Dr Alan Carlton
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Alan Carlton

Picture
There is a saying which goes like this:
When is the best time to plant a tree?

The answer is. The best time is twenty years ago.

Which leads me to the next question. When is the best time to decide what you are going to do when
retired?

The answer is basically the same. Start planning your retirement a long time before you retire.

Hopefully retirement happens to everybody. Hopefully everyone enters this phase of their life. When
working I put money into my super fund in order to minimise tax. I never thought about it. I saw a lot of patients who were retired. They all said they were busier than ever.

I entered retirement suddenly and without thinking about it. My life changed abruptly. I suddenly found
myself retired. One thing I found is everybody treated me differently. They no longer treated me as a
dentist. They treated me as retired.

I started reading about retirement. The articles were always the same. Discussed money. Articles
written by funds trying to get you to put money into their fund. Articles written by government workers
telling people to prepare for retirement by preparing financially.

I never saw an article about retirement written by someone who was actually retired. That is the way
you are treated. You are old and incapable. We will tell you what you should do.

I advise you dental workers start thinking about the next phase of your life now.

Retirement is more than buying a retirement house on the coast. An idyllic spot to enjoy your
retirement.

Think about what you are going to do in your retirement. It involves more than doing your hobby
fulltime. It involves more than doing more than playing more golf, doing more joinery, joining a book
club.

Retirement involves your social network. Some people will disappear. Some will remain. But the people that remain will change. You will find everybody in your social network is now different. You don’t need to get a new partner. They are there right next to you.

Being healthy and fit cannot be suddenly turned on the minute you retire. You can’t do anything unless
you are healthy enough. Somethings cannot be avoided. Some cancers or trauma. But a lot of cardiac
and pulmonary maladies can be lessened by your lifestyle when working. Start thinking about being a fit and healthy retiree now. 

When I found myself retired I found myself writing a book. It wasn’t my plan but that’s what happened.
The first half of the book is about rehabilitation and recovery from a serious illness. Relevant to you
dentists because virtually everybody gets hit with the sick stick or knows somebody who suddenly is.
The bulk of the book is about running. This is relevant for working dentists because everybody has to
remain fit and healthy. Everybody could do with more information or help in remaining health and fit.
There are infinite number of ways of reaching the top of the mountain. 
​
In the past I really enjoyed writing for this magazine. It has an important place in our dental community
and it is well managed and run by Amos Lang. Amos, I hope one day you become retired. I hope you
have a good retirement aided by thinking about it now.

Many people sent me good wishes which I was very grateful for. To you thank you.
Regards Alan Carlton

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  • Home
  • Community
    • Hadley's Hotel
    • history is not set in bronze
    • Wooden Boat Festival 2019
    • What do you think of Hobart?
    • Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race
    • The Mountain
  • Explore
    • History >
      • Tasmanian Timeline
      • Early Tasmania
      • David Collins
      • Lachlan Macquarie
      • Robert Knopwood
      • Mid Nineteenth Century
      • John Franklin
      • Lady Jane Franklin
      • Late Nineteenth Century
      • 20th Century
      • Convicts
      • Tasmania’s aborigines
      • TT Flynn
      • Charles Darwin visits Hobart
    • Galleries >
      • Places >
        • Boer War
        • Botanical Gardens
        • Castray Esplanade
        • Cenotaph
        • Constitution Dock
        • Elizabeth St Mall
        • Elizabeth St Pier
        • Franklin Square
        • Hobart GPO
        • Hobart Town Hall
        • Hobart Rivulet
        • Parliament House
        • Railway Roundabout
        • Regatta
        • RHH
        • Royal Visits 1868 1901 1920 1927 1934
        • Royal visit 1954
        • Salamanca Place
        • St David's Cathedral
        • St David's Park
        • Theatre Royal
        • Victoria Dock
        • Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race
        • Kunanyi / Mt Wellington
      • Street art >
        • Street art Elizabeth Street North Hobart​
        • street art Criterion Collins Liverpool Streets
        • Street art Bidencope Lane
        • Street art Kemp Despard Streets
      • Streets >
        • Argyle Street
        • Barrack Street
        • Brisbane Street
        • Bathurst Street
        • Brooker Highway
        • Campbell Street
        • Collins Street
        • Davey Street
        • Elizabeth Street
        • Goulburn Street
        • Harrington Street
        • Hunter Street
        • Liverpool Street
        • Macquarie Street
        • Murray Street
  • Blog
  • Walking Tours
    • Dave's Walking Tour
    • The Tench Walking Tour
    • Botanical Gardens Circuit
    • ​Alfred’s feeling religious walk
    • Battery Point Sculpture Trail
    • Lachlan gets to the point
    • Street art: Luffy paints the town
  • The Full Complement
    • Alan Carlton
    • Daniel Frank
    • Paul Barrington
    • Jodi Sutton
    • Jodi Sutton 2
    • Ann Heath
  • Websites
    • This website
    • about another website
    • Acknowledgement
    • Contact