My structure:
7:30– Wake up, make coffee; read news.
9– Write or do financial work for an hour
10–Go to gym or for walk, gardening
Noon— Lunch, shower
1-5 pm— Read, nap, browse web, play online chess.
No drinking or TV till after 5.
Mine is similar
5:30 - wake up to piss
5:45 - start dinking coffee and going on reddit
somewhere between 8-10 - eat something, get back to reddit
somewhere around noonish - eat lunch, maybe stretch a bit
no drinking before noon, unless I take a hit then we see
Back to reddit, might have new stuff by now.
Afternoon, wife drags me out for a walk
Go over list of projects I need to get started on eventually
Back to reddit
\~5 - start on dinner, its a whole thing
Then tv, while I have reddit on my phone.
Life is good ;)
Great answer!
Since my job pays well and has 7 weeks vacation...and i spend at least 50% of my work time on reddit...hell,
I might as well keep getting paid to reddit!
Similar!
6:30ish wake up, let dog out, coffee and read news for minimum 2 hours
8:30 -10:30 Morning ablutions, tidy, walk dog, listen to YouTube/podcasts
10:30-11:30 try to do SOMETHING productive around house (weed, paint, look for things to donate).
11:30-noonish eat brunch, YouTube
1 pm”ish” read Reddit, nap
Afternoon do god knows what, maybe take dog for ride/errands
No wine time before 6 - in bed by 9
I read a lot, do jigsaw puzzles, exercise in my gym, cook amazing food, entertain friends, watch movies and dumb TV shows, take walks, etc. I don’t know how I ever found time to work 😊
67 F and single, working part time from home, I get what you're saying. I'm worried about being bored and lonelier than I already am after retirement (planning to work another 2.5 years; my job is easy, and I like the money). Covid has done a number on my social life- a few of my social groups disintegrated and never recovered, which I regret. What I observe among my retired friends- they exercise, go to doctor's appointments, go to funerals often, have lunch or dinner with friends, take care of grandkids or disabled relatives (I don't have any grandkids and won't, according to my only child who is now a bit old for childbearing).
Some also consume lots and lots of alcohol- a worrisome amount. I only drink socially but am doing a fair number of social things so find myself drinking more than I would like. I sing in community chorus, want to take up pickle ball, do my best to maintain and grow new friendships, walk about 10-12 miles per week, go to Planet Fitness, am considering online dating, listen to voluminous audio books, watch too much dumb TV, walk my daughter's dog while she's working, maintain my house and try not to make shopping into a hobby.
I'm 57 and not retired yet but on the horizon. I saw your comment about pickleball. It is a fun game, it's gone a little nuts right now in popularity which makes it way too competitive for me. Here in N. Texas where I live there has even been pickleball court wars on who has the right to play on them or not.
I started playing for fun and exercise but soon the individuals playing were in way too deep for me and it became not fun so I've kind of let it go. I still think you should try it, you'll love it, but look for a beginner only or beer league if you want to keep it fun!! Just my experience.
I've got way too many retired friends and acquaintances who spend a good part of their day drinking. I quit a decade ago because I didn't really enjoy it anymore. I have no problem with others drinking but some of these people just go crazy with it.
You sound like a good person and one to know. I have job offers for part time work, so I know I can do that if I get too antsy. There is a game club, that plays board games and card games in town they gets together once a month. I will go to that when I can. Maybe do Yoga and I get to walk a lot for work so that keeps me busy, I love to walk.
Yes I never thought I would love walking but I find after about 18 months of doing it regularly that I do enjoy it! After writing the sentence above about consuming more alcohol than I would like, I am intentionally cutting down. I may eliminate it all together. Consuming sugar is another demon I need to slay L O L. I guess one thing at a time.
I’ve tackled both since Covid - let me give you a heads up: If you quit drinking first (like I did) beware of the possibility your alcohol craving may well transfer to sugar (like mine did). If I had to do it over again, I would quit them both at the same time. Good luck! You’re gonna feel fantastic.
Walk the dog. Walk the dog. Walk the dog. Work out in the morning, eat breakfast around 11:00 AM. I've been intermittent fasting, eating between 11:00 AM and 7:00 PM. Hobbies include books, some online gaming (a very social activity with a multiplayer game that includes talking over Discord), and board gaming. Spend a few hours a week monitoring stocks in the IRA. Joined a volunteer program spending a couple of hours in the afternoon two/three times a week driving folks to or from medical appointments and delivering food. Sometimes sit back in the recliner and say "I'm retired, beyotches!" :)
Edit: My wife and I also subscribe to Apple News+ so we can read articles in various magazines. We do NOT watch cable news.
> We do NOT watch cable news.
I believe that this is really important. It is easy to turn on the TV and let it run in the background, but then it catches your attention. And then this quote applies:
"The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts."
-- Marcus Aurelius
His private journals, called ["Meditations"](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meditations), are full of them. They were never meant to be published but somehow survived.
My preference is the Hays translation. [Here](https://www.amazon.com/Meditations-New-Translation-Marcus-Aurelius/dp/0812968255/ref=asc_df_0812968255/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=353874173411&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6556399610574632647&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9006604&hvtargid=pla-436971915078&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=71634025176&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=353874173411&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6556399610574632647&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9006604&hvtargid=pla-436971915078)
Working out - 2 hours a day. Solving crossword puzzles and running crossword puzzle blog - two hours a day.
Work as president of investment club, about 10 hours a month. Work as director of the tax district and chairman of the roads committee, about 20 hours a month.
Looking for paintings to buy and attending auctions, about 30 hours a month
Attending weekly private men's group, a whole day (10 hours) a week.
Talking to buddies on the phone, about 20 hours a week.
Posting to Reddit - don't ask.
When I was working, even my personal private time was indirectly controlled by the job because I had to go to sleep by certain hour to be able to wake up on time. The first year or two on FIRE I loved being “irresponsible” and just do with my time as I pleased. Staying up until 5 am if I want to? No problem. It felt so good not to be stressed about getting to work tomorrow morning, getting up at noon. Eventually, some pattern started to form, tiny habits, that started to create a mini schedule. Mondays were groceries shopping for the week, for example, things like that. After a bit more time, the schedule is more established and I no longer feel the need to stay up until 5 am. I have a list of hundreds of books and albums I want to read or listen to. Still am not doing anything productive, still enjoying not having a corporation control my time. I am financing this life from savings, so I have to live frugally, but I have no desire to summer in Paris and cruise the Caribbean in the winter, so I am okay with that. The trade off was worth it for me.
I feel you but after several years do you feel that the things you do are monotonous? Do you get bored? It does feel liberating without being controlled, it’s as if like high school summer =)
Comparing it to high school summer is a good fit, I would say the first week of that summer. :-)
We are all different, my life may feel monotonous to others, but it doesn’t feel that way to me. Maybe if I ever stop enjoying books and music I may feel that, but right now i am very satisfied. I was never into fast living, so I enjoy introverted serenity. Now I am planning to take a 2 or 3 months vacation in some inexpensive location. Pausing my cable/internet/phone for 3 months will easily pay for airfare and I just need to find an Airbnb that gives discount for long stay (many do). I always hated that I could only go for a week or two somewhere when working. I am looking forward to staying in one place and get to really know it. There is also a secondary purpose — exploring places with better weather that I may potentially want to move to. All this is really part of my long bucket list.
We are doing that right now. Booked a vacation rental for 5 weeks and exploring an area for next years 3 month stay. We are testing the waters for semi retirement. It’s working out good so far!
Side note: We found better rates through a local vacation rental property manager than through AirBnB. They advertised on Airbnb, but were much cheaper booking direct.
I am so happy to hear this! It makes perfect sense to me, but not to people around me, LOL. And thanks for the tip about vacation rental property managers — I didn’t even know something like that existed. Do you think something like that is also available internationally? (I am tempted to explore life in Spain.)
I have no idea about international. Maybe it’s time to start researching that. I wonder if there is a sub here for international travel. Or on Spain?
When we decided to do this, I joined the state and city sub. It helped a lot in determining which nearby town to start with. We knocked it out of the park! Interested in purchasing real estate here but the timing isn’t quite right.
My brother keeps telling me to invest in Belize. I keep telling him I am not hip on thatch roofs!
Yeah, I’ll be doing deeper research. So far the only thing I’ve seen is few videos from YouTube influencers and I trust those zero percent, LOL. But I’ve been to Madrid few times because of work and liked it a lot. This time I want to see a bit smaller places. I don’t think I would ever invest in a place these days since I am not sure if I end up liking it enough to stay forever. And while I am pretty frugal, I do need certain level of comfort, so a thatch roof would not work for me either, LOL. I also don’t want to be in a place where you are advised not to go out at night. Pickpockets I expect everywhere, but not knife stabbings or kidnappings.
You can get a private room in a hostel in a place like [Finca Escalante](https://fincaescalante.com) at a very affordable rate. Or stay in a shared space for a ridiculously cheap rate. I’ve stayed there and it’s not just college kids, at all. Free breakfast, music in the evenings, and many travelers interested in saying hi. A lot of Europeans. Could be a great jumping off point to discovering a new part of the world. There are lots of very inexpensive places for a traveler in Costa Rica and the people are extremely nice. I’d highly advise staying off airbnb to find the best rates. Give booking.com a try instead.
