If you’re a busy business owner or executive working 50 or 60-hour weeks, retirement might feel like a far-off speck on the horizon, something to worry about “later, when I have time.” It’s a common scenario: being so wrapped up in the business today that planning for tomorrow gets pushed aside. However, ironically, it’s often those very busy achievers who most need a solid retirement plan (precisely because they have so much going on).
So how do you plan for retirement when you’re still working flat out?
Start with Setting Aside Small Blocks of Time
Think of it as scheduling important meetings with your future self. Just as you’d carve out an hour for a key client or project, carve out an hour for retirement planning. It might be once a month or once a quarter, but something is better than nothing. The key is to make it a recurring appointment. During that time, focus on one task.
For example, one session could be gathering information: what are your pension pots and savings currently? Another session might be brainstorming what you want retirement to look like (Are you selling the business? Keeping a stake? Consulting part-time?).
By breaking it into bite-sized tasks, you won’t feel overwhelmed by the giant concept of “plan your whole retirement.” Over a year, even quarterly one-hour sessions mean you’ve devoted at least four solid hours to retirement prep, which is four more than zero and can achieve a lot if done smartly.
Leverage Professional Help to Maximise Your Limited Time
This isn’t just a plug for financial advisers (although naturally, we’re here to help) it’s true in any field. If you’re time-poor, one of the best things you can do is delegate the legwork to experts. For retirement planning, that means an adviser can do the heavy analysis while you supply the high-level direction.
For instance, perhaps you know you have five different pensions from various jobs but haven’t had time to sort them. An adviser can research what you’ve got, evaluate whether consolidating them makes sense, and present you with a clear set of options, saving you hours on hold with pension providers or deciphering statements.
Similarly, if you’re a business owner pondering how to eventually exit your business, we (possibly alongside your accountant) can run calculations on how much money you’d net from a sale at different valuations, or the implications of selling the business versus gradually stepping back. In short, use your team. Retirement planning isn’t an exam you must cram for alone; think of it as a project where you’re the lead and you can assign tasks to others to get it done efficiently.
Integrate Planning with What You’re Already Doing
There’s a concept called “habit stacking”, attaching a new task to an existing routine so it piggybacks rather than stands alone. Say every year you review your business’s financials or do an annual budget. That’s a perfect moment to also review your personal retirement contributions and net worth. You’re already in “financial review mode,” so add a personal checkpoint: Did I max out my ISA or pension contribution this year? Has my projected retirement age changed based on how the business is doing?
Another example: perhaps you routinely have a meeting with your accountant before the tax year-end. Consider expanding one of those meetings to include a retirement focus and invite your financial adviser to join, or ask your accountant to consider tax-efficient retirement moves (like contributing more to your pension if profits allow). By tying retirement planning to regular events, it doesn’t feel like a separate monumental task; it becomes part of your existing workflow.
Keep the End Vision in Mind as Motivation
When you’re extremely busy, it’s hard to prioritise something that doesn’t scream for attention now. One way to overcome that is to vividly imagine what you’re working towards. Picture your ideal retirement day: maybe you’re playing golf on a Tuesday morning without a care, or travelling through Tuscany, or even starting a small passion project business at a relaxed pace.
Picture the relief of not having a packed calendar and the joy of financial security in that phase of life. By really visualising this, you essentially make a “meeting with your future life” as important in your mind as today’s deadlines. It might sound a bit abstract, but this mental framing can nudge you to take those small planning actions now. After all, if closing a client deal today is important to fund that villa in Tuscany tomorrow, you’d make sure both happen, right?
Automate and Simplify Where Possible
A practical tip for those with no time: automation is your friend. Set up monthly direct debits to investment or savings accounts so that even if you’re too swamped to actively manage investments, money is still being set aside. Use tools or apps that consolidate your financial information in one dashboard, so when you do make time, you don’t waste half of it assembling data. Your adviser could provide you with a snapshot annually (we do this for clients). That way, even if you only glance at one document each year, you’re not completely in the dark.
You Don’t Have to Wait Until Work Slows Down to Start Planning for Retirement
In fact, most driven people find that work never truly slows down on its own; you have to make the time. But by integrating planning into your existing routine, getting professional support, and breaking it into small tasks, you can make meaningful progress without derailing your current momentum.
Think of it this way: you’ve been hugely successful in your career or business by being proactive and strategic. Apply those same skills to your own life’s next chapter. Future you will be grateful that present you, busy as you are, took those steps. Remember, we’re here to shoulder as much of the load as possible, consider us your “retirement project managers.” With the right approach, you can continue to give 100% to your career now and set yourself up for a rewarding, well-planned retirement when the time comes. That’s the best of both worlds, and it’s entirely achievable with a little foresight today.
If this article sparks any questions, or if you know someone who would find it helpful, feel free to share it. Howard Wright are here to support you and anyone important to you on their financial journey.
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