hobbies in retirement

7 Things People Like Most About Retirement

a couple running on the beach -things people like about retirement

If you are in your 50s or 60s, you are probably looking forward to retirement with eagerness and anticipation. Because retirement is a well-deserved reward that you have earned with decades of hard work.

But perhaps you are unsure about what retirement will be like. It is common to feel uncertain about whether you will be happy or not after you stop working. There are many reasons people love being retired.

Here are 7 things people like most about retirement.

1. The Feeling of Freedom.

Most retirees appreciate the feeling of freedom. There is no pressure, no stress, and no problems. You do not need to worry about your career path, getting kids into college and paying for their education, or keeping up with your neighbors.

Also, retirees love not having work-related stress in their life. You do not have to set up an alarm clock if you don’t want to. You can move to the city or another country. You can do something or do nothing. Or you can do what you want where you want.

You may find that you enjoy having a slow morning routine because you don’t have to worry about getting up early for work and rushing out of the house. You may discover that you enjoy the late-night TV shows that you couldn’t watch when you worked. Or you like to go for a walk late at night when it is calm and peaceful. It is your choice to spend the days the way you like it.

2. Having No Rush in Life.

After spending decades working and building their careers, most people appreciate that there is no rush in their life. Finally, you have time to enjoy the pleasure of a simple life.

It could be sitting outside in your backyard, enjoying a morning walk, or just having time to spend with your family. Many retirees find that the simple things in life are the most rewarding.

If you do not have to rush anywhere it is easier to be spontaneous.

If you feel the urge to get out of the house and do something different than your everyday routine, then do it. It is a beautiful day, and you feel like postponing your chores and spending time outdoors. You can sit on a deck with your morning coffee and a good book or take a walk in the park.

And if you want to take a day trip then go for it. If your friend invites you to get together, you can more easily say yes.

3. Control of Your Own Time.

Being in charge of your own time is a dream coming true for many retirees.

During a busy career, you get used to living by other people’s agenda. You have your company agenda, your boss, your clients, etc. There is little time left for your own agenda in life. That is why having your own schedule, not someone else’s, becomes an important part of retirement life.

Mornings without an alarm clock. Days without a boss or deadline. A simple life. Being able to do anything at a slower pace often brings joy in retirement. If it doesn’t get done today, there is always tomorrow. You have more time for yourself and get to do the things you might enjoy doing without being rushed.

You can run errands mid-day or in the evening when the stores are less crowded. You can schedule doctor’s and dentist appointments in the middle of the day when they are more likely to have available times.

4. Being Free of Money Worries.

The fear of running out of money in retirement is still a hot topic on many retirement websites. Even though many retirees worry about outliving their retirement savings, there are still many others who feel financially secure.

While you are working, you enjoy a regular income from your job. Many people become accustomed to a high standard of living without much focus on spending. However, when you retire, the amount of money you have available will change. So, you have to adjust your spending habits accordingly.

It would be a smart idea to create a new retirement budget and monitor your finances together with your spouse. When both spouses understand their financial situation and agree upon boundaries, there is no conflict over money.

Helpful articles:

5. Time to Travel the World.

Everyone has a different idea of their dream retirement. Some people anticipate years of travel and adventure, while others are envisioning staying home and relaxing or gardening and playing golf.

However, the most common retirement dream is to travel the world.

Retirement is the time in life when people decide they are finally ready and able to travel. With more free time and often more financial freedom it is easy to start exploring the world and live a more adventurous lifestyle. People like to make a retirement bucket list with the destinations they want to explore and things they want to do in retirement.

Helpful articles:

6. Time to Explore New Activities.

During working years, you have limited time for activities you truly enjoy. But after you retire, you will have much more time to spend on interests that bring you a sense of fulfillment.

Sitting on a couch and watching Netflix will not fit the profile of a dream retirement.

The happiest retirees know how to stay active and engage in hobbies and activities on a regular basis. It does not really matter what your hobbies and activities are. It might be hiking, swimming, or biking. It might be painting, playing a guitar, or photography.

The one thing that matters is that you feel passionate about your interests, and you make them a part of your daily routine.

After you retire, you will have more time to read and learn. You will have time to take classes, visit museums and art galleries, or read and learn new things. Best of all, you can explore the topics that truly interest you. And you can take courses or classes and not have to worry about being graded.