Thank you for the tips. I never considered hostels specifically because I thought I am too old for that and certainly not hip enough to blend in. But I will definitely look into that if they offer private rooms. Will also check booking.com — I think I used them once before.
Agree about Costa Rica. I’ve been there many years ago, before it became popular, and it was amazing.
I will step in here, and say, one of the things I added got boring. And, I stopped doing it. Simple. That is the great thing about being retired. Since you are your own boss, you can change your priorities and interests.
This is an important aspect of retirement. If you ever had a job where "time to make the donuts" was your mantra -- you can now make the donuts on your own time .... or, heck DON'T make the donuts. You may find other interests of activities that fill your sense of purpose.
Yes, it is monotonous, especially when your friends keep on asking “so what’s next? What’s after that?” I’m like “dude chill, no need to rush to the next agenda. How about just enjoy the ride?” Monotonous becomes a bliss and it shows you that you’ve out grown some of your friends, who is still bustling around their lives thinking they are more productive than you, but in fact, you are way ahead of them, by knowing life is meant to be enjoyed, and not be compared.
Occasionally watch friends pets
Gym (every day)
Swim (every day)
Yoga ( 4 times/week)
Kayaking ( 2 times/week)
Used furniture shop (Craigslist, Thrift stores)
Landscaping (new flowers, sprinkler system mods)
Soffit and paint repairs (from hurricane Ian)
Building new garage workbench
Working on mothers condo
Date (once a week or so)
I am busy all the time. I'm enjoying my life more than ever.
I'm 61, but I retired at 52 so I've been in this mode for a while. I use a dating site, but I periodically inactive this account depending what's going on in my life. I also belong to a number of clubs and groups. Every interaction is an opportunity to meet someone special. I am an extrovert, but I'm not overpowering and I know how to listen. I suppose you could say that I date casually, but that's only because I haven't met the woman who resonates with me, and I want to move to the next level. I did meet one woman who I was certain was the one, but it just didn't work out. I remain hopeful, but am just enjoying life in the meantime. There are many wonderful people out there; just don't forget to live your life.
I stopped watching TV and critically analyzing everything and everyone (which was my career). Instead I spend time doing things that make me smile and bring me joy: traveling, photography, writing poetry, landscaping my yard, planting a vegetable garden, walking, mountain climbing, making new and younger friends half my age, listening to music, singing, learning Spanish, dancing, yoga, hot tub, gym, cooking healthy and delicious food, bicycling, redecorating, cleaning out my parents house full of excess stuff, having garage sales, going to garage sales and auctions, eating at independent restaurants in my neighborhood, floating down a river on an inflatable raft with friends, foraging for wild plants, going to lots of doctor appointments, reading science, visiting friends, doing NYT puzzles, participating in cognitive studies on aging, helping friends and family with chores and personal struggles, learning new technology, trimming trees, sitting quietly looking out of the window contemplating life, past present and future. Enjoying the feeling of being happier and healthier than at any time in my life (M72).
I've only been retired for about a month, so I don't have a routine yet. Let's just say I'm still in the "relaxing" portion of the event. I worked most of my career in high tech, got laid off after many years and opened my own retail shop as my "first retirement." Ran that for 12 years and recently closed for "real" retirement. I'd consider myself middle class, but I suppose it all depends on how you calculate that. I'm also single, alone, no responsibilities (except my mortgage).
The remodel on my kitchen and bathroom is almost finished (I'm not doing it myself, of course). Once that's done and I get settled in the new configuration, I hope to explore more cooking and baking (I have neighbors to share with). I have sourdough and my dad's favorite sourdough baking book to explore.
I have a whole room full of yarn and fiber and lots and lots of knitting and spinning projects to tackle. Stuff I haven't had time to do for way too long.
I've already finished one new book and half of another and have more waiting to be read.
There are walks to take, friends to visit, roads to travel, and no set schedule for any of it.
In early 2024, I'm booked for a 22-day cruise that starts in Buenos Aires, goes around the horn (Antarctica), and ends in Chile. That's courtesy of my friend who cruises a lot and thus got a free cruise and invited me along.
The choices are endless. The first task is to just relax and enjoy it. :)
I’m not retired yet but new COVID hobby- baking sourdough bread! Loooove it! So many things to learn about yeast and fermentation and overall bread making on path toward being an ‘expert’, and get to enjoy the fruits (bread) of our labor!
Medically retired age 60
Activities
Physical Therapy
Visiting son, daughter in law and grandbaby in another state to help them out around the house while they work
Organize and downsize belongings (never-ending project)
Watch movies, documentaries etc
Plant and maintain a vegetable garden
Browse bookstores
Went on a cruise, first time! Fun!
Go for walks
Various projects example-inventory of the pantry and fridge for an app that can suggest recipes with what's on hand and make shopping lists with recipes you want to make
Donate blood regularly
Visit relatives
Meet friends for coffee
Take extra care of skin, hair and nails
Mail cards for birthdays, anniversaries and holidays
Play with the cat
Browse and comment on Reddit
🌺
Read, do house and yardwork, cycle, walk, hike, gym, learn musical instruments, play music with other people, volunteer, go to sporting events, visit friends.
Volunteer 3-4 days per week for Habitat building houses. I am gone 8 hrs from the house on those days. I try to “be off” Friday-Monday to give me time to do stuff around my house. I have nearly finished my first batch of projects. Now that it is nice weather I will plan 1-2 weekend camping trips per month -within a 4 hr drive from the house. I am trying to learn the guitar (apparently NOT a natural). In other words doing my best to stay busy. I don’t like not having commitments to keep me motivated. I’m kind of worried because it looks like the Habitat but will be on hiatus for a few months so I am looking for something to commit to 3 days a week. Maybe the ReStore or maybe a local food pantry. I need to look around to see who needs help.
I felt the same and went back to work part time. Fortunately, I like my job and the people I work with. Hoping for a grandchild in the next couple of years to spoil and then I will likely quit for good.
I retired two years ago. Divorced and I live in a small city. I take a long walk almost every morning. I do a photography challenge every week which gives me some structure. I also have other hobbies…cooking, fiber arts, just started painting, reading. I have a small garden that keeps me busy in the spring and summer. I like to travel both locally and internationally. Now that I am retired I can go at oddball times of the year to get better deals and avoid massive crowds at popular destinations. I’m also cleaning out my house/decluttering which is a major process. Honestly I haven’t been bored for one minute.
Coffee, Wordle, exercise class. Browse web, lunch, online work for nonprofit. Some days go hiking with friends. Some days have grandkids over. Early dinner, because who cares? Take walk, watch one episode of whatever our latest series is, reading, early to bed.
Thanks for asking. Sure, I sometimes get bored, but not often. I’ve been retired/semi-retired on and off for a few years now. Have managed to find friends with common interests to spend time with. Add shopping, lunch out, occasional trips to the mix, and I’m good. Mostly an introvert, so I enjoy my quiet time. Yes, early digestion! It’s like intermittent fasting without really trying.
I"m single and have been retired for 5 years.
I usually get up around 8-9, sometimes later. Coffee, light breakfast, dress, household chores, lunch. Outdoor yard work or gym. Pick up grandkids from school 2 days/week, hang with them, make dinner for all of us (sometimes). Clean kitchen. Read, crochet, TV, internet, see my BF.
Right now I'm getting a good bit of work done on my house so quite often am getting ready for that, or talking to contractors, etc.
I have not once been bored or regretted retiring.
Retired only a year and a half. Honestly no idea where the time goes. Making food, going to the market, squeezing in some fitness, playing video games, and so on.
Days alway seem busier than I'd like. Still find myself looking forward to that totally relaxing day.
We usually plan a some fun events for the week and then we have errands, chores, yard work, etc. We belong to a number of clubs and meet up groups, so those always have activities, usually at least several a day to pick from, between the different groups. Then we often have a few fun things planned on our own or with friends each week. For fun we like to go hiking, go out for live music, go to concerts, read, do yoga, see live plays, visit museums, go to gardens, attend club meetings, and go out for dinner or happy hour with friends. Our big events for this month are three symphony concerts, a play and weekend trip to visit family. If we have time this week we might go out for dinner with a live band and go to a rock music concert at a state park on little local island on the weekend. Then there is posting here and streaming movies and TV shows at home. Plus the usual chores. Today I got caught up at home - errands, laundry, cleaning, filing, and online shopping. Every day we try to go for at least one walk and cook a lot from scratch, so the cooking and clean up take time.
We never get bored and there's always more fun stuff to do where we live than we have time to do, even with being retired. We're also trying to get some home improvements done, organize our paperwork and get rid of half our stuff to make things easy on our adult kids some day, and that all takes time.
