Secrets to staying busy in retirement?

[Larry Frank]

Retirement is one of the major moments in our lives and one that many are not prepared for as there are so many decisions that need to be made and some well before you retire. My wife and I started seeing a great financial advisor early on and it was very helpful. What are you going to do in retirement depends on what you can afford to do, what you are healthy enough to do, and what you want to do.

I think planning is critically important for retirement. For me, I have continued to do hobbies from before retirement such as making sawdust and gardening. Your health is another consideration. Unfortunately, I suffer from back issues and chronic pain but still enjoy my hobbies. Just as important as what you will do is what your spouse will do.

There is no easy answer but one should spend significant time before retirement to investigate and try different things.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

Just do not wait too long to do the things you have dreamed of. Dad and F.I.L. both worked well into their 80's. If health and mind hold out they may still have some fun ahead.

[Stan Calow]

In the end, everyone has to find what works for them. What I tell friends who are getting ready to retire, is that your world shrinks, and the time it takes to get things done, expands to fill your time. Days are long, but the weeks are short.

I retired early 7 years ago, and thought I had a good plan for what I'd be doing. Travel was a priority, and I thought I'd have infinite time for my hobbies, including woodworking. Travel was good, until the pandemic. Somehow, I lost a lot of motivation for the hobbies, so probably spend less time than before. Fell into the couch trap, just reading books, and cruising Netflix and forums like this one. I am not a socializer, so did not miss being around a lot of people. What I did miss was being involved with issues and projects that were technically challenging and working with a variety of smart people. I could not get motivated for puttering and house chores.

But then I joined the local community center, where I can walk the track, swim, pickle ball, fitness center. Took yoga classes, adult education classes, and went to grad school online for another degree (GI Bill). During the days of the lockdown, I started the day off with a 30-minute language lesson on Duolingo (free). I joined a couple of organizations that host regular video conferences on subjects of interest. I'd get a small, part-time job if I could find one with low responsibility, and flexible schedule.

My BIL likes to volunteer. He drives for the VA hospital, helps a couple of charities, helps at church, helps neighbors with small chores, and maintains a rental property. So he is busy every day and likes it that way.

[Ron Citerone]

6 years into it and keeping busy is generally not an issue, there is always something to do. Winter is tough for me as I have a heart condition and can’t exert out doors. I have 4 work buddies I retired before. They all asked what will they do with all the time? All 4 have retired and none have had a problem filling their days.
To anyone who feels bored my advice is find a part time job or force yourself to find something to do. It’s your life! Enjoy it!

[Gordon Dale]

Unfortunately I suspect most of the people who will read this thread are already retired or about to be retired. But a successful retirement starts long before that last day at work. As the old saying goes: too soon old, too late smart. Two things in particular matter when you’re young: protect your health and protect your wealth. What did I reap from years of combat sports? Pain every day in my sixties. What did I reap from a focus on saving and investing? A modestly comfortable (for now at least--who can say what the future will bring?) retirement.

The OP asked about keeping busy, and there have been many suggestions about that. Keeping busy is one thing; finding meaning, well that’s something else altogether. If you define who you are by what you do for a living, it’s going to be difficult when you retire. So start on that early too.

One last thing, a sense of humor helps. You get old, you slow down, things aren’t what they were. So what? I try very hard not to become a grumpy old guy. When my father was in his late eighties I took him grocery shopping. In the produce section he said to me: the definition of an optimist is someone of my age who buys green bananas. And then he laughed.

[glenn bradley]

Like some others here I am not a TV watcher. I have accidentally watched more TV since my wife retired (wandering through the room on the way to and from whatever I am doing) than in the preceding decade or so. I imagine this contributes to how one spends their time when they retire. Also like others I have enough on my list to last me way past the point that I will be able to do it. It is a matter of priorities; what do I really want to get done before I am too slow, blind or deaf to do it . . . . I come from some long-living stock so I imagine I will get all the home furnishings done that I really care about. After that the priorities start to fall off rather quickly.

[Tom M King]

I'm not really retired at 72 now, since I have several people waiting on me to do some work on old houses that they want me to do, but I don't have time for that because I have too much to do around our place. I can't imagine having nothing to do. I don't know when I'll have enough time to go back to work.

[Frederick Skelly]

Thanks again guys. All of these are helpful insights to me.
Fred

[Lee DeRaud]

My observation is that there are two kinds of people: those who view time as something to be enjoyed, and those who view time as something to be filled.

And, on average, time-fillers truly suck at retirement. (They're not necessarily great at their jobs either, but that's a different discussion.)

[Perry Hilbert Jr]

I used to think retired folks just sat around or played chess in the park. Been retired for 7 years and still can't find enough time in the day. Up at 4:30 am, to make breakfast for my wife, who won't retire for another 5 years. Then after she leaves for work, I make breakfast for myself. Clean up the kitchen, throw a load of laundry in the washer and get dressed and head out to the barn to feed and water the animals. When i get back, it is time to move the load of laundry to the dryer, or hang it up to dry. Then most mornings, I work in the shop for a couple hours. Then water the plants around the house. there are 78 at last count. I also propagate new plants from cuttings. it is like a business for me, but the plants I grow and ornaments and things I make are donated to charity to raise money. About twice a week, I take a spin to check on and help out some friends. On the nice days I take the Harley. About noon, if I haven't already, I plan dinner and do initial prep. I have a yard that takes 2 hours a week to mow in the warm months. Wood turners and Lions clubs take up 3 evenings a week and often one weekend day for fund raisers. There is another trip to the barn, fixing farm equipment, stacking wood, hay whatever. On days that Mrs. has off from work, we either bike or walk in local parks. She quilts, so I am often making something to assist her quilting, or driving her to another fabric shop. About ten years ago, we stopped buying presents and make them now. Sometimes the learning process to make something is fast sometimes not. Making for each child and grandchild is a time consuming effort.

[John Goodin]

My mother use to say, "When your dad retires he will just sit in the chair and watch TV. He won't have a purpose and will be dead in six months." Six months after my dad retired my mom called me and said, "You dad is never home, he is always gone, I saw him more when he worked full time." Turns out he started volunteering, helping friends and going on mission trips all over Central America and the US. They were the best years of his life.

[Ron Citerone]

My mother use to say, "When your dad retires he will just sit in the chair and watch TV. He won't have a purpose and will be dead in six months." Six months after my dad retired my mom called me and said, "You dad is never home, he is always gone, I saw him more when he worked full time." Turns out he started volunteering, helping friends and going on mission trips all over Central America and the US. They were the best years of his life.

Great story there John. I think what you point out is retirement isn’t what the retiree or his family expects it will be. Also retirement is not one thing, it keeps changing depending on life circumstances. When my wife retired 2 years after me, retirement changed. When my Grandkids were born, my retirement changed again, and will continue to change going forward I suppose.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Be married to a woman like my wife. Each day she comes up with something new to add to my list of undone things. List keeps getting longer rather than shorter.

[Bill Dufour]

Medi care has the free silver sneakers program that gives you a free gym membership. Seems like a good thing to try even if just to walk inside the gym on bad weather days. Also a good chance to socialize with younger folks. It is free so you do not have to go everyday to get your money's worth.
I would think you could join a nation wide gym so you can go in when visiting family in another town. Or take a swim in a heated pool after a long drive to get somewhere scenic.
Bill D.
Maybe in three years.

[Bill Dufour]

One thing I do enjoy about being older is I can start a conversation with a pretty young women and it is not creepy. We both know I am not trying to put the move on her so we can be honest.
Bill D