And whether you prefer hiking, biking, going to the gym, or playing golf, you can do it on weekdays when the crowds are lighter. You have more flexibility to adjust your schedule when you are not working.

7. Quality Time With Loved Ones.

While you work, you and your spouse have limited amounts of time to spend together, especially if you have children.

After you retire, you are going to be around each other most of the time. This may require some adjustments. You will probably need to work together to design a daily routine that satisfies both of you.

Also, you may need to find common ground on how much you will spend together and apart. You will probably discover there are some things you enjoy doing together and others you do not. You should agree upon how much time you will allow each other to enjoy your personal interests.

But it is so easy to take your time together for granted. At least once a month treat yourself to a special night out or share an activity that you both enjoy.

Spending time with their grandchildren is on the agenda for many retirees. They wanted to make up for the lost time with their grandkids because they were too busy working.

Also, many did not have enough time to enjoy the young years of their own children due to their jobs and busy schedules. Thus, they are looking forward to retirement as the time to spend more time with the family.

Having the time to be available for family members when they need help is what people love about retirement.

Takeaway

You may be surprised at how many of your friends will comment that you look happier and more relaxed after you retire.

While it is true that retirement brings some challenges, your life will change in many ways. But overall, retirement represents a wonderful chapter of personal freedom, relaxation, and fulfillment. Go ahead and look forward to the benefits and opportunities that will be yours when you have control over your life and your time.

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Practical Tips to Make a Smooth Transition to Retirement

by Maggie 2 Comments

a couple walking with travel bags to the boat - transition to retirement

Like many other life transitions, retirement comes with emotional and mental adjustments. Your transition to retirement will not happen overnight.

Most retirees will go through stages of emotions when adjusting to a new life. Give yourself some time to understand that this will be a process. Learn how to slow down. Pause and relax. The process of transitioning should be a gradual learning curve.

Here are a few practical tips to help you make a smooth transition to retirement.

Prepare for ups and downs.

The first year of retirement will be filled with bumps and adjustments no matter how well you are prepared.

Do not expect the transition from your 30+ years of work to retirement to happen without stress and anxiety. There are going to be surprises and disappointments down the road before you settle into something more comfortable.

There will be times when you feel lonely, isolated, or a bit lost, which is normal. But do not spend your time dwelling on thoughts about the end of your career, loss of identity, and loss of social connections.

Accept that you have done all you can working for many years and focus on your next phase of life. Make peace with it and move on to your next challenge.

Retirement Finances

1. Know your retirement expenses.

A good life costs money. You do not need to be rich to have a happy life, but you still need enough money to finance your retirement lifestyle.

As I have already explained in many of my articles, you need to figure out how much you actually need to retire and live a comfortable life. Obviously, that is a different amount of funds for everyone!

If you are close to retirement, have a clear snapshot of your retirement funds and where your money is going today. It can help you take control of your spending and saving habits.

If your numbers show that you will be able to cover living expenses and have enough left over to live a comfortable life, then you are on the right path. But if you have a significant shortage of funds you will need to cut your spending, save more, or even work for a few extra years.

2. Simplify your finances.

Many people use retirement as a time to make their life simpler. Smaller homes, fewer cars, and less stuff.

How to simplify your finances?

Consolidate bank accounts. Close multiple savings and checking accounts and consolidate them in one bank account. With fewer accounts to track, you will have less hassle remembering logins, websites, and spreadsheets.
Consolidate retirement accounts. Roll over multiple 401(k) accounts to a single IRA.
Get rid of paperwork and pay your bills automatically. Easy to track your payments. And you will reduce the stress of money management and make it less complicated.
Reduce the number of credit cards. Cut back to just one credit card.

3. New life on a fixed income.

In retirement, you will transition to living on a fixed income. Your salary will stop coming and your income stream will change.

But you have saved and invested your money preparing yourself for a new life on a fixed income. Your new income will come from the combination of Social Security, a pension, retirement accounts – 401(k), IRA, Roth IRAs, and investment accounts. This is what you have worked so hard for all these years.

Retirement Lifestyle

1. Develop a routine.

We all need structure in life and our job helped create that structure for many years. When we stop working the structure is gone.

What happens when you retire? It is Monday morning, but you do not need to go anywhere. There is nothing planned. There is no alarm clock and no morning rush.

The first few days or weeks will be exciting. You can sleep late, read in bed, or catch up on your favorite Netflix shows. But I am sure that by the end of the week or month, you will start feeling bored, isolated, and maybe a bit depressed. The fun is gone, and you will be glad to go back to something more meaningful in your life.