Here is my typical day …
6:00 - 7:30 wake up, coffee, journaling, update YNAB
7:30 - 8:30 go for a walk
8:30 - 11:30 blog and vlog and a little coding
11:30 - 12:30 cook and eat lunch
12:30 - 13:00 Relax, chat with spouse, snooze
13:00 - 14:30 Long bike ride or Gym
14:30 - 17:00 Varies ( Club activities, Gaming, Errands )
17:00 - 21:00 Watch Netflix, News, Youtoube etc
21:00 Bedtime
I created a blog (retiredlifebymcgeno.com) I pick up and restore old furniture, play golf, side hustle is dog walking and sitting, work in the yard, way to much on lone chess, oh and also teaching myself to code. Keeping pretty busy
I had a wealth of things planned for my retirement.
Cancer wasn't one of them.
It radically changes both your future, both financially and physically. That's not to complain, just to advise -- don't put too much stock into the things you plan to do.
Now, on the days where chemo and its affect take center stage look like:
7-7:30: Wake up spend about 15 minutes in prayerful meditation.
8-8:30: Coffee and breakfast, feed the bird and pooch, move bird to porch.
9-11: Usually in the yard. Things got a little out of control during my recovery, so I'm slowly reining it back in.
11-12: Shower and lunch.
Afternoons depend on the day. Most are spent helping at the local food pantry, blogging about the weather (hence my name!) and catching up with friends and family.
Evenings: Dinner, bring the bird in, a little TV and Reddit/Twitter.
There are lots of small projects to fill any idle time. I keep a notebook of things to do, so if I ever feel useless, there's always something else to check off. I've learned how to cook Indian dishes and grow my own spices and Mexican peppers.
Essentially, life may not be jet-set excitement, but if you surround yourself with things that make you happy, it's never dull. And it's a lot easier to get up in the morning when you have a bit of structure.
I was retired for about a decade, starting in my mid-40s. Don't recommend. The Velvet Rut is real. I've noticed many of my friends who are now retiring (in their late 50's / early 60's) are willingly giving up agency, not realizing it, and not realizing their mental health is deteriorating because of it.
About a decade ago I started a business with the purpose of serving my community, inspiring my kids and making money. It's fun to make money when you are already financially secure. It makes it possible to pay attention to personal values. My employees are the most amazingly awesome people, and they regularly tell me how grateful they are that I created an opportunity for them to be productive. Nobody who is "retired" gets that juice on the regular. I highly recommend organizing your life about being of service in some fashion. Seems to be as necessary for humans as food, water and shelter.
As a curious side effect, I totally stopped all alcohol a while ago. Not because I'm opposed to it, but now my life is so purpose filled I need the extra hours in the evening. (Proof that there is no God: A kind, compassionate God would not have made poison taste so good!)
Highly recommend recognizing that "retirement" is a bit of propaganda that serves the interests of some, but not of those who are retired.
Semi retired here. Do some independent consulting that takes up about 1 full day weekly unless I am traveling for clients.
The rest of the time: genealogy, gaming, model building, reading, drive my sports car too fast, some gym and in the summer swimming, travel.
Household chores, nap, go for a walk, go shopping, sleep in, stay up late, Dr appointments, volunteer, chiropractor, massage, go to gym, visit with friends or my daughter, phone calls with friends far away, nap...
My fiance is retired, but I work night shift to support us. She sleeps till 10-11:00. Reads or knits till she starts watching TV around 8pm.
I leave my new house early so I can buy food before work and something to eat at midnight.
She doesn't think she is doing anything wrong. If I'm hungry, it's my responsibility. She is going to be surprised when I put her out. Damn, I made a terrible mistake.
Tennis lessons
Volunteer (Red Cross, Rotary, Food Bank)
Read on the couch with the dog
Travel, plan for trips
Lunch with girlfriends
Cook (life goal to learn to throw a pizza in the air)
I'm traveling the world. Same situation: retired, single, no responsibilities. Cost of living in many other countries is much less than living in the US.
For the last 18 months I have been slow traveling, normally 3 to 6 months in a country depending on their tourist visa. Monthly rentals are normally cheaper and it keeps down the travel expenses. I am on my second trip to Guatemala to take Spanish lessons, and have also been to Mexico and Argentina. Next month I'm off to Ecuador, and plan to keep heading south for the rest of 2023.
So far, no regrets. I'm still in South America. I rent a small store-room for things I just could not part with, and everything else was sold or given away.
I'm retired, my partner is not. We spend lots of time outside, working in the yard and our backyard chickens keep us entertained. We love birding and wildlife , do some hiking, camping and spend time with our kids.
I knit sweaters, bake, watch good TV, maintain our home and take a siesta most afternoons.
We travel to see our grown kids or I tag along on business trips /conferences as they come up.
Busy and not so busy at the same time, I'm still adjusting and it's been 3 years. It's a process.
Same, exact situation except for one elderly aunt.
I wake up. Drink coffee. Review finances. Lunch around 11a, sometimes alone, sometimes with friends. Pack (I'm planning on selling my house soon). Work on researching/planning my trip to Europe later this year. Certain days I meal plan and meal prep. I am in two book clubs so I read a lot. I play video games to my heart's content. Dinner alone or sometimes with friends. Watch whatever I want whenever I want.
I play D&D once a week for about 6 hours and now I can play on Sundays without worrying about getting up early for work on Monday morning.
Good things. I urge you not to be so quick to sell your house if you don’t need money. Do you ever feel bored after doing those things after a year or two?
Thanks. To be honest, I've only been retired for going on 3 months. I hope I don't get bored! I've been an avid gamer most of my life and playing with reckless abandon is so much fun.
Selling my house was part of my long-term retirement plan. I am hoping to sell, downsize to a condo, and bank what's left. My financial planner helped me with most of the planning and we ran the "keep the house and fix it" scenario vs. the "sell and buy a condo" scenario. Selling wins mostly because my house was built in 1949 and it would drain my savings to fix everything that's wrong with it and to make it ready to age in place.
The boredom and lack of purpose really terrify me about retirement. I plan on working as long as I can, but realistically there is going to be a point when I can’t keep up with changing technology any more.
I spend a lot of time Socializing, volunteering, on hobbies, and traveling. Most of My Friends are still working, and a few live more than 4 hours away, so I joined a social club to Meet new people, and I’ve made some Great new friends.
I have lunch out with friends, enjoy my monthly book club, kayak, walk, go Out for happy hour, throw casual dinner parties, and travel with my friends and husband. I also garden, quilt, cook/bake, and read. Occasional Concerts, festivals, and wine- tasting (live in Northern CA).
I love to Travel , but as a former teacher, I do
It on a budget. Still, have managed to spend A month in Italy, several weeks in Mexico, and criss cross the country several times in the last 3 years I’ve been retired. Making plans for month long road trip to national Parks, another trip to
San Miguel de Allende in Mexico and 6 weeks in South America Within the next year.
I am On three non-profit boards (Library, Assistance League, and my social club), and also volunteer as a CASA and for Assistance League programs.
I sleep in every day, spend at least two
Days a week doing very little other than reading and relaxing, and enjoy staying busy the other 5 days.
I’m expecting my First grandchild next year, and will help with child care a lot the first two Years.
I’m one of those people who like to
Lend a hand and keep busy, but lots of my friends prefer to keep a less packed schedule!
Depends on the weather. We live on 10 acres and I’m working to make it attractive and, maintenance free. The “maintenance free“ may not be feasible. We built a new home on undeveloped land and moved in mid-Dec, 2021.
This spring’s task list including planting grass is some thin spots. Cutting it is accomplished in about 35 min but edging and blowing it off adds a little more time.
I’m addressing some erosion also where the rain caused issues. I’ve worked about six hours of spreading hay to supplement the pine straw on the ground. When that’s done, I’ll line one ditch with riprap and stray weedkiller to take care of the broadleaf weeds under the pines.
Typically, I’m at it 3-4 hours in the morning and the afternoons off are a nice reward. It’s certainly not everyon’s ideal retiremen but, surprisingly, I really enjoy it. Previously, we lived in the desert so Imescaped landscaping for the last 27 years.
Every other Wednesday is breakfast with an old friend. Rain this afternoon will allow more downtime. I try to row several times a week after rowing 1,000,000 meters in Fed. Yeah…got a little carried away to say the least.
It's so wild that this question keeps coming up. I'm assuming OP is American, since other countries dont have work culture like the US. Do you do anything on the weekends other than work? What do you do in your spare time? Play an instrument? Ride a bike? I'm an artist so retirement means I can work on what I want. So I paint all day or work with clay, I also cycle, hike go to the beach. What I DONT do is sit on front of a TV all day. I'm also a musician so I'm always practicing and playing. I also read a lot. I've got a passport and dual citizenship in the UK so I also travel. What did you always dream of doing when you retired? Do that! Good luck OP!
Wake up around 5:30 am and drink tea and read articles on phone. Go to hike in Sedona. Finish around 1:00. Have healthy lunch in Sedona. Go back to home. Shop at Sprouts for veggies and Fruits. Make a healthy dinner. Watch the news and later a movie on Netflix. Plan for another adventure for the next day. On the weekends attention local festivals/events downtown and have friends stay with us over the weekend.
