HABITS FOR A HAPPY RETIREMENT
Riaan Botha • May 28, 2025
We are analysing habits that contribute to a happy retirement. This month we are discussing how to be living healthily to ensure a happy retirement. As we grow older our medical expenses will be increasing. The cost of medical aid increases faster than the rate of inflation every year and will require a bigger percentage of our personal expenses. It is therefore important that we live as healthily as possible.
Here are different steps you can take to age in good health:
- Eat healthily.
- Avoid becoming overweight.
- Become stronger by doing muscle-maintaining exercises.
- Go for annual medical checks to determine how healthy you are.
- Protect your joints and bone structure by doing strength and stretching exercises.
- Reduce smoking and alcohol intake to limit your chances of getting cancer and other diseases.
- If you have a family history of diseases such as cancer and heart disease, you should regularly go for medical checks to ensure early detection of hidden disease.
- Improve your balance with exercises such as standing on one leg while brushing your teeth. This will help ensure that you don’t lose your balance and fall often.
- Studies have shown that seven to eight hours’ sleep every night will help you maintain your mental and physical health.
- Maintain your brain function or cognitive abilities with mental exercises such as taking up new hobbies or memory-boosting exercises.
- Have an active social life. Studies have shown that people with an active social life develop fewer memory problems. They are less likely to feel lonely and get depressed. (Health Connection, Cooper University Health Care, 9 September 2024).
I recently signed up for one of my bucket list items, the demanding Comrades Marathon. It’s something that I always had in the back of my mind, and I said to myself that if I ever where to take on the 87km beast, I am going to be prepared. So, as I successfully entered and received my number, I immediately did 2 things: 1) I got a coach: Someone who is experience and can guide me week by week, month by month leading up to the Ultra Marathon 2) I got a training partner : After using all my persuasion skills, I convinced a friend to join me on this journey. Not only for the comradery, but more as an accountability partner, to make sure I show up for training even though I might not feel like it For many of us, we want to make sure 2026 is our best year yet, not just physically, but financially as well. How can we be more productive and make more money or at least manage it better? In his Book Atomic Habit, James clear writes about the ‘Commitment device’ in chapter 14. A Commitment device, also referred to as the ‘ Ulysses pact’ is a choice you make in the present, that controls your actions in the future. It is a way to lock in future behaviour, bind you to good habits and restrict you from the bad ones. Some examples include: - Eating out of smaller plates – to limit calorie intake. - Unsubscribe to emails and apps – to waste less time - Setting up an outlet timer, to cut off the Wi-Fi at 9pm per night - to limit social media or series binging. - Keep your phone in another room when working – to avoid distractions When it comes to your finances here are a couple of things you can try to make 2026 you most financially rewarding year yet. - Automate your investments: Remove the temptation to spend your money by setting up debit order for the money to be invested as soon as it hits your bank account - Appoint a financial partner – this can be an advisor, friend or spouse: his person must be strict and diligent and keep you to your goals. Schedule quarterly calls to go through your investment accounts to see how much it has grown - Buy groceries only twice a week: We almost always buy things we don’t need – limit your number of visits to the store - Let you partner hide your credit card during the week and have an x amount of cash available. This might sound harsh but can be extremely effective as we swipe or tab often without thinking. There’s so many examples of how we can adjust our behaviour by setting up ‘ Commitment devices. I’d like to hear your favourites so please send them through to geo@bovest.co.za and let’s help each other to make 2026 memorable and profitable. Geo Botha CFP® Marketing Director
Dearest clients and colleagues. While I was contemplating about this month’s topic, I felt led to share the following testimony with all of you. I really hope it will encourage you and call you to action. Before I begin, I am sure you will get enough information about the markets and politics from my colleagues, so I am happy to divert and continue my story. Just a bit of background. I have been on diamond Vitality status with Discovery for many years. I have faithfully done my yearly check ups every year and also the specific tests that Discovery requests. I slipped up after Covid with my mammogram and pap smear and I didn’t know I had to do a colonoscopy. Just before my birthday in July, I had severe stomach pain. I am not a person who likes to visit a doctor but here I certainly learned a lesson. If you have pain, your body is telling you there is something wrong, so don’t be tough, just go and check it out. I was diagnosed with colon cancer. EVERYTHING changes in an instant. The way you look at life, your values, how you see people, your relationship with your Creator and Saviour. Everything happened so fast and I had to go in for major surgery. After 10 days in ICU, fighting for my life and a couple more days in the surgical ward, I was discharged. So many things were going through my mind. Will I see Christmas again? Will I ever be strong enough to enjoy life again? Will I see my children and grandchildren again? Will I have to go for chemotherapy and radiation? Doubt and fear started to slowly enter my mind. The battle is in the mind. Then breakthrough! My tests came back and I was clear. No cancer in my body. Surgery was successful. Oncologist was happy. I do have to be monitored regularly, but praise God? Here I must elaborate. I have a strong support group who carried me in prayer. I have faith in our Almighty God who still heals today. Bovest as a company also supported me phenomenally. Thank you to all 🙏 My message for all of you is the following: please go to the doctor if you have pain or discomfort. Please do your mammogram, pap smear, prostate and colonoscopy tests regularly. Prostate test now is just a blood test. Please make sure your severe illness and income protection cover is in place. You really need it. Speak to your advisor about it. Don’t be like an ostrich, prevention is far better than cure. Surround yourself with positive people. Spend time in the Word. It is alive and it is healing to your body, soul and spirit. You are welcome to reach out to me anytime. May you have an amazing 2026 and please look after yourself. Kind regards Yvonne