That is why you need to develop a routine and create a “new normal”. Some people love to have a daily routine, while others cannot bear to have everything predictable. But without proper planning and developing daily activities to get you up every morning, your retirement life will be dull.

2. Find hobbies and interests to fill your days.

I believe that everyone had some interests in life before they were forced to put it on the shelf during their working years.

older man run marathon - transition to retirement

All those things we regret not having time to do during our working years can act as an inspiration when we transition to retirement. It can be sports and travel. It can be learning something new – a new language or instrument. Also, it can be starting an art project or home remodeling.

Many pre-retirees are afraid to be bored in retirement, and I can relate to that feeling. Most of us spend our lives dedicated to responsibilities. We often forget how to live outside of our comfort zone.

If you are getting ready to retire, think about how to structure your days. Plan to allow yourself to try something new and even uncomfortable like going back to school or learning how to paint.

Here is a list of ideas:

Learn how to sail.
Start (or join) a book club.
Learn how to paint.
Take a pottery class (a photography class).
Take a cooking or baking class.
Write a poem.
Write an e-book and publish it.
Learn new digital skills – open an Instagram or Twitter account.

3. Keep in touch with your friends from work.

Losing your network of co-workers and office friends can be hard. Eventually, life in the office will go on without you.

Even though you are retired, it does not mean you have to lose contact with the group of your office friends completely. A simple email, text message, or phone call can lead to regular catch-up meetings with your friends from work.

Also, you can make arrangements for lunch or dinner dates once a month to stay in touch with your ex-colleagues. Most workplace friends will be happy to catch up with an old friend they have not seen for a while.

Once you retire, it is easy to become involved in other activities outside of the workplace. But keeping workplace friendships alive during retirement can help you mentally adjust to life without work.

4. Expand your horizons.

Travel is often high on the bucket list for retirees.

Many people (including myself) look at retirement as the best time of their lives, a time for adventure and travel. I believe that one of the biggest benefits of retirement is the freedom to explore the world and expand your horizons.

Do you have a retirement bucket list?

I have found it useful to create my retirement bucket list. That is a list of things I want to do and see in our local area and other countries.

I like to keep my bucket list updated with the name of new places I learned and the dates we want to travel there. Most of the time, Roman and I feel excited when discussing our travel plans and the places we want to visit.

A few ideas from my retirement bucket list:

Live in France for a year and learn French language
Go on a road trip through Sicily
Take cooking classes in Spain and learn how to cook paella.
Write an e-book.
Visit Brazil during the carnival and learn how to dance salsa.
Take a European river cruise
Grow a vegetable garden.
Design and build a lake house.
Go on a Safari in Africa
Visit Tahiti

5. Spend time with people you love.

Retirement can be a challenging time for relationships. When you stop working you will leave most of your friends at work behind.

Unfortunately, many will disappear from your everyday life the day you leave. It will take a lot of effort from both sides to keep friendship, once the common purpose of work is gone.

Growing older could be lonely unless you have support, love, and even friendship from your family. Do you have a good relationship with your spouse? Are you close to your children and their families? Do you spend enough time with your grandchildren?

Offer to go to the game or concert with your kids and grandkids. Consider a family vacation together. Spend all the holidays and other celebration times together.

Do you stay connected with other parts of your family like your brothers or sisters? Do you keep in touch with them regularly if they live far away? What effort do you make to stay in touch with them?

Unfortunately, many of us spend more time on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to stay informed and connected with former classmates or colleagues because they post often rather than spend time with people who are important to us.

I read that one of the greatest regrets of people who are getting closer to the end of their lives is that they didn’t spend enough time with their loved ones.

Life is short! Make sure that you spend enough time with the most important people in your life.

Final Thoughts

Most of us look forward to retirement as a time to relax and enjoy our golden years. Finally, we can do whatever we want and when we want.

But the transition from work to retirement comes with its own challenges. Many people will learn how to adjust to retirement life in different ways. Everyone’s path will be unique. But you will know how to deal with challenges if you are prepared.

Following the practical tips above will help you transition to retirement better so you can feel happy during your new phase of life.

Helpful articles you might want to read:

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5 Reasons Why You Should Have a Retirement Bucket List

by Maggie 4 Comments

a couple at dinner table -retirement bucket list

Are you dreaming of retirement? What do you plan to do in your free time?