I sleep until I wake up
naturally, large glass of water,
coffee soon after. Gym, volunteer at the friends of the library. Meet friends a couple of time a week for lunch or early dinner. Read 2 book a week, fix dinner, occasionally babysit my grandkids (5 and 2) that are 2 hours away. 3 yorkies, my husband, and my back patio make my life very sweet!
Stare out the window and wait for death. Seriously, retirement is not for everyone. When I stopped working at 33 I travelled the world. That will burn you out quick. Then I travelled the US in an RV. I still travel a lot but it's not so terribly exciting. I have also done all the "fun" things, flown planes and helicopters, raced cars, flown through the desert in fast trucks, been in a boating club. I'm tired of eating out, and every day is pretty much the same. The main difference is the view out the window while I surf the net. Even if I came up with a hobby that took 2 hours every day, I would still have 12 to fill. In the mountains I drink coffee slowly, then go for a two hour hike once it's warm enough. If Florida I go for a walk, then swim for an hour, then drink coffee. Still leaves most of the day open. I may be a special case but there is a reason a lot of people keep or go back to working, just better than sitting idle at home.
You did a lot of things already after that you’re back to where you are because there is really nothing left to do so you get bored. Thats how I feel too
Gym 5am daily Monday thru Friday
Breakfast 7-8. Watch a show.
8am move outside to my garage and work shop where I spend 5-6 hours daily working on projects listening to talk radio, catching up with friends and family on occasion.
Fixing things for my kids and grandkids or working on the yard and massive amount of plants trees and bamboo we planted in the previous 12 years here.
Soccer for the 6 grands is in the spring and fall so that’s 2-3 afternoons a week and every Saturday 2-3 games so that changes up the schedule.
Church on Saturday night.
Sunday is our Saturday.
Bored. Not quite.
After working 60+ hour weeks for 40 years this is our reward!!
6:30 Coffee, read internet news.
7:30 Run 8-10 miles
9:30 Shower, shave,more coffee, plan day with wife
11:00 Lunch
11:30 Chores- mow, blow leaves, cut/split firewood, garden, etc (2.5 wooded acres) or indoor paint, repair, clean.
2:30 Nap time
3:00 Read
4:30 Happy hour
5:30 Cook/Dinner/Clean up
7:00 TV, internet, mostly read or socialize, occasionally wood shop projects.
11:30 Bed
A project my hubby and I are starting…
Trying to get congress to stop taxing SS benefits of people under a certain income threshold. I have been doing the research, hubby was in sales so he is used to pitching ideas. We plan to approach key people hoping to spark interest, or at least get people thinking. Not retired yet, but this needs done before we are retired so started earlier than planned.
Volunteer one morning a week at local food bank, exercise class one morning, hike trails in local parks at least three mornings a week. Long walks including stop at local coffee shop. Lots of hobby time - photography and miniature art. Write monthly article for local paper. Lunch with friends a few times a week. Host friends for lunch or dinner.
Life is good!
I do some volunteer work--delivering meals one day a week to patients with restrictive dietary needs. I am also on call with the local animal shelter to transport animals when needed. My son recently bought a house that needed some work and that has kept me busy. When I'm done there, I have a list of projects to do at home. In some ways, I feel busier than when I actually worked a job. But all of my time is my own. That one big part of my brain that was consumed by work has been mostly reclaimed.
Never bored! Relaxing early morning coffee. Birdwatching here at home. Morning stretches, exercise of various types during the day, often a long walk. We play Wingspan (board game) every day. Mostly cook at home. Read, evenings we like to stream old British Murder Mysteries or “Murder She Wrote”. We stay in touch with distant friends and family mostly electronically.
My father does the chores. Drives the school bus. Goes to the va for occupational therapy and for cancer treatment.
Suffers in pain because he won’t get his knees replaced.
Other than that, online.
I retired a couple of months ago and I love it. Right now I'm still drinking coffee and having cuddle time with my boyfriend and cat. Today we're washing the car, going grocery shopping, maybe drive to the forest and go hiking. My boyfriend says that I somehow managed to get even more spoiled since I retired.
A lot of outdoor activities. Gardening, fishing, mushroom hunting and so on. I'm sitting here at 5am having coffee and waiting for it to get light enough to go kokanee fishing from my kayak.
Winter is harder though. Fortunately I'm very happy just sitting and reading and watching the rain. I also enjoy doing DIY stuff around my 1938 craftsman which we're slowly restoring to its original condition
I know several "retired" people who are actually busier than when they were working. They do alot of volunteer stuff or they travel or just take up alot of new hobbies.
Daily: Exercise, physical therapy, errands, neverending chores and repairs, reading, cooking, dealing with an elderly cat who needs special care. (I honestly don’t know how I kept up with all of this while working. I can barely keep up with it now.)
Less often than daily: Traveling, volunteering, meeting friends for breakfast every couple of weeks, meeting different friends for happy hour every couple of weeks, concerts or dinners out, doing puzzles, watching a small amount of TV or movies.
My mornings are always the same; breakfast while getting online for emails, news surfing, pay bills, anything computer related. Then I do 45 minutes on my treadmill. Then I do my Spanish lesson on Duolingo. Then I read for about an hour, I always have a book going. Right now it's Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett (great book!)
Afternoons I will either do any chores needed around the house or do something fun or relaxing, depending on the season and weather. Chores include mowing the lawn, filling the bird feeders, I might be doing a project like just put new tile for a backsplash in our kitchen. Anything around the house that may need fixing. I also have a couple motorcycles that may need oil changes etc. My wife and I will take turns cooking dinner, but I'm the baker, love homemade bread.
If I'm not doing things around the house, then we do fun or relaxing things. If the weather is nice, I like laying out on my deck getting some sun, listening to music, smoking a doobie. We may go kayaking, motorcycling, or hiking. One of my hobbies is brewing beer, usually try to do this during rainy days, it takes about 5 hours for a 5 gallon batch. During the winter we visit casinos for fun, never bet much, just something to do and get out to see things when it's cold out. Casinos often offer good comps on food for seniors over 55. During the summer, we go to the beach often, two or three times a week. We've been taking a lot of road trips since we bought our electric car last year. Not paying for gas and having a high tech, quiet, fun car makes us want to drive it and go places. We've put 13,000 miles on it in less then a year traveling up and down the east coast. We are planning a trip out west this summer.
At night we cook dinner, watch some TV, read some more, get naked. Although that can happen any time of day. Can honestly say we're never bored. Even doing nothing is great. Retirement is the best.
Hubs (62) has been retired for 3 years. I’ve (54) been retired for 1 1/2 years.
We winter in Florida and have an active winter with lots of exercise and social activities.
The rest of the year we still maintain the exercise daily. I go to take glasses at the gym for the social interaction. But am feeling a bit restless atm so I’ve signed up for a free online college course. I want to keep my mind and body active.
I went online to find all the walking trails, free or inexpensive things to do, restaurants I'd never been to before and made lists. I'm working through them doing something new each week. Keeps it a bit less routine.
After 6-7 hours of sleep, wake up.
Dog out, dog bfast, coffee, paper (on computer), word games
Walk dog
Tidy
Pilates 3x week
Fiber-goal is to touch fiber daily- weave, spin, sew, knit
Art- art class 1x per week, goal to work on a piece of art daily.
Reading- try to read daily.
Gaming-usually solo. Anyone interested in Wingspan? I *think* I can set up a Discord so we can talk. My son set me up once. Maybe I remember how.
Gardening-maybe, until the heat and humidity is just too much.
Evening is early dinner, knitting, reading and maybe television. Streaming only-because binge watching a series is so good.
Dog out
Bed by 1030-11.
Edit: Add Fridays we eat with friends at a restaurant, getting neighbors together for monthly drinks/heavy snacks. Getting another cat this week-so chaos on the menu as well, plan travel.
52 Semi retired and single in New Hampshire
6am - usually up. Many days I’m showering and headed out to do some birdwatching. This varies by season. On non-outing days, it’s coffee and breakfast and reading / Reddit / YouTube
9am or 10am - work starts. Primarily Zoom consulting calls and planning time. An hour for lunch. I’m done most days by 3pm. It’s about 20 hours a week. Location independent, so I can do this and travel. Usually 4 or 5 days a week.
3pm - Get up and out of the house. Walk. Bird. Photography. Go for a drive. Check mail. Check on rental properties. Woodworking at the local makerspace. Shopping. Dinner prep. Different every day.
6pm - Dinner. Home or out. Usually home.
7pm - TV land most nights. I get out for live music at least once a week. Three nights a month I have online board meetings. I don’t drink or get high very often, certainly not daily.
9pm / 10pm - in bed.
I try to include these things, but I have no set schedule:
\- Coffee, yogurt, fruit
\- Internet (now), social media, Wordle (something for my mind)
\- Stationary bike, gym or pool
\- Lunch
\- Shopping for groceries
\- TV (sports or news)
\- Sometimes snorkeling or diving (we live on Cozumel part time)
\- Driving range
\- Messing with my classic Corvette, maybe a car show
\- Live music when someone we know is playing
\- Eating out or dinner, I try to eat 4 or 5 smaller meals
\- I need to include "work on my sobriety". My wife doesn't drink and I quit a year or so ago, so need to make that a priority
Clean house, car, etc.
