Ten Ways … to stay young
By Robert Ashton
However much we like to think we’re not getting older, life has a way of reminding us that we are. I for example have just renewed my senior railcard. I bought one that would last three years on my 60th
birthday,
and will be able to get my old age pension and a bus pass when I renew this new one. I was also caught out when commenting on the recent heatwave.
Likening it to the summer of 1976 wins you no prizes when the person you’re talking to tells you they weren’t even born then. And never reminisce about your first car to someone not of your vintage; anyone younger will simply think you’re ancient. Of course retirement at 65 is no longer mandatory. Indeed
someone born in 1984, as my son was, will not be able to claim their state pension until they are 68. Everyone is working longer and many continue to work well into their 80s. (I know a freelance microbiologist who at the age of 86 is still never at home, because he’s working for one of the several companies that value his expertise and experience). But nobody wants to work alongside a dinosaur, so how can you
remain up to date and young acting, without making a fool of yourself? Here’s my checklist of 10 ways I make sure I stay young.
1. Look forward not back – There’s no doubt that the older you get, the more dates in the future can spook you. For example the UK plans to ban new diesel and petrol engine cars from 2040. Will I still want to drive in 2040? I think the answer is to be an early adopter and drive an electric car now. It’s something I’ll think seriously about when my current car needs changing. So don’t bang on about the cars you used to drive, get ahead of the curve and buy the most futuristic car you can afford.
2. Look after your body – Of course everyone tells you to look after your health. There’s plenty of advice about the things to avoid, reduce or continue at your own peril, but little positive advice about what you could do to keep your body young. I know one guy in his late 60s who’s gone from being rude about yoga to attending two classes a week at his local gym. He tells me he wishes he’d done it years ago and says to me it keeps his brain, as well as his body supple. I prefer long bike rides, pushing myself to improve my time over the 30 mile route I usually follow. Doing nothing to maintain your body is like not having your car serviced. Neglect leads to breakdown.
3. Invest in technology – My in-laws refuse to use a computer, don’t really understand the internet, and find themselves getting further and further from those everyday things we take for granted. Do you want to be the last person in your firm to still
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5. Avoid late nights – Like it or not, as we go through life we do lose the ability to party all night and work effectively the next day. I made the discovery a year or so ago, that if I make sure I’m noticed early in the evening, nobody can remember quite how early I left to go to bed. Young people often don’t know the value of pacing yourself, so let them oversleep and avoid late nights.
6. Manage stress – Stress is an all too common consequence of having a responsible job. Apart from the obvious effects of making you irritable and hard to work with, stress can both damage your health and shorten your life. Life experience should give you growing wisdom, but habit will encourage you to continue to worry about things you know you cannot change. Learning to keep things in perspective and accepting the things you cannot change will keep those worry lines at bay.
7. Eat well – What we eat today may differ markedly from what our parents fed us when we were young. A generation or two ago work was more physical, homes less well heated and a high calorie diet essential. Times have changed, yet it’s too easy to grab a burger on the move, rather than enjoying a more balanced diet. Eating well can inhibit middle aged spread and yes, you’ll look younger if you stay slim and active.
8. Eat radically – This is not for everyone, and I must admit, certainly not for me, but there is evidence that not eating meat can reduce your chances of heart disease. It is true that vegetarianism and veganism are on the increase. As a reader of this magazine you’re unlikely to stop eating meat, but it’s certainly worth taking the trouble to understand why others are doing so. Having considered opinions, rather than biased views, informs debate and keep us young.
9. Dress differently – This is not about dressing like someone half your age; that would be rather sad, but develop a style of your own that sets you apart from the herd. My father would wear a jacket and tie to sit on the beach and today I don’t own a tie. I gave all of mine away years ago. And now wear collarless shirts. Times change so we need to change too.
10. Make lists – I have to admit to liking lists. It’s a good way to remember what you have to do and makes it easy to prioritise tasks. Start making lists and you’ll find yourself using your time better, and having more time to work on keeping young!
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write cheques, check-in at the airport and use cash to buy your lunchtime cappuccino? So avoid the temptation to be critical of new technology and embrace it.
4. Keep learning – It’s often said that education is wasted on the young. True or not, there’s little doubt that learning later in life can introduce you to new opportunities and experiences. Even learning to play a musical instrument can add a fresh dimension to your life. But if you want to stay young, why not go to university and take the degree you couldn’t find time for, or perhaps afford when you left school. I’ll be taking a year out next year to do an MA. Could you?
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