When people start talking about preparing for retirement, they ultimately refer to their finances. But often they forget to prepare for a new lifestyle since they won’t be working full-time anymore. Planning how you will spend your days, weeks and months can be very beneficial for your mental and emotional health.

When we are working every day, we don’t have enough time to travel and enjoy life as we want. Vacations are limited and we have to go back to work. But when we retire, we have more time on our hands.

To many of us, there are always things that we wanted to do or accomplish but never seemed to find the time until we retired. Retirement is something most of us dream of because it means we will finally have the time to do those things that we have always wanted to do.

Now that you are retired it is important to know what you want to do in retirement. Creating a retirement bucket list can be helpful to have goals and ideas so you can make the most out of your golden years.

5 reasons you should have a retirement bucket list:

1. Create a vision.

Many retirees go back to work because they are bored. But then they grow bored because they did not set up any goals for the future. It is so easy to get caught up in the routine of everyday life. But when you try something, you have never tried before it can help you escape your comfort zone and become a more adventurous spirit.

Creating a retirement bucket list will give you a sense of direction and purpose. When you get engaged in things you like to do it makes you feel energized and happy at the same time.

Your retirement bucket list may work as a visionary board. It reminds you of those things you want to do that is bigger than your day-to-day routine.

2. Set goals.

When we have a lot of free time ahead of us, we start thinking about what we would like to do with it. Sorry to say but often life takes over and we may focus more on our day-to-day chores and less on our goals for fun and excitement.

However, it is a proven fact that people who set goals achieve more in life than people who do not.

Setting goals help us define what we want to explore, learn, and accomplish. You look anywhere online at successful influencers, athletes and entrepreneurs, and they will tell you that writing down your goals makes them become a reality.

3. Keep track of your experiences.

The process of creating a retirement bucket list can be inspirational. It gives you time to figure out what makes you happy and what your likes and dislikes are.

While you may not achieve every item on your bucket list, you will definitely complete some. Fitting more hobbies, adventures, and fun into your lifestyle can be beneficial for your happiness in retirement. These are the experiences you may remember the most in your life.

4. Explore and learn something new.

Exploring new places and learning something new can be an exciting experience. Exploring will teach you more about yourself.

When you make a list of all the things you would like to do and all places you want to visit, this activity will make you more aware of what is really important to you. Making your retirement bucket list can help you find perspective on how you currently living your life and what you would like to be doing.

5. Create excitement in your life.

Simply put creating your retirement bucket list can be fun.

Sharing the list with your family and friends, updating the list over time, and then checking off experiences, can be ways to enjoy life more and share the fun with your loved ones.

How to Create a Retirement Bucket List.

Now that you know you need to create your own bucket list, how do you go about it?

Generally speaking, a bucket list is a list of the top things you want to do before you die. This can include places to travel, new skills to learn, people to help, and anything else that matters to you personally.

Visualize what you want.

A retirement bucket list makes you start thinking about what is important to you.

Take time and reflect on everything you want to learn, explore, and experience in your retirement years. Start writing down whatever comes to your mind. It does not have to be all amazing once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

Making a bucket list is a time for you to dream big and think about what you really want out of retirement life. This list is to remind you to live every day to the fullest.

Think about this:

What do you want to learn?
What places or countries do you want to visit?
What is meaningful to you in life?
What new things do you want to do?

Create a plan of action.

After you put your dreams on paper, start thinking about how to accomplish them.

It is so easy to make a bucket list and then do nothing about it. That is why you need to stay focused and write down the timeframe. The time frame cannot be “before I die”.

You need to be realistic and have some sort of idea for your deadline. For example, a list of things you wish to do before you turn 70, before the end of this year, or before this summer ends.

a couple in a studio - retirement bucket list - new hobbies

Here I want to share 40 ideas you can add to your retirement bucket list. This list is divided into different and helpful categories like traveling, experience, skills, and hobbies so you can create your own retirement list.

Retirement bucket list Ideas for traveling:

Travel to Africa and go on a safari.