Exercise: Resistance, stretch, range of motion, balance
FL Studio
Fusion 360
Piano
Read books
Podcasts
Scripture
Spin Bike
Walking
Social Activity
Focus on emergent activity
Journaling
Drive
I take care of my 2 yo granddaughter 3 days a week. In the summer I will also have my 5yo granddaughter 5 days.
We have 50+ wellness centers here. They are not only a gym, but they have tons of activities. I like to do glass art, leather crafting, and ceramics. Might try watercolor painting.
I love being able to get my shopping/errands done weekday mornings when it's quiet. I can spend hours at the library or Barnes and noble. I have a swim spa so I swim every day.
I’ve always been introverted and I’m quite content in my own company. I stay outdoors as much as I can and avoid watching TV. I have a lot of hobbies and household projects that I pick and choose from as my mood or the weather dictate. I go to the gym, tend my flowers, do yard work, crochet, cook, bake, read, paint, birdwatch, tend to household maintenance. Retired one year ago and haven’t had a boring day yet.
At 11:00 am, I have an appointment with my workout room, where I lift weights, do cardio, dance, stretch, and so on. For two hours usually.
Around 4:00, I’ll usually start puttering around with projects in or outside the house, for a couple of hours. Usually listening to audio books.
In between I like to code, learn new software, especially graphics and animation. I’m learning Spanish on Duolingo. I enjoy VR. And Reddit. I like to cook healthyish food. And for the first and last few hours of the day, my husband and I watch tv or YouTube together.
A couple times a month, I go out with a meetup group that walks, kayaks, bikes, or snorkels in the state and national parks. I still go scuba diving a few times in the summer.
it’s like the first time in my life that I can do whatever I want, whenever I want. As a child, it’s constant school. As an adult it’s constant work. Now, it’s what makes me happy.
Right now I’m enjoying some kind of drama between six crows in my front yard
7am. Wake up. Turn goose eggs. Make sure the dog pees.
9am. Wake back up. Make coffee. Feed and release chickens and geese. Catch the indoor kitty outside. Walk half mile to the mailbox. Do laundry
Reddit until 1130ish.
1230ish break fast. Eat. Youtube. I need to finish the mandalorian before I cancel Disney. We buy a month, twice per year.
2pmish, household chores.
3pmish, turn goose eggs, chicken checks. Let A team out to free range.
4 to 6ish: nap. Eggs for dinner.
7pmish, walk. Mow. Mulch the garden.
845pmish: put birds to bed. Feed dogs.
11pmish Bed after turning goose eggs.
I generally keep the grandkids once per week, it varies in the summer. I go to the feed store/shop biweekly. Shop for the household monthly at the thrift store sale.
I do family socializing maybe monthly.
I go to foodbanks weekly. We're not church goers currently.
I do have a spouse in recovery and therapy.
I don't drink. Not many friends. The spouse and I are starting to "plug in" to my daughter's Jewish congregation on a few activities.
I'm currently teaching myself some Russian at a snail pace to create new pathways in my 56 year old brain. (I have brain scars related to chronic epstein barr/migraines, some demyelinization, and relatives with dementia. ) The 33 character alphabet is a huge hurtle, so I love it when I get a new letter settled in.
Wake at 6:00, trying to work up to 7:00. Coffee, watch weather and CNBC. 9:00, do reporting, download stock positions, dividend data, plan trades. Busiest trading days are Monday morning and Friday afternoon. Gym at 10:30, then lunch, listen to CNBC. Run errands, yard work, hobbies until 4:00, sit outside and have a beer and watch birds, deer. Ladies (wife & friends) meet 1x a week on my patio, and I hang sometimes. Grill a couple times a week and am trying to help more with cooking. Watch Braves baseball in the evening and catch the end of the game in the rerun in the morning. Go to bed around 9:00, read until 10:00ish. I'm 58 and today is a rest day (gym) and I am bored as hell and don't want to sit around. I need to find something. Only been retired 2 months (earlier than I wanted). I can only spread so much mulch.
Day and swing trade the market from 6:30 till 1: 00. After that every day is like a Saturday. I actually prefer weekdays than weekends when the market open. Less boring.
Right now I’m on jury duty, but when I’m finished (been over two months now!) I’m going back to swimming every morning. I’m thinking of going for an AA in Math, just for fun. Idk I just always liked math.
The best thing you can do is avoid Fox News, CNN, MSNBC etc. Stay away from the nonsense and find some hobbies that require one initial investment etc.
Most people if healthy find comfort in relaxation and building relationships with others who are not nagging crackpots...
This is from what I've seen. I haven't retired, do what do I know.
Typical Day for me
6:00 a.m. Feed my Cats
Have coffee on the back deck and watch the hummingbirds
Go for a 3 mile morning walk
Work in my flower garden
Take care of daily choirs
Water my plants in the evening
Snack time for my kitties
Social media time or watch Netflix
Turn in around 10 a.m.
I so love my simple life. I am Blessed beyond measure
60 not retired yet and no plans to retire for at least 7 years. I enjoy my job and it isn’t stressful. They only thing retirement would offer me is another day or two on the golf course.
I'm single, alone, no responsibilities/dependents/inheritors/family. Finances on autopilot.
Same thing I've done my entire life: **AAA**.
**A**thletics: exercise
**A**rts: photography and music
**A**cademics: learn something every day, usually via reading
Chase away the boredom life brings after age 60 that starts about age 40. There's nothing golden about the golden years its all bullshit and window dressing.
I’m sorry you feel that way. I’m in my mid 60s, and the last 15 years have been the most fun I’ve had (kids are grown, haven’t worked in 3 years, etc. ). What would make it better for you?
My structure: 7:30– Wake up, make coffee; read news. 9– Write or do financial work for an hour 10–Go to gym or for walk, gardening Noon— Lunch, shower 1-5 pm— Read, nap, browse web, play online chess. No drinking or TV till after 5.
I try to day drink before 5pm so it doesn’t interfere with sleep
Mine is similar 5:30 - wake up to piss 5:45 - start dinking coffee and going on reddit somewhere between 8-10 - eat something, get back to reddit somewhere around noonish - eat lunch, maybe stretch a bit no drinking before noon, unless I take a hit then we see Back to reddit, might have new stuff by now. Afternoon, wife drags me out for a walk Go over list of projects I need to get started on eventually Back to reddit \~5 - start on dinner, its a whole thing Then tv, while I have reddit on my phone. Life is good ;)
Loving it. Reddit is so addictive.
Great answer! Since my job pays well and has 7 weeks vacation...and i spend at least 50% of my work time on reddit...hell, I might as well keep getting paid to reddit!
Similar! 6:30ish wake up, let dog out, coffee and read news for minimum 2 hours 8:30 -10:30 Morning ablutions, tidy, walk dog, listen to YouTube/podcasts 10:30-11:30 try to do SOMETHING productive around house (weed, paint, look for things to donate). 11:30-noonish eat brunch, YouTube 1 pm”ish” read Reddit, nap Afternoon do god knows what, maybe take dog for ride/errands No wine time before 6 - in bed by 9
This sounds absolutely lovely.
What do you write?
Mostly articles for a financial website. Also some fiction, but never had any luck selling it.
I’d love that as a retirement side hustle
It keeps my hand in the game, anyhow!
Would love to see some of the financial content you write. Any links?
I PM'd you a link.
Can you send me a link as well?
I read a lot, do jigsaw puzzles, exercise in my gym, cook amazing food, entertain friends, watch movies and dumb TV shows, take walks, etc. I don’t know how I ever found time to work 😊
Thanks, worried about being bored. I am "antsy" by nature.
67 F and single, working part time from home, I get what you're saying. I'm worried about being bored and lonelier than I already am after retirement (planning to work another 2.5 years; my job is easy, and I like the money). Covid has done a number on my social life- a few of my social groups disintegrated and never recovered, which I regret. What I observe among my retired friends- they exercise, go to doctor's appointments, go to funerals often, have lunch or dinner with friends, take care of grandkids or disabled relatives (I don't have any grandkids and won't, according to my only child who is now a bit old for childbearing). Some also consume lots and lots of alcohol- a worrisome amount. I only drink socially but am doing a fair number of social things so find myself drinking more than I would like. I sing in community chorus, want to take up pickle ball, do my best to maintain and grow new friendships, walk about 10-12 miles per week, go to Planet Fitness, am considering online dating, listen to voluminous audio books, watch too much dumb TV, walk my daughter's dog while she's working, maintain my house and try not to make shopping into a hobby.
I'm 57 and not retired yet but on the horizon. I saw your comment about pickleball. It is a fun game, it's gone a little nuts right now in popularity which makes it way too competitive for me. Here in N. Texas where I live there has even been pickleball court wars on who has the right to play on them or not. I started playing for fun and exercise but soon the individuals playing were in way too deep for me and it became not fun so I've kind of let it go. I still think you should try it, you'll love it, but look for a beginner only or beer league if you want to keep it fun!! Just my experience.
