Sure, some people can transition easily to retirement life, maybe they have hobbies and volunteer work, and social networks all ready for to go. But that was not me and it isn’t most people I know. I was overwhelmed with family and work responsibilities for many years before I finally retired. Many hobbies and activities I loved along with relationships took a back seat during this time and I had no time or energy to think about what I would actually be doing once I retired. I just thought I’d figure it out when I got there. Like in the first few days. Well of course, that’s not what happened. And more than 3 years in I’m still figuring my life out though I’m happier and happier with how it’s going. As you can read on many sites about retirement, it is a journey. But it’s a journey that can take a lot of work and requires adapting and revising over time.
Where to start?
When I look at sites that talk about things to do in retirement the ones that come up often are:
- do volunteer work
- take up new or existing hobbies
- travel
- declutter your home and/ or do home projects
- learn something (anything) new to challenge your mind
- play games or do puzzles
- stay fit/ prioritize your health
- earn money/ work part-time/ start a business
- develop and/or maintain social connections
- do creative projects (like writing or crafts)
All of these are great ideas but each individual area is not necessarily easy to do. What do I want
to learn and how do I get started? Where do I meet people to make new friends? What volunteer opportunities exist in my community? You get the idea.
How many activities do I need?
Everyone is different in terms of how much or how little they want to do. There is no perfect retirement life. “Perfect” is what makes you happy. I have friends who want to be busy with one or more activities outside the house every day. That is not me. I am a home body and like my alone time. If my calendar has something on it every day for a week it makes me anxious. I’ve learned it’s important for me to have a few open days during the week. I’m still doing things but I may be reading, or working out, or taking a long walk and listening to a podcast, etc.
I’ve also learned that I do better with a schedule and deadlines. I may have projects I want to do, or plans to exercise, but without a schedule and deadlines like I had when I was working, I find it too easy to say “I’ll just do this tomorrow” and then I don’t do it. Not sure what the answer is here but this is something I’m still working on and want to get a better handle on over the next year.
Another thing that can never be forgotten is finances and budgets. This will influence activities you can do, travel plans, how much work you might still need to do, etc. I try to take this into account on this site by discussing my personal strategies and experiences and by referring to resources that are free when possible.
As you transition to retirement life, check out the sections on Day-to-day life, Health & Wellness, and Travel, for possible things to do along with detailed suggestions on how to get started.
