In the field of behavioral finance, experts understand that most people face difficulty when trying to imagine themselves in the distant future. Sure, we can make plans for a vacation later this year or a wedding next year… But faraway plans, like retirement, can be hard to fathom. And because we can’t quite wrap our minds around what our future will look like, saving for retirement feels unrewarding.

Many people fall behind on their retirement savings goals, simply because they feel unmotivated to save for a future they can’t picture. These three tactics can help you create a clear vision, and motivate you to plan diligently for retirement.

Ask yourself what a typical day in retirement will look like. What time will you wake up? What will you do first? Where will you eat breakfast? What activities do you have planned? Will you work a part-time job to stay active? How will you maintain social connections?

All of these questions, and more, can help you envision a typical day once you’ve retired. You might realize that something is missing. What is it? How can you plan for it?

Try it out. Save up your vacation days, and schedule a two-week break from work. If you plan to move after retirement, rent a home in the area where you hope to live someday. Spend your days as if you’re retired so that you can decide if these plans are right for you.

Establish retirement goals. For much of our lives, our career serves as a central focus. Setting and achieving goals gives us something for which to strive, and a feeling of accomplishment. You might be surprised at how much you miss these feelings someday when you retire, so try to imagine a few things you’d like to accomplish in retirement too.

Now that you have a more clear vision of the future, do your plans need an adjustment? Call us to schedule an appointment, and we can determine whether your retirement savings are on track to meet your goals.