Thanks for that input! Much appreciated
I've got way too many retired friends and acquaintances who spend a good part of their day drinking. I quit a decade ago because I didn't really enjoy it anymore. I have no problem with others drinking but some of these people just go crazy with it.
Yes and people tend to forget that alcohol is a carcinogen. If we're trying to be mindful about our health that is a fact that should be remembered.
You sound like a good person and one to know. I have job offers for part time work, so I know I can do that if I get too antsy. There is a game club, that plays board games and card games in town they gets together once a month. I will go to that when I can. Maybe do Yoga and I get to walk a lot for work so that keeps me busy, I love to walk.
Yes I never thought I would love walking but I find after about 18 months of doing it regularly that I do enjoy it! After writing the sentence above about consuming more alcohol than I would like, I am intentionally cutting down. I may eliminate it all together. Consuming sugar is another demon I need to slay L O L. I guess one thing at a time.
I’ve tackled both since Covid - let me give you a heads up: If you quit drinking first (like I did) beware of the possibility your alcohol craving may well transfer to sugar (like mine did). If I had to do it over again, I would quit them both at the same time. Good luck! You’re gonna feel fantastic.
Thanks!! I HAVE heard that. Appreciate your input.
Walk the dog. Walk the dog. Walk the dog. Work out in the morning, eat breakfast around 11:00 AM. I've been intermittent fasting, eating between 11:00 AM and 7:00 PM. Hobbies include books, some online gaming (a very social activity with a multiplayer game that includes talking over Discord), and board gaming. Spend a few hours a week monitoring stocks in the IRA. Joined a volunteer program spending a couple of hours in the afternoon two/three times a week driving folks to or from medical appointments and delivering food. Sometimes sit back in the recliner and say "I'm retired, beyotches!" :) Edit: My wife and I also subscribe to Apple News+ so we can read articles in various magazines. We do NOT watch cable news.
> We do NOT watch cable news. I believe that this is really important. It is easy to turn on the TV and let it run in the background, but then it catches your attention. And then this quote applies: "The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts." -- Marcus Aurelius
Wow what a great quote!
His private journals, called ["Meditations"](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meditations), are full of them. They were never meant to be published but somehow survived. My preference is the Hays translation. [Here](https://www.amazon.com/Meditations-New-Translation-Marcus-Aurelius/dp/0812968255/ref=asc_df_0812968255/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=353874173411&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6556399610574632647&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9006604&hvtargid=pla-436971915078&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=71634025176&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=353874173411&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6556399610574632647&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9006604&hvtargid=pla-436971915078)
I like apple news too.
Working out - 2 hours a day. Solving crossword puzzles and running crossword puzzle blog - two hours a day. Work as president of investment club, about 10 hours a month. Work as director of the tax district and chairman of the roads committee, about 20 hours a month. Looking for paintings to buy and attending auctions, about 30 hours a month Attending weekly private men's group, a whole day (10 hours) a week. Talking to buddies on the phone, about 20 hours a week. Posting to Reddit - don't ask.
This last one. Killing my productivity, which I seem oddly concerned about in retirement.
You seem to be earning those internet points quite productively.
When I was working, even my personal private time was indirectly controlled by the job because I had to go to sleep by certain hour to be able to wake up on time. The first year or two on FIRE I loved being “irresponsible” and just do with my time as I pleased. Staying up until 5 am if I want to? No problem. It felt so good not to be stressed about getting to work tomorrow morning, getting up at noon. Eventually, some pattern started to form, tiny habits, that started to create a mini schedule. Mondays were groceries shopping for the week, for example, things like that. After a bit more time, the schedule is more established and I no longer feel the need to stay up until 5 am. I have a list of hundreds of books and albums I want to read or listen to. Still am not doing anything productive, still enjoying not having a corporation control my time. I am financing this life from savings, so I have to live frugally, but I have no desire to summer in Paris and cruise the Caribbean in the winter, so I am okay with that. The trade off was worth it for me.
I feel you but after several years do you feel that the things you do are monotonous? Do you get bored? It does feel liberating without being controlled, it’s as if like high school summer =)
Comparing it to high school summer is a good fit, I would say the first week of that summer. :-) We are all different, my life may feel monotonous to others, but it doesn’t feel that way to me. Maybe if I ever stop enjoying books and music I may feel that, but right now i am very satisfied. I was never into fast living, so I enjoy introverted serenity. Now I am planning to take a 2 or 3 months vacation in some inexpensive location. Pausing my cable/internet/phone for 3 months will easily pay for airfare and I just need to find an Airbnb that gives discount for long stay (many do). I always hated that I could only go for a week or two somewhere when working. I am looking forward to staying in one place and get to really know it. There is also a secondary purpose — exploring places with better weather that I may potentially want to move to. All this is really part of my long bucket list.
We are doing that right now. Booked a vacation rental for 5 weeks and exploring an area for next years 3 month stay. We are testing the waters for semi retirement. It’s working out good so far! Side note: We found better rates through a local vacation rental property manager than through AirBnB. They advertised on Airbnb, but were much cheaper booking direct.
I am so happy to hear this! It makes perfect sense to me, but not to people around me, LOL. And thanks for the tip about vacation rental property managers — I didn’t even know something like that existed. Do you think something like that is also available internationally? (I am tempted to explore life in Spain.)
I have no idea about international. Maybe it’s time to start researching that. I wonder if there is a sub here for international travel. Or on Spain? When we decided to do this, I joined the state and city sub. It helped a lot in determining which nearby town to start with. We knocked it out of the park! Interested in purchasing real estate here but the timing isn’t quite right. My brother keeps telling me to invest in Belize. I keep telling him I am not hip on thatch roofs!
Yeah, I’ll be doing deeper research. So far the only thing I’ve seen is few videos from YouTube influencers and I trust those zero percent, LOL. But I’ve been to Madrid few times because of work and liked it a lot. This time I want to see a bit smaller places. I don’t think I would ever invest in a place these days since I am not sure if I end up liking it enough to stay forever. And while I am pretty frugal, I do need certain level of comfort, so a thatch roof would not work for me either, LOL. I also don’t want to be in a place where you are advised not to go out at night. Pickpockets I expect everywhere, but not knife stabbings or kidnappings.
You can get a private room in a hostel in a place like [Finca Escalante](https://fincaescalante.com) at a very affordable rate. Or stay in a shared space for a ridiculously cheap rate. I’ve stayed there and it’s not just college kids, at all. Free breakfast, music in the evenings, and many travelers interested in saying hi. A lot of Europeans. Could be a great jumping off point to discovering a new part of the world. There are lots of very inexpensive places for a traveler in Costa Rica and the people are extremely nice. I’d highly advise staying off airbnb to find the best rates. Give booking.com a try instead.
Thank you for the tips. I never considered hostels specifically because I thought I am too old for that and certainly not hip enough to blend in. But I will definitely look into that if they offer private rooms. Will also check booking.com — I think I used them once before. Agree about Costa Rica. I’ve been there many years ago, before it became popular, and it was amazing.
I will step in here, and say, one of the things I added got boring. And, I stopped doing it. Simple. That is the great thing about being retired. Since you are your own boss, you can change your priorities and interests.
This is an important aspect of retirement. If you ever had a job where "time to make the donuts" was your mantra -- you can now make the donuts on your own time .... or, heck DON'T make the donuts. You may find other interests of activities that fill your sense of purpose.
Yes, it is monotonous, especially when your friends keep on asking “so what’s next? What’s after that?” I’m like “dude chill, no need to rush to the next agenda. How about just enjoy the ride?” Monotonous becomes a bliss and it shows you that you’ve out grown some of your friends, who is still bustling around their lives thinking they are more productive than you, but in fact, you are way ahead of them, by knowing life is meant to be enjoyed, and not be compared.
Two chicks at the same time
I did absolutely nothing, and it was everything I thought it could be!
Office spaces! Great movie! My cousin is broke don’t do shit
Really? You have a million dollars and that's what you'd do?
So you are raising chickens for eggs.
Occasionally watch friends pets Gym (every day) Swim (every day) Yoga ( 4 times/week) Kayaking ( 2 times/week) Used furniture shop (Craigslist, Thrift stores) Landscaping (new flowers, sprinkler system mods) Soffit and paint repairs (from hurricane Ian) Building new garage workbench Working on mothers condo Date (once a week or so) I am busy all the time. I'm enjoying my life more than ever.
Interested in hearing more abt retired dating life. Do you use apps or meet people organically?
I'm 61, but I retired at 52 so I've been in this mode for a while. I use a dating site, but I periodically inactive this account depending what's going on in my life. I also belong to a number of clubs and groups. Every interaction is an opportunity to meet someone special. I am an extrovert, but I'm not overpowering and I know how to listen. I suppose you could say that I date casually, but that's only because I haven't met the woman who resonates with me, and I want to move to the next level. I did meet one woman who I was certain was the one, but it just didn't work out. I remain hopeful, but am just enjoying life in the meantime. There are many wonderful people out there; just don't forget to live your life.
