After working for decades, suddenly finding yourself retired can be a challenge—no alarm clock. No commute. No office. It sounds like heaven! But at the same time, It’s easy to become bored, distant, and passive, none of which are good for you.
You’ll need to have something to occupy your time. So if you haven’t retired yet, here are some ideas for countdowns to hang on your refrigerator. And if you are retired, consider this your bucket list!.
The Best Things to Do After You Retire
10. Volunteer
Spend your spare time giving back. There’s no shortage of volunteer opportunities in even the smallest community. For example, a library, an animal shelter, a seniors’ home, a hospice, a church, and a food bank are great places to volunteer.
9. Join a gym
Think of a gym as a watering hole that motivates you to work out while socializing with others. It is not required to pump iron, either. Many gyms have special programs for seniors. If there’s a walking track, you can join a walking club and stroll numerous kilometres a day while conversing excitedly.
8. Start a charity
Starting a charity isn’t as pricey as it might sound, and an excellent way to reduce your community is to undertake local challenges, including homelessness. Alternatively, help those living in poverty outside of your country.
7. House swap/sit
If you want to go on extended outings or will be away from home for a long time, consider house swapping and house sitting. With house swapping, you’ll be able to move into another person’s home, and then they will move into yours. While house-sitting can allow you to spend long periods travelling in the United Kingdom, Australia, or Mexico, the opportunity is also available.
6. Reconnect
If you feel like you have time on your hands, why not reconnect with your family, close friends, and former coworkers? You can waste several hours engaging with the world’s keeps and helping each other. If there are often retirees from your office, why not have monthly get-togethers where they can keep each other company?
5. Start/join a book club or film club
Another great way to meet people and expand your knowledge is to enter or start a book or film club. Then, discover subsequent books and movies from different genres and give your opinion!
4. Get a hobby
Retirement is a great time to take on a brand-new undertaking or progress on a past one. There are plenty of options to choose from if you are bored. Consider something like one that permits you to interact with other people, like cooking classes. Photography is also an ideal hobby, as it allows you to combine travel and search for the perfect image.
3. Be a mentor
Think about acting as a mentor if you’re a skilled professional and are still interested in your craft as a no-pressure career. You’ll have the opportunity to work side-by-side with young people at the start of their jobs, and it will allow you to give back to your communities.
2. Go back to school
If you might be interested in particular areas, it’s a great idea to start studying subjects in your golden years. You may receive a degree or audit a few of these courses. Learning how to paint or play the acoustic guitar are good ideas, too, as you’ll be able to use your free time to master these new skills.
1. Travel
Retirement is a great time to travel, whether your goal is to see the world for the first time or spend quiet time with loved ones at home. Spending time within your community can also be an intimate experience throughout your retirement.