Regardless of whether I’m business coaching or personal training, almost all the people I work with are in the second half of life. Whilst some are still working and others are retired, everyone has the hope and expectation of long, satisfying decades ahead.

Health, fitness and retaining one’s marbles are inherent in enjoying the life you have left. The good news is that there are many actions you can take which will dramatically increase the chances of enjoying life to the full.

In this article, I have identified 10 attributes to cultivate for a happy, healthy old age.

Themes you will see consistently appearing throughout this list are –

• Take the initiative, plus be prepared to do the organising
• Get these activities off your To-Do list. Instead, schedule them into your typical week
• Get assistance to design and oversee a suitable exercise program

Your future self will be extremely grateful for any steps which you take in the present to develop these attributes.

A flourishing social network

Why it’s important. I recently read about a large, highly credible, multi-generational Harvard study on longevity which discovered that the single most relevant factor is not a physical characteristic. Rather, the study concluded that the key to longevity is an active, stimulating and enjoyable social network.

Now in a work situation, a social network comes as part of the deal – being part of client journeys over many years can be very rewarding. So too sharing jokes, birthdays and business success with fellow team members all happens quite naturally. But in a post-work situation, this falls away quite quickly, putting the spotlight on the circle of friends and family you hang out with regularly.

In her moving book, “The Top 5 Regrets of the Dying”, palliative care nurse Bronnie Ware identified failure to keep in touch with friends as a particularly deep source of angst amongst her patients.

What you can do. Be the person to take the initiative. This means proactively reaching out to suggest catching up. In my case, scheduling in reminders to be in touch and booking monthly/quarterly/half yearly meetings in advance ensures that these meetings take place. Taking photos during such occasions and subsequently sharing them is also a great means of maintaining contact.

Remain relevant to your children

Why it’s important. Family is a continuation of the social network described above. As your friends move away or die off, and when you hand in your driver’s licence, close family will become of enormous significance. Ideally, your children will want you involved in their family life. But more than this, as you become less independent, they are your first port of call. In the longer term, decisions regarding your care, finances and wishes will increasingly become their decisions.

What you can do. I’m not going to be prescriptive here. Just be a warm, loving, generous presence in the lives of your family members.

Several enjoyable pastimes

Why it’s important. I venture to say that a strong contributor to your professional success has been a deep sense of purpose. Generally, this reflects your desire and/or need to contribute, help others and meet obligations.  After the initial euphoria of retirement wears off, you’ll need several enjoyable activities that you regularly undertake which provide that same sense of purpose.

Happily, sharing your pastimes with others also maintains one’s social network. This could be something such as a bike ride which is enjoyed together, being a mentor, or using your experience to assist others.

What you can do. I dare say activities to sustain you will be a combination of things that you like to do now and those you have yet to try. In my case, I still take on some business coaching engagements, plus I really enjoy photography and introducing people who are 40 and over to strength training. Part time business activities also engage my love of helping others and developing frameworks to explain concepts. Appreciating readers who are still working may not have much discretionary headspace or time at present, there’s no reason to wait until retirement to at least accumulate a list of things that you’d like to do.

Retain your marbles

Why it’s important. Due to advances in medical science, Oscar Wilde’s heartfelt declaration “I hope I never outlive my intelligence” is particularly relevant today. Whilst likely you will live much longer than your parents and grandparents there is no guarantee that your brain will remain functioning at its present level. As evidence, you doubtless know a friend or family member who has succumbed to dementia.

What you can do. Let’s not rely on science coming up with cures for compromised mental conditions. Instead, do what you can to protect your grey matter with sensible habits. Here’s my top list –

• Wear a helmet when cycling and participating in dangerous activities
• Wear ear protection when exposed to loud machinery
• Balanced diet
• Good sleep routine
• Reduce, even eliminate, alcohol
• Keep your brain stimulated with new experiences, situations and learning

Trim, capable physique

Why it’s important. Hopefully this one doesn’t require much explanation. It’s to live your best life and be ready for what life throws at you. On the flipside there are serious health issues which emerge from being overweight, not to mention the difficulty you’ll experience getting to your feet following a fall.

What you can do. I plan to cover this in more detail in a future article. Suffice to say that regular exercise, healthy eating and good sleep practices are all parts of the framework I guide my trainees through to achieve a healthy physique.

Be sun smart

Why it’s important. There’s a selection of mythical characters who form part of our psyche and shape our attitude towards having deeply bronzed skin – lifesavers, bikini girls, Anzacs, farmers, bodybuilders and fitness influencers.

