Article from About.com
From Sharon O'Brien, former About.com Guide
Now that you're retired, do you miss working? And how do you fill your time? Retired Senior Living readers share their favorite ways to keep busy once they retired.
You must have a plan in place
As some people said they give us plans for our money but not for our retired life. After being home for a year, I find myself feeling useless. I have many skills and I am trying to figure out which one I can use to do some business from home. I am not one for volunteering with hospitals, etc., not that I don't care for people but I don't think that I was made for that type of environment. From what I have learnt from others, taking classes, volunteering at least once a week, but it must be something that you really enjoy doing and revisiting your old skills to decide which one you will benefit from to really motivate you. I don't think that retirement is all that great for people who are single; it could become very lonely because people are more interested in people who are working and on the go. If you are financially well off, you may be much happier. I feel that with the high cost of living, you have to watch your pennies too much.
—Guest MissyG
bored with retirement
i have been fully retired for little over 2 years and just feel as if i will never adjust...i have a husband who is at home 24/7 and has no interest but what ever i provide...i feel as if i have a child to care for and would love to return to work and have not ruled out the idea completely...i read a lot and pray...i would love to be happy in these "golden years",however, i have not found the gold yet. I am not a quitter and soul search every day for an answer...I know the answer for everyone else, just have not found it for myself yet.
—Guest kandie
retirement is what you make it
I retired a few months ago at the age of 55. My husband is also retired. I do not miss the stress of work or the worry of my job status. I do miss my work friends but now I can go have lunch with them. Every week I tried to have lunch with a friend or my sister who still works. I love that I can choose the day and time that I grocery shop so that I don't have to be with the crowds of people. We babysit our grandson two day a week so that gives me structure. So far I love retirement, there are days though when I feel bored and when that happens I get up and do something. It's all about my choices now and I love that!
—Guest Lovingit
Bored also
I am 51 years of age and retired 2 years ago. Worked in govt. law enforcement for 30 years and thought I was ready..Wrong, I miss the people I worked with and the job...I was in administration and supervision and was sick of the politics that went along with it. It was good the first 6 months and then boredom hit...Like one of the other posters said, I can find nothing that keeps me interested for very long...If it wasn't for the gym I would feel absolutely useless, and I do at times. Have a plan when you retire...Not talking about money but a plan to keep you busy...Good luck, I guess I'll go take a nap ;)
—Guest Jeff
retired but happy
About 6 years ago l retired from a family business. Now the first thing l do is go for a walk for 2 hours, then l come home and do some house cleaning. After that I play games on the computer. So that's how I spend my day. If I sit doing nothing I go crazy.
—Guest andrew george
Adjusting to retirement....
A commentor mentioned we are drilled to prepare financially for retirement but no other preparation is made a common priority. When people have worked all their lives and receive their sense of purpose and social needs largely from that work...it is imperative we prepare emotionally for the transition to retirement. Learning that our sense of purpose can come from other places is essential to a well adjusted retirement. There should be a program for pre-retirees to sign up and prepare for the sense of loss retirees can experience at retirement (i.e. sense of purpose, social life, meaningful interaction etc.). Otherwise, it's enough to drive you to drink.
—Guest Yes
Enjoy every phase of life
Keep in mind that life is a passing phase. It's like a first moving wheel which cannot be stopped, and if you try to hold on to a particular phase of your liking it's not possible. As such you should try to enjoy every phase of life--particularly the present--and effectively plan for the future rather than to hold on to few phases of your liking.
—Guest soumya prasad misra
Create work yourself after retirement
I was into government job and retired at the age of 58 years, just a fortnight ago. Your home is a great place to create work for yourself to keep busy. You can create work to the extent that you can keep yourself busy for months. I really created work for myself at home and now it seems I am more busy than I used to be in my office during my active service. In addition to that your mind is a factory of great imagination. Search your brain thoroughly and you will definitely find things which interest you, just go ahead in those interesting things. I found a hidden interest and that was meditation; now meditation gives me lot of pleasure and I can spend around one hour in the morning and another one in the evening to meditate. The only thing to be looked after is your health. Walk as much as you can. This is really the key to a happy retired life.
—Guest Ravinder
Thinking ahead
I'm 54, deferred retirement in teaching, and went on my husbands health insurance for now. I teach 3-4 online courses through a university from home, and love it. Help my mother and aunt two days a week, do chores, ride a stationery bike, walk, read, cook, recycle, thrift and food shop, and travel. Hubby retires in two years. We also do home improvement projects with our grown sons (one married, both own fixer-uppers), and volunteer at our church. Further along, we plan to travel more, join the senior group, and increase the time we share with others. We enjoy our quiet time at home, and have learned to appreciate leisure time. I pray that we will soon be helping to do some baby sitting as well! ;) I know that there is a need for tutoring and volunteering in the schools and at the library, churches, and other community services. If you can't get out of the house often, you could consider sewing, knitting, or writing letters to our service men and women. Think outside the box!
—Guest PattiC
don't miss work
I hated my job, so I retired at 59 1/2. I plan something to do for everyday. I'm happy to not being stuck in traffic!
