When planning for your eventual retirement, a phased approach might sound intuitively interesting and practical.  Rather than a sudden shift from working to not working, ratcheting down over time and getting used to the changes in your life makes sense.

But could you actually pull this off in real life?

I believe that the key is to clarify your expectations and start small – don’t go overboard making radical changes.

When people think of ‘phased retirement,’ they often think of making big changes.  Of moving from full-time overworked careers to blissful 20-hour weeks.  But the beauty of a phased retirement isn’t in making large changes to your routine, it’s in making incremental adjustments that allow you to more easily adjust to the changes over time.

Following are some tips on how to approach a phased retirement.

Clarify your goals: During your career you’ve likely set many goals. Goals around the type of work you’ll do, the size and culture of the company you’ll work for, etc. The same is true for your approach to retirement. No one hands you the “retirement syllabus” that lays out all the steps. Be as specific as possible, and set smaller goals that you can achieve and celebrate.

Share your goals:  Find a ‘buddy’ (or a few) to review your goals with and get a different perspective. You’ll have to navigate carefully if this is someone at your current firm; they’ll need to be a trusted resource. External resources might be better initially to give you that outside view. Anyone, though, can provide you with input on your plan and help you assess your priorities.

Find your people: These are not only the people you’ll share your goals and plans with, but they’re the people who can potentially lead you directly to the type of roles you’re seeking. Connections are a powerful tool, and when the people in your network know what you’re looking for you will have them working on your behalf.

Plan for how you’ll use the extra time:  If you don’t plan for this, it will fill up with the mundane and hardly seem worth the transition. Along with the time spent on your career, make sure you reserve time for family and friends (hint: put these on your calendar ahead of time to reserve the space), time for exercise and quiet time to think. Hobbies and volunteering may also have a place, along with learning something new. Just be sure to name it and make time for it.

Evaluate your progress: Build monthly or quarterly reviews into your planning. These can be individual or with your partner or trusted connection. You should review your goals and assess your progress. Are you following your plan? Are the results what you expected? Has your thinking changed based on your experience?

Incremental changes over time can yield big results, and navigating your retirement years is no exception. Take an active approach to planning the journey and you’ll be better able to enjoy every stage.