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After retiring, how do you handle all that free time you now have? What do you do to stay busy? Since every day is just kinda like the weekend for a retiree, isn't there an inclination to let the body and mind slide just a little bit? Just wondering....
Does anyone miss the stimulation (mental and physical) of being employed and being around others?
Planning vacations, watching the Cubbies every day with no interference and taking trips to Chicago to see them, walking with a hiking club, playing volleyball, everything is about the way I want it.
Yes, I miss the mental stimulation of my job. Newly retired and bored. I hope I'll find activities that interest me in retirement since I am not physically able to do my previous hobbies: horseback riding, rafting, hiking. Now I'm reduced to walking on the beach, reading books, and hanging around here.
Going to look into teaching English as a volunteer: ESL.
I have posted about this multiple times, so those familiar with it can just skip this. But you asked, OP, so here goes. I have found the perfect amount of mental and social stimulation for me in my volunteer work with the schools, running lunch-time chess clubs and also reading aloud to fifth graders at one elementary school. I keep my Mondays and Fridays free, but volunteer every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Also, I teach chess for five weeks every summer to third through eighth graders in an enrichment summer school.
In addition, I get lots of practice at problem-solving as president of a 26-unit townhouse HOA. I need mental and physical stimulation.
There are things I want to do that I cannot do until I retire. I would love to volunteer at Ghost Ranch in New Mexico for a six month or so period. Just a dream, may not materialize.
I am thinking of telling my supreme being boss about my retirement date. I am nervous about his reaction. But it is happening.
I'm never bored and sure don't miss any clients or co-workers. Today I got up early, had coffee, made breakfast for me, DH, and dogs, went to the grocery to get items for crockpot meal for tonight, watched a fav program late am, made dinner in crockpot, walked my dogs, came back and read for awhile, watched news and ate supper, more walks with dogs, online now and planning to watch a fav show at 9pm. This is today.
I have several hobbies and interests that get me outdoors and out with others-golf, antiqueing, cycling, hiking, scootering, photography among them.
I love to grocery shop during the week and cook early in the morning. I could not begin to list all my interests and places I go, unplanned, some alone, some with others.
There are also days where I don't leave the house except for dog walking. On those days I might read, watch old movies, nap, surf the net, write, clean stuff, eat, do laundry, call friends on the phone-whatever.
With most of these activities I am spontaneous, but tomorrow I plan to groom 2 dogs in the morning. Then what's next is whatever I feel like doing.
Once it stays warm I am going to landscape my back yard and set up container pots with flowers and veggies.
Then the pool will be opening soon...!
Paradise all day long!
I've been so incredibly busy since I retired five weeks ago that I'm contemplating re-joining the daily work force just so that I can slow down and have a breather.
Just kidding. I won't do that. Have spent the past five weeks downsizing and packing in my current home while at the same time closing escrow on my retirement home. Maybe in two or three more weeks, I'll be ready for the U-Haul.
Last night, for the first time in about six months, I slept the whole night through and woke up naturally with the sun. I take that as a sign that I'm finally returning to 'normal'. The stress of training my replacement and the uncertainty of retirement is fading. It felt good!
Always had many interests outside the 9-5, so now I get to spend more time on them. Never understood that some folk find retirement boring, even to the point of going back to work; but to each his/her own.
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