“How do I fill my time during retirement?” This is a common questions people ask themselves as they’re approaching retirement. Days can be daunting if you don’t know how to spend your time. We’re going to go over a few activities that you can try and participate in to better enjoy your days spent in retirement.
Activities
Retirement is the time to do things that make you happy. So, the first thing you’ll have to do is some self-reflection. Reflecting on yourself, your likes and dislikes, your hobbies and really just what makes you truly happy. There is an endless number of activities that you can participate in and an endless amount of things to try. Whether you want to fill your days enjoying the small things, trying new things, making a difference in your community, or shooting for the stars, there’s definitely something you can do that will fill your time.
Grow a garden
Growing a garden is a great activity that you can enjoy each step of the way and reap the rewards of your efforts. There are some studies out there that even say gardening can help you live a longer, happier life.
Gardening is an activity that provides you with low-intensity physical exercise, and bonus because it gets you outdoors which is excellent for your health and mental state. Gardening can also help you establish a routine and will give you something to wake up for each day which is very important to have at any stage of life.
Write a book
When you’ve reached the age of retirement, it’s likely that you have had many experiences, gained lots of knowledge and thought up some unique ideas over the years. Why not put some of those into a book? It can be a great way to relive some of your memories, record your life events or just be creative.
The great thing about writing books is that there are no qualifications or education requirements necessary, anybody can write a book. Writing a book can be done in so many different ways, you could write a book just for yourself, and do nothing else with it but read it on your own. You could also write a book for your family members, a loved one, or for the whole world to read. The decision is yours and you can find it along the way as you simply sit and let your creativity flow.
Learn a new instrument
Have you always wanted to learn how to play the piano? Or the guitar? Those two instruments are the most common ones to learn and they are both excellent starting points for anyone who wants to learn some other instrument as well. Learning how to play a new instrument is a satisfying skill that will help to enrich your life and provide you with something to look forward to. Maybe you simply have a favourite song that you want to slowly work towards perfecting. Don’t forget that your voice is an instrument as well, and voice lessons can be a lot of fun.
Make new friends
As people age, it’s common for them to feel like they need to spend time alone, and alone time is great, you can definitely learn how to really enjoy spending time with yourself, and it is very important. However, it’s also important to spend time with friends, it often improves and enhances the lives of others and your own. Having a group of friends will help you stay connected to the world and can broaden your perspective on life and encourage you to try things you otherwise would not.
Learn how to use and appreciate new technology
There is so much happening in the world of technology right now, and it can be very overwhelming. As soon as you figure out how to do something, something new seems to come along. There are many ways you can learn how to use technology to your advantage, especially during these times of COVID where people are staying home now more than ever and are connecting with others via technology. Maybe during your retirement, you learn how to facetime, zoom or skype with other family members. Technology is fantastic for maintaining connections between people. You can schedule regular chats with the people in your lives without having to leave your home, which can be very convenient!
Become a teacher
Many people who become teachers often do so as a second career. Once you have reached the age of retirement, you have gained lots of knowledge that others would likely benefit from. Sharing your knowledge and teaching others is a fulfilling activity that many people find joy in. Maybe you become a teacher for what you were doing throughout your career, or perhaps you teach others your passion or hobbies. Becoming a teacher these days doesn’t mean you have to stand in front of a classroom of people and give a lecture, you can create online courses or even ‘How-To’ videos on YouTube or Facebook. You could also create a small club within your community where people get together to learn something or create something. Maybe you love crafts, and you want to share your knowledge of some DIY (Do It Yourself) projects that other people may be interested in doing. There are lots of different ways to share your knowledge with others and it’s a common activity among retirees.
Explore your community
Travelling is another common activity among retirees, many people relocate to warmer areas or travel around the world to see new places during their retirement. During these times of the COVID-19 pandemic, travelling has become increasingly difficult so many people have instead decided to explore their own corner of the world. It can be very interesting to see the places that you are surrounded by it can offer a higher sense of appreciation for your community and it allows you to see the different kinds of people that reside in your area.
Take-away point
The list of activities is endless. There is so much to see and do and learn and try during your retirement, the most difficult part may just be choosing which one to tackle first.