at heart is integrating the best parts of retirement into life right now. I call it “Pre-Tirement.” I didn’t invent that phrase. I saw it online and am happily co-opting it.

This isn’t about not doing your work; it’s about high-grade restoration that fuels productivity. For example, I recently spent two hours working at a complex project with zero meaningful progress. I called a “Pre-Tirement” time-out, went for a hike, and the solution hit me before I reached the switchback. That’s the “return” on my investment.

Here are the first two pillars I’ve put into place:

1. Time/Location Freedom: The Mid-Week Adventure: Retirement means having the freedom to go where you want, when you want. Why wait for a three-week vacation window? My goal is to reclaim high-value, high-impact blocks of time during the work week. I block my calendar off for a challenging hike, sailing, or an afternoon jaunt to my favorite coffee shop. Admittedly, this usually happens on a Saturday or Sunday [we’re practicing freedom, not miracles] but I consider it essential maintenance to happiness. I use it to clear my head and solve complex problems, so I can return to my desk with energy and perspective that my desk simply cannot provide. The point is to practice freedom while we still have to work. Squeeze it in where you can.

2. Working Out: The Physical Independence Fund: I genuinely love working out, and it’s a nice perk that it has benefits for longevity. My focus is on functional fitness over intense gym routines. My routine works for me:

   1. Strength Training: I’m convinced this helps with mental clarity.

   2. HIIT Workouts: I like the challenge; I follow GrowingAnnanas videos.

Treat your workouts today as a deposit into your future physical independence fund. The energy and focus you get back is the best return.

Next time, we’ll dive into a concept I call Retiree Hobby Roulette—the art of picking up a new, interesting skill just for fun, without any financial motive. See you then!

I’ve been having some fun adding 'Pre-Tirement' captions to these incredibly adorable photos by @patricias_books ❤️. Why does this cat’s royal pose resonate so much with me? 😄 Here’s to treating our time like royalty.