All of this.
yes, please say more Glen
I stopped watching TV and critically analyzing everything and everyone (which was my career). Instead I spend time doing things that make me smile and bring me joy: traveling, photography, writing poetry, landscaping my yard, planting a vegetable garden, walking, mountain climbing, making new and younger friends half my age, listening to music, singing, learning Spanish, dancing, yoga, hot tub, gym, cooking healthy and delicious food, bicycling, redecorating, cleaning out my parents house full of excess stuff, having garage sales, going to garage sales and auctions, eating at independent restaurants in my neighborhood, floating down a river on an inflatable raft with friends, foraging for wild plants, going to lots of doctor appointments, reading science, visiting friends, doing NYT puzzles, participating in cognitive studies on aging, helping friends and family with chores and personal struggles, learning new technology, trimming trees, sitting quietly looking out of the window contemplating life, past present and future. Enjoying the feeling of being happier and healthier than at any time in my life (M72).
I've only been retired for about a month, so I don't have a routine yet. Let's just say I'm still in the "relaxing" portion of the event. I worked most of my career in high tech, got laid off after many years and opened my own retail shop as my "first retirement." Ran that for 12 years and recently closed for "real" retirement. I'd consider myself middle class, but I suppose it all depends on how you calculate that. I'm also single, alone, no responsibilities (except my mortgage). The remodel on my kitchen and bathroom is almost finished (I'm not doing it myself, of course). Once that's done and I get settled in the new configuration, I hope to explore more cooking and baking (I have neighbors to share with). I have sourdough and my dad's favorite sourdough baking book to explore. I have a whole room full of yarn and fiber and lots and lots of knitting and spinning projects to tackle. Stuff I haven't had time to do for way too long. I've already finished one new book and half of another and have more waiting to be read. There are walks to take, friends to visit, roads to travel, and no set schedule for any of it. In early 2024, I'm booked for a 22-day cruise that starts in Buenos Aires, goes around the horn (Antarctica), and ends in Chile. That's courtesy of my friend who cruises a lot and thus got a free cruise and invited me along. The choices are endless. The first task is to just relax and enjoy it. :)
I’m not retired yet but new COVID hobby- baking sourdough bread! Loooove it! So many things to learn about yeast and fermentation and overall bread making on path toward being an ‘expert’, and get to enjoy the fruits (bread) of our labor!
I'm married and the Honey-do list is neverending. She thinks I can reroof the house like I was 60 again.
I do yoga and tai chi, I read a lot, and I ride my horses.
I moved to a new city / state. Used Meetup to find activities and made friends too.
Sort of my plan in about 4 and half years. There are also 3 different nonprofits would like to volunteer for
HOBBIES
Medically retired age 60 Activities Physical Therapy Visiting son, daughter in law and grandbaby in another state to help them out around the house while they work Organize and downsize belongings (never-ending project) Watch movies, documentaries etc Plant and maintain a vegetable garden Browse bookstores Went on a cruise, first time! Fun! Go for walks Various projects example-inventory of the pantry and fridge for an app that can suggest recipes with what's on hand and make shopping lists with recipes you want to make Donate blood regularly Visit relatives Meet friends for coffee Take extra care of skin, hair and nails Mail cards for birthdays, anniversaries and holidays Play with the cat Browse and comment on Reddit 🌺
What did you like about the cruise?
Most everything except it was a bit crowded!
Read, do house and yardwork, cycle, walk, hike, gym, learn musical instruments, play music with other people, volunteer, go to sporting events, visit friends.
Join a masters ski race team.
Gardening, woodworking, reading, volunteering, home improvement, golf……..
Find a nudist colony and not give a anymore
Lol
Volunteer 3-4 days per week for Habitat building houses. I am gone 8 hrs from the house on those days. I try to “be off” Friday-Monday to give me time to do stuff around my house. I have nearly finished my first batch of projects. Now that it is nice weather I will plan 1-2 weekend camping trips per month -within a 4 hr drive from the house. I am trying to learn the guitar (apparently NOT a natural). In other words doing my best to stay busy. I don’t like not having commitments to keep me motivated. I’m kind of worried because it looks like the Habitat but will be on hiatus for a few months so I am looking for something to commit to 3 days a week. Maybe the ReStore or maybe a local food pantry. I need to look around to see who needs help.
How generous of you to do that. Camping trips is a nice idea. Thank you =)
I find it boring as hell and will probably go back to work. But I'm in the minority (that is, most people won't admit it, lol).
I felt the same and went back to work part time. Fortunately, I like my job and the people I work with. Hoping for a grandchild in the next couple of years to spoil and then I will likely quit for good.
Not think about work
I retired two years ago. Divorced and I live in a small city. I take a long walk almost every morning. I do a photography challenge every week which gives me some structure. I also have other hobbies…cooking, fiber arts, just started painting, reading. I have a small garden that keeps me busy in the spring and summer. I like to travel both locally and internationally. Now that I am retired I can go at oddball times of the year to get better deals and avoid massive crowds at popular destinations. I’m also cleaning out my house/decluttering which is a major process. Honestly I haven’t been bored for one minute.
Buy a motorcycle. Go.
Coffee, Wordle, exercise class. Browse web, lunch, online work for nonprofit. Some days go hiking with friends. Some days have grandkids over. Early dinner, because who cares? Take walk, watch one episode of whatever our latest series is, reading, early to bed.
Don’t you ever get bored? Early dinner is good because you get to digest early. Thank you for sharing =)
digest early LOL. Good point
Thanks for asking. Sure, I sometimes get bored, but not often. I’ve been retired/semi-retired on and off for a few years now. Have managed to find friends with common interests to spend time with. Add shopping, lunch out, occasional trips to the mix, and I’m good. Mostly an introvert, so I enjoy my quiet time. Yes, early digestion! It’s like intermittent fasting without really trying.
I"m single and have been retired for 5 years. I usually get up around 8-9, sometimes later. Coffee, light breakfast, dress, household chores, lunch. Outdoor yard work or gym. Pick up grandkids from school 2 days/week, hang with them, make dinner for all of us (sometimes). Clean kitchen. Read, crochet, TV, internet, see my BF. Right now I'm getting a good bit of work done on my house so quite often am getting ready for that, or talking to contractors, etc. I have not once been bored or regretted retiring.
Retired only a year and a half. Honestly no idea where the time goes. Making food, going to the market, squeezing in some fitness, playing video games, and so on. Days alway seem busier than I'd like. Still find myself looking forward to that totally relaxing day.
We usually plan a some fun events for the week and then we have errands, chores, yard work, etc. We belong to a number of clubs and meet up groups, so those always have activities, usually at least several a day to pick from, between the different groups. Then we often have a few fun things planned on our own or with friends each week. For fun we like to go hiking, go out for live music, go to concerts, read, do yoga, see live plays, visit museums, go to gardens, attend club meetings, and go out for dinner or happy hour with friends. Our big events for this month are three symphony concerts, a play and weekend trip to visit family. If we have time this week we might go out for dinner with a live band and go to a rock music concert at a state park on little local island on the weekend. Then there is posting here and streaming movies and TV shows at home. Plus the usual chores. Today I got caught up at home - errands, laundry, cleaning, filing, and online shopping. Every day we try to go for at least one walk and cook a lot from scratch, so the cooking and clean up take time. We never get bored and there's always more fun stuff to do where we live than we have time to do, even with being retired. We're also trying to get some home improvements done, organize our paperwork and get rid of half our stuff to make things easy on our adult kids some day, and that all takes time.
Here is my typical day … 6:00 - 7:30 wake up, coffee, journaling, update YNAB 7:30 - 8:30 go for a walk 8:30 - 11:30 blog and vlog and a little coding 11:30 - 12:30 cook and eat lunch 12:30 - 13:00 Relax, chat with spouse, snooze 13:00 - 14:30 Long bike ride or Gym 14:30 - 17:00 Varies ( Club activities, Gaming, Errands ) 17:00 - 21:00 Watch Netflix, News, Youtoube etc 21:00 Bedtime
I created a blog (retiredlifebymcgeno.com) I pick up and restore old furniture, play golf, side hustle is dog walking and sitting, work in the yard, way to much on lone chess, oh and also teaching myself to code. Keeping pretty busy
I had a wealth of things planned for my retirement. Cancer wasn't one of them. It radically changes both your future, both financially and physically. That's not to complain, just to advise -- don't put too much stock into the things you plan to do. Now, on the days where chemo and its affect take center stage look like: 7-7:30: Wake up spend about 15 minutes in prayerful meditation. 8-8:30: Coffee and breakfast, feed the bird and pooch, move bird to porch. 9-11: Usually in the yard. Things got a little out of control during my recovery, so I'm slowly reining it back in. 11-12: Shower and lunch. Afternoons depend on the day. Most are spent helping at the local food pantry, blogging about the weather (hence my name!) and catching up with friends and family. Evenings: Dinner, bring the bird in, a little TV and Reddit/Twitter. There are lots of small projects to fill any idle time. I keep a notebook of things to do, so if I ever feel useless, there's always something else to check off. I've learned how to cook Indian dishes and grow my own spices and Mexican peppers. Essentially, life may not be jet-set excitement, but if you surround yourself with things that make you happy, it's never dull. And it's a lot easier to get up in the morning when you have a bit of structure.