However, ask anyone who has had extensive treatment for skin cancer and they’ll tell you that having a tan is severely overrated. Whether it be a painful “face wash”, surgery to cut out chunks of flesh or undergoing skin grafts, there are serious consequences of overexposure to the sun. Even without such medical interventions, too much sun means looking prematurely old and wrinkled.

What you can do. Chances are you already know what to do –

• Reduce exposure to the sun during the middle of the day
• Apply sunscreen and reapply it as appropriate
• Wear wraparound sunglasses to protect your eyes
• Wear appropriate clothing – sleeves, collars, hats

In my case, a broad brimmed hat is always close at hand. After a period of self-consciousness, wearing such a hat is now second nature.

Develop overall strength

Why it’s important. From middle age onwards, we are destined to lose around three per cent of our muscle mass every decade –a deeply concerning statistic. Usually accompanied by accumulating fat deposits around the middle, this muscle loss progressively compromises posture, strength and energy.

What you can do. The good news is that muscle loss can be arrested, and even reversed, with resistance training. Consistently (3 times per week is ideal) executing the right exercises in an appropriately tailored program is a proven way of increasing your strength and optimising muscle mass. This is great because you’ll need to be strong to live your best life and to be active with the grandchildren.

Maintain strong bones

Why it’s important. As we age, there is a natural tendency for bones to become less dense and more brittle. It can lead to living one’s live in fear of falling due to the increasingly likely chances of sustaining a fracture and a resultant stint in hospital.

A sedentary lifestyle also creates ideal conditions for bone deterioration. For that matter, be aware that beneficial as they are for your cardio health, activities such as swimming, cycling and walking are not particularly helpful in maintaining a strong skeleton.

What you can do. Put your skeleton under load regularly. Happily, a strength-based exercise program and an active lifestyle will largely take care of what’s required here. Not only will it directly benefit your bone density but the healthy muscle tissue which results will form a built in “shock absorber” around your bones to protect them from the bumps and accidents that life throws at you.

Develop a strong grip

Why it’s important. I confess I was sceptical when I first heard this but a strong grip is now considered to be an accurate predictor of longevity. For starters, grip strength is a gauge of your overall strength and your ability to live independently – carry shopping bags, open bottles, lift a suitcase, take out the wheelie bin and otherwise handle day to day tasks.

More than this, a strong grip may help you avert a fall and the resultant broken limb which may otherwise occur. A stint in hospital for a bone fracture is a setback which may permanently diminish your physical capability i.e. the muscle wastage which occurs through enforced bed rest.

What you can do. Happily, a strong grip is a quick and natural outcome from a barbell training program.

Take on physical challenges

Why it’s important. It took COVID restrictions to make me realise the significant motivation that comes from having a fitness goal. With the cancellation of some cycling events I was training for, I experienced a severe drop off in desire to get my workouts done. Happily, those days are behind us and I am once again incentivised to get up and train. There’s nothing like the “Oh sh*t, there’s only x weeks to go until Event Day” factor to spur me on!

I enjoy encouraging my PT clients to set meaningful challenges for themselves. For some, it’s a personal record on a particular lift in the gym, whilst for others it could be a travel-related activity. Regardless, this becomes a topic of ongoing conversation and the basis of the program I write to meet the goal.

What you can do. To add interest and consistency to training, I encourage you to think of yourself as an athlete. It’s conducive to living your best life and to seeing the world as full of possibilities. And when the alarm goes off in the morning, you’ll willingly get up and head for the gym.

Set a goal! Ideally, it will be one which puts a big smile on your face as you contemplate how you will feel in the moment of fulfilment. Clients I work with have the additional incentive of having a photo of their accomplishment appear on the “Wall of Fame” in my fitness studio. Included in the goals of these clients are hiking in exotic locations, being a capable grandparent and an exciting “I’ll show you” deadlift target.

From there, enlist assistance to work out an appropriate fitness program and then set aside regular times each week to train. Oh yes. Tell significant others of your plans, to keep the flame burning brightly.

And in conclusion

Think of yourself as being at the fork in the road. You are in a wonderful position right now to dramatically improve your longevity and the quality of life you experience in your later years. Most of the suggested actions are not inherently difficult or time consuming. However, they collectively add up to making a big difference in outcomes. Your future self will give heartfelt thanks for acting on these suggestions.