2. Travel to Egypt, visit the pyramids and take a boat ride along the Nile River.

3. Take a trip to Japan for cherry blossoms festival.

4. Visit Machu Picchu in Peru.

5. Climb on top of the hill and visit a Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany.

6. Drive around Ring Road in Iceland.

7. Visit Australia and go snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef.

8. Fly to your honeymoon destination.

9. Explore Venice by gondola.

10. Take an unplanned flight to your favorite city.

11. Spend one night in an ice hotel (Hotel de Glace) in Quebec, Canada.

12. Drive the Pacific Coast Highway in California.

13. Go on a cruise around the world.

Retirement bucket list ideas for unique experiences:

14. Take scuba diving lessons or go snorkeling.

15. Learn to go horseback riding.

16. Participate in a baby sea turtle release.

17. Ride on a camel.

18. Go camping and fishing. Take your family with you to make it a great experience.

19. Drive a race car.

20. Take a helicopter tour.

21. Experience a hot air balloon ride.

22. Canoe or kayak along the Maine coast.

Retirement bucket list ideas for learning new skills:

23. Learn how to sail or learn a new water sport.

24. Take salsa (tango) dancing lessons together.

25. Learn new digital skills. Open an Instagram, Pinterest or a Twitter account.

26. Start (or join) a book club.

27. Learn how to be a photographer.

28. Take a cooking or baking class.

29. Learn a new language and write a poem.

30. Write and publish an e-book.

31. Start a blog and learn how to be a blogger.

32. Learn how to paint or take a pottery class.

33. Learn how to play a musical instrument.

Retirement bucket list ideas for starting a new hobby:

34. Start a vegetable garden.

35. Learn to cook gourmet meals.

36. Start a couples’ book club.

37. Create a scrapbook of your life together.

38. Start a food photography blog.

39. Assemble your own cookbook.

40. Explore local museums and art galleries together.

Final thoughts

You only live once. And when you look back you do not want to remember only working, cooking, cleaning, and rushing to complete your chores for the day. It is so easy to get caught up in life and responsibilities that you truly forget to live.

Making a retirement bucket list is a time for you to dream big and think about what you really want out of life.

Do you have a retirement bucket list?

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How to Organize Your Time in Retirement

by Maggie Leave a Comment

woman reading a book on a grass - organize your time in retirement

For many people, retirement is a chance to finally do things they have always wanted to do but had to postpone before they have the freedom of retirement. You might have a vision of the ultimate retirement lifestyle of getting up at any time, no alarm clock, no morning rush, and no daily schedules, just relax and enjoy your day.

But with no direction or discipline, you will soon find out that your days and weeks will pass without doing what is meaningful. The next thing you know a few months have passed and you have no idea where the time went and what you did with your time.

A successful retirement lifestyle should consist of a mix of activities that provide physical activity, mental stimulation, and socializing with others.

If you add to this mix the household chores such as cooking, shopping, cleaning, laundry, and house maintenance your retirement life might look overloaded again. That is why you will need some form of a time management system to arrange these activities and find time for it all.

Here are a few important tips to help you organize your time in retirement.

Make a Schedule

Sit back, relax, and do nothing all day is still a dream of many future retirees.

Just remember that if you sit around watching TV or surfing the internet for a few months, your health and fitness level will deteriorate quickly.

This is why starting retirement with no plan or schedule could hurt you in a long run. There is no better way to plan for retirement than to have a good understanding of how you will spend your days and weeks.

Time management in retirement does not mean blocking every minute of your day. It is more about establishing goals and priorities and then making sure that you accomplish what you set out to do.

First, organize your activities and household chores on a daily or weekly basis.
Second, use an online calendar or a planner to keep track of your activities and tasks. Many people will have a list of things (a bucket list) they want to accomplish once they stop working. It is a good idea to spread them out over some time, rather than trying to conquer everything at once.
Lastly, make a list and set reasonable and manageable goals of when you want to have items completed. It might be helpful to divide them into categories such as this week, this month, and this year.

Find your rhythm

It can be hard to structure days in your early days of retirement. After decades of working and having your days structured from morning to evening, it is easy to get overwhelmed with so much free time on your hands.

To establish your rhythm, start your day with purpose and write down two or three things you want to get done that day.

Here is an example of a few activities to keep on your calendar:

Cleaning the house
Preparing a meal
Working in a garden
Meeting up with friends
Writing in your journal
Reading a book
Going to the gym/ taking yoga class/ working out

1. Establish your morning routine.

Your morning routine looked the same for the last 40+ years – you would wake up, do some personal hygiene, get dressed, have breakfast (or not) and go to work. Once you are retired, you need to reinvent that part of the day.