F-cancer. I hope you kick it's ass.
I was retired for about a decade, starting in my mid-40s. Don't recommend. The Velvet Rut is real. I've noticed many of my friends who are now retiring (in their late 50's / early 60's) are willingly giving up agency, not realizing it, and not realizing their mental health is deteriorating because of it. About a decade ago I started a business with the purpose of serving my community, inspiring my kids and making money. It's fun to make money when you are already financially secure. It makes it possible to pay attention to personal values. My employees are the most amazingly awesome people, and they regularly tell me how grateful they are that I created an opportunity for them to be productive. Nobody who is "retired" gets that juice on the regular. I highly recommend organizing your life about being of service in some fashion. Seems to be as necessary for humans as food, water and shelter. As a curious side effect, I totally stopped all alcohol a while ago. Not because I'm opposed to it, but now my life is so purpose filled I need the extra hours in the evening. (Proof that there is no God: A kind, compassionate God would not have made poison taste so good!) Highly recommend recognizing that "retirement" is a bit of propaganda that serves the interests of some, but not of those who are retired.
Semi retired here. Do some independent consulting that takes up about 1 full day weekly unless I am traveling for clients. The rest of the time: genealogy, gaming, model building, reading, drive my sports car too fast, some gym and in the summer swimming, travel.
Household chores, nap, go for a walk, go shopping, sleep in, stay up late, Dr appointments, volunteer, chiropractor, massage, go to gym, visit with friends or my daughter, phone calls with friends far away, nap...
My fiance is retired, but I work night shift to support us. She sleeps till 10-11:00. Reads or knits till she starts watching TV around 8pm. I leave my new house early so I can buy food before work and something to eat at midnight. She doesn't think she is doing anything wrong. If I'm hungry, it's my responsibility. She is going to be surprised when I put her out. Damn, I made a terrible mistake.
Everything I was not able to do because I was always working.
Tennis lessons Volunteer (Red Cross, Rotary, Food Bank) Read on the couch with the dog Travel, plan for trips Lunch with girlfriends Cook (life goal to learn to throw a pizza in the air)
I spend the majority of my day managing health conditions.
Whatever you want. You set your own schedule when you're retired--limited only by your physical abilities and any appointments that you make.
Health is a big concern to me because I’m alone. Thats why I do regular checkups
Whatever the hell we want to
Golf. That is all.
I'm traveling the world. Same situation: retired, single, no responsibilities. Cost of living in many other countries is much less than living in the US.
Nice one. What are the places you have been to? Thanks for sharing
For the last 18 months I have been slow traveling, normally 3 to 6 months in a country depending on their tourist visa. Monthly rentals are normally cheaper and it keeps down the travel expenses. I am on my second trip to Guatemala to take Spanish lessons, and have also been to Mexico and Argentina. Next month I'm off to Ecuador, and plan to keep heading south for the rest of 2023.
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A mixture of Airbnb and the school normally have lists of places you can stay.
Ok this is my dream! That’s exactly what I want to do in a few years when I plan to early retire. Do you have a permanent place?
Nope, sold my house in the US 18 months ago. Use a family members address for what little mail I get.
Do you ever regret not having a home base? Did you sell all your stuff or keep it in storage?
So far, no regrets. I'm still in South America. I rent a small store-room for things I just could not part with, and everything else was sold or given away.
Sounds awesome, thx for sharing!
Antigua?
This trip Xela, last year San Pedro La Laguna.
I'm retired, my partner is not. We spend lots of time outside, working in the yard and our backyard chickens keep us entertained. We love birding and wildlife , do some hiking, camping and spend time with our kids. I knit sweaters, bake, watch good TV, maintain our home and take a siesta most afternoons. We travel to see our grown kids or I tag along on business trips /conferences as they come up. Busy and not so busy at the same time, I'm still adjusting and it's been 3 years. It's a process.
Wow lucky you. You get to experience those things. I’m a loner myself. Introvert. I would like to learn to knit also. Thank you for sharing
Same, exact situation except for one elderly aunt. I wake up. Drink coffee. Review finances. Lunch around 11a, sometimes alone, sometimes with friends. Pack (I'm planning on selling my house soon). Work on researching/planning my trip to Europe later this year. Certain days I meal plan and meal prep. I am in two book clubs so I read a lot. I play video games to my heart's content. Dinner alone or sometimes with friends. Watch whatever I want whenever I want. I play D&D once a week for about 6 hours and now I can play on Sundays without worrying about getting up early for work on Monday morning.
Good things. I urge you not to be so quick to sell your house if you don’t need money. Do you ever feel bored after doing those things after a year or two?
Thanks. To be honest, I've only been retired for going on 3 months. I hope I don't get bored! I've been an avid gamer most of my life and playing with reckless abandon is so much fun. Selling my house was part of my long-term retirement plan. I am hoping to sell, downsize to a condo, and bank what's left. My financial planner helped me with most of the planning and we ran the "keep the house and fix it" scenario vs. the "sell and buy a condo" scenario. Selling wins mostly because my house was built in 1949 and it would drain my savings to fix everything that's wrong with it and to make it ready to age in place.
The boredom and lack of purpose really terrify me about retirement. I plan on working as long as I can, but realistically there is going to be a point when I can’t keep up with changing technology any more.
But the trade off is a lack of any stress and potentially a longer life
Not in 21st century America.
I spend a lot of time Socializing, volunteering, on hobbies, and traveling. Most of My Friends are still working, and a few live more than 4 hours away, so I joined a social club to Meet new people, and I’ve made some Great new friends. I have lunch out with friends, enjoy my monthly book club, kayak, walk, go Out for happy hour, throw casual dinner parties, and travel with my friends and husband. I also garden, quilt, cook/bake, and read. Occasional Concerts, festivals, and wine- tasting (live in Northern CA). I love to Travel , but as a former teacher, I do It on a budget. Still, have managed to spend A month in Italy, several weeks in Mexico, and criss cross the country several times in the last 3 years I’ve been retired. Making plans for month long road trip to national Parks, another trip to San Miguel de Allende in Mexico and 6 weeks in South America Within the next year. I am On three non-profit boards (Library, Assistance League, and my social club), and also volunteer as a CASA and for Assistance League programs. I sleep in every day, spend at least two Days a week doing very little other than reading and relaxing, and enjoy staying busy the other 5 days. I’m expecting my First grandchild next year, and will help with child care a lot the first two Years. I’m one of those people who like to Lend a hand and keep busy, but lots of my friends prefer to keep a less packed schedule!
Watch the movie My Name is Otto. That’s a realistic portrayal of retired life.
Watch the Swedish version A Man called Ove - I liked that much better
A Man Called Otto? With Tom Hanks?
Depends on the weather. We live on 10 acres and I’m working to make it attractive and, maintenance free. The “maintenance free“ may not be feasible. We built a new home on undeveloped land and moved in mid-Dec, 2021. This spring’s task list including planting grass is some thin spots. Cutting it is accomplished in about 35 min but edging and blowing it off adds a little more time. I’m addressing some erosion also where the rain caused issues. I’ve worked about six hours of spreading hay to supplement the pine straw on the ground. When that’s done, I’ll line one ditch with riprap and stray weedkiller to take care of the broadleaf weeds under the pines. Typically, I’m at it 3-4 hours in the morning and the afternoons off are a nice reward. It’s certainly not everyon’s ideal retiremen but, surprisingly, I really enjoy it. Previously, we lived in the desert so Imescaped landscaping for the last 27 years. Every other Wednesday is breakfast with an old friend. Rain this afternoon will allow more downtime. I try to row several times a week after rowing 1,000,000 meters in Fed. Yeah…got a little carried away to say the least.
It's so wild that this question keeps coming up. I'm assuming OP is American, since other countries dont have work culture like the US. Do you do anything on the weekends other than work? What do you do in your spare time? Play an instrument? Ride a bike? I'm an artist so retirement means I can work on what I want. So I paint all day or work with clay, I also cycle, hike go to the beach. What I DONT do is sit on front of a TV all day. I'm also a musician so I'm always practicing and playing. I also read a lot. I've got a passport and dual citizenship in the UK so I also travel. What did you always dream of doing when you retired? Do that! Good luck OP!
Wake up around 5:30 am and drink tea and read articles on phone. Go to hike in Sedona. Finish around 1:00. Have healthy lunch in Sedona. Go back to home. Shop at Sprouts for veggies and Fruits. Make a healthy dinner. Watch the news and later a movie on Netflix. Plan for another adventure for the next day. On the weekends attention local festivals/events downtown and have friends stay with us over the weekend.
I sleep until I wake up naturally, large glass of water, coffee soon after. Gym, volunteer at the friends of the library. Meet friends a couple of time a week for lunch or early dinner. Read 2 book a week, fix dinner, occasionally babysit my grandkids (5 and 2) that are 2 hours away. 3 yorkies, my husband, and my back patio make