—Guest jd
keep busy
a famous quote says something about its easier to keep busy and think of great things to do in your freetime if you are smart. i am busy with true interests and passions from before dawn to after dusk
—Guest dan
Being Needed
When I told my adult son I was retiring he said he would miss being needed! His words haunt me yet today! I chose to retire early at 62...managed to stay busy for years....but now at a much older age...I surely do miss "being needed!!" At my age, about all that I am needed for is to hand out a few hundred dollars now and then to a relative...who is needy. Before I retired I had read somewhere, before one retires, know EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO DO UPON RETIREMENT. I though loafing would be great and sleeping late. It was for awhile then it got boring, and then depressing. I've volunteered a lot, and have attended college classes (for seniors free)....but then time marches on...and on...and...? I did really like my job.....
—Iamcarbokid
adjusting to retirement
I am a 68 retired healthy male. My work was always the center of my life. I started working in high school, managed and owned retail clothing stores for 35+ years, experienced 16 successful years in real estate. I like the ability to travel without leaving instructions for someone to take care of my business while I'm away. I like working in my lawn, and I have thrown myself into learning the game of golf. I have found myself on some days missing my work and feeling sad because work was also my social life. I miss interaction with people, depending in the past for work to connect me with others. I live in a small town, and find it extremely difficult to meet new people except at church, lions club, and the golf course. I am highly blessed, but quite frankly find myself feeling guilty for not giving back. Does anyone else feel this way? I honestly don't know what to do. Right now it's working on my golf game. My wife says I should enjoy, but I miss my work.
—Guest Donzi
Retired.
I am a 74-year old man who taught for 35 years. I miss teaching and the joy that my students brought me. I had to retire as my spine was going out on me. I have the the best doctors to take care of me. I am on a walker, have a house keeper. I am able to drive. My family is gone and so are many friends. But I am a fighter and I seek the beauty of Life. I have started to write poems based on my teaching days. I am a lover of music and the arts. My advice to those who are bored? Find something that you are interested in, and you will be surprised the doors that will open.
—Guest Wayne
retired man
About 3 years ago l retired. l used to get bored, but now l go to libary and read books. It's okay now.
—Guest anfrew george
retirement, hmmm
The first two years I was so excited, but now I struggle with lonliness and boredom. I have only 1 friend, the others were work friends. I only see this friend twice a month. The problem is I have no passion in anything. I try lots of things and then lose interest. Every day is a struggle being by myself with nothing to do but chores. I think I am getting depressed now and feeling guilty for not being grateful.
—Guest betwixt between
Retirement Planning
It's amazing to me that the only thing we're taught is how to plan our money for our retirement. There's more to it than that! Who helps plan for living? No one. We bought a low maintenance place two hours north in vacation land when we turned 50. It's filled with families of all types. It's gated and has needs, like volunteers. We will sell the house when we retire so we can buy another place in Arizona. We will spend 6 months there and 6 summer summer months up north. This is our PLAN. Hubby will be able to do what he wants and I can do what I want. I am horses and volunteering. He is fishing and golf. That's how you retire. Plan.
—cqui
retired
l try to keep busy. In the morning l walk 2 hours, and then I go home and help my wife with the housework.
—Guest vince
retirement
I do miss the structure of working. I kind of solved it for myself by volunteering doing computer input at a local hospital two mornings a week. I babysit overnight for my grandsons every week, which gives me the structure in my life that working provided. When possible, I take classes and trips with the Seniors.
—Guest Helena
Lost Challenge
I really goofed retiring. Now I realize that my work was an important part of my life. Those who like volunteer work or part-time sales ect; well that's great. But my work was intense, challenging, and required a load of intelligence. Speaking of intelligence, I lost it one time, when I retired, how stupid.
—Guest BET
love my job
I'm a teacher and I really like my job. I figure I'll work until I'm 65. I'm worried about giving up something I really like to do. I don't really have anything else I want to do more. Not sure how this will work out?
—Guest not ready to retire
bored with retirement
It is a big adjustment. Most of your life was scheduled for you and now you have all this time on your hands. Some people find it a breeze, others struggle. I do not miss work, stress, but do miss structure and being busy and feeling needed.
—Guest poni
Or, go back to work!
If you enjoyed working go back to work or start your own small enterprise. Who says retirement if for everyone. I intend to keep working until I drop dead and so does my husband!
—Guest Linda
Re-invent yourself
Most of us have our vocation or profession as our identity. The first thing we ask a new aquaintance is what do you do? That's how we see others and we see ourselves. Retiring is to give up that old identity and re-invent who we are. We can be a Grandfather, golfer, fisherman, homemaker, blogger, handyman, volunteer or a combination of many things. The least important thing in our retirement identity is what we used to be and the most important is who we are now.
—GrandpaStick
Working at retirement
It's tough to go from doing work you're good at, and where people seek and value your opinion, to a situation where only your spouse and maybe a few close friends care what you think and do each day--and then only if you're lucky. I think the secret is to find some new activities that let you hold onto the parts of working that mean the most to you, but without the stress and demands of your old job. In many ways, being a successful retiree is as challenging as being a successful doctor, engineer or business owner. You have to establish your priorities, set goals that make sense for you, and work at them.
—Guest Geezer
retirement is great!
I don't miss working at all, and find lots of ways to fill up my days. I volunteer and take classes at a local community center, and I love being able to see friends whenever I want.
—Guest Happy
Article from About.com