There is so much proof behind why your morning routine is important.

man preparing coffee on a table - organize your time in retirement

Your morning routine sets the tone for the day. A good routine gets you on track from the moment you wake up and puts you in the right frame of mind. If you get following a healthy routine every morning you will get a lot of optimistic energy moving around you.

Morning routine examples:

Wake up
Breathing exercise
Have a healthy breakfast
Enjoy a gourmet cup of coffee or tea
Listen to a good music
Read a book
Write your thoughts in a journal.

2. Makes your evenings purposeful.

Evenings could be the most difficult part of the day.

People usually start feeling tired from their daily chores and responsibilities. That is why it is important to make your evenings purposeful. With no discipline or direction, you will discover that you spend most of your evenings on a couch watching Netflix.

You should simply write down a few things you are going to do every evening. For example, if you like to read or write, you can schedule a daily reading or writing in your journal time from 7 to 8 pm every day. I like to cook, so I can schedule preparing a meal from 6 to 7 pm every day.

There are so many other options:

Work in a garden
Water your flowers
Take a daily evening walk after dinner
Meet with a friend
Listen to a podcast
Sit outside to watch a sunset

It is also okay to do nothing and watch TV. But you are better off spending your evenings outdoors than indoors because it will give you more energy and motivation for new things.

3. Combine structured activities with free time.

If the idea of maintaining a daily schedule does not appeal to you, you can establish a less time-based approach.

Start your mornings by writing down two or three things you want to get done that day. Then, once you have done those two or three chores, you can spend the rest of the day doing whatever you want.

You will probably end up with a mix of structured activities, free time to spend however you like, and to-do lists.

4. Limit your time watching TV.

Just do your best to limit time mindlessly watching TV or browsing the internet.

Decide how much time you will allow to do passive activities and do your best to stick to it. For example, you might allow yourself only 30-minutes every morning and every evening to check emails, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and any other social media channels.

Tips for a Smooth Transition to Retirement

Add something new to your life

Retirement is the ultimate time of getting out of your comfort zone and trying something new.

Most of us spend our lives dedicated to duty – building a career, raising a family, and taking care of grandchildren or parents. And unfortunately, we often put our dreams on a shelf.

But retirement is a perfect time to explore something new.

Go back to school. There are so many educational classes, both in-person and online that can help you grow your mind, meet new people, and stay relevant to the modern world.

Public universities often offer special tuition discounts for seniors. If you are not interested in getting a degree, try taking classes at a local community college. Choose a subject that you have always wanted to learn more about.

But if you want to gain more knowledge for free and from the comfort of your home, I recommend listening to podcasts on a topic you want to learn more about or even watching something on YouTube.

Engage yourself in new culture and language. Traveling is one of the most popular ways to do this. It can teach you the new and insightful things and open windows to diverse experiences.

Spend time on your hobbies and interests. Fill up your time with what makes you happy. Think of the activities you would do all day long and use your time in retirement to enjoy those activities.

4 balls of yarn - find new hobbies in retirement

If you do not have any hobbies or interests you are passionate about, try picking a new one from the list below.

Here is a list of interests and hobbies to help you think about new possibilities for retirement:

Design and remodeling
Entertaining
Cooking/ baking
Decorating and DIY projects
Organizing
Painting/ reading
Playing musical instruments
Singing/ acting
Pet care/ animals
Teaching/ mentoring
Traveling/ learning a new language
Sports/ fitness
Babysitting
Gardening
Learning new technology

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Learn how to slow down

It is important to establish a healthy balance between work and relaxation.

Once you stop working you do not need to follow your working schedule and pack your days with tasks to the brim. Being constantly busy does not mean achieving any sense of fulfillment. You do not have to be busy every minute of the day. Stop putting pressure on yourself and learn how to slow down.

I know that for some of us it is hard to relax. You might not need to set a schedule for everyday tasks. Instead, just finish a few chores when you are ready and take the rest of the day off. Be flexible and allow yourself to move activities and tasks from today’s list to tomorrow or next week. In the end, it will all get done.

The main thing to remember is that you can be more productive and energetic when you are physically and mentally fresh. So set aside enough time in your schedule for rest.

Get sufficient sleep at night.
Take breaks between tasks, especially when you are doing physical work.
When working in front of your computer, take 5 to 10 minutes breaks to stretch and move around.
Set a timer on your phone or computer to alert you when you have been online longer than a specific time. Then, shut it down.

How do you organize your time in retirement? Share your ideas in the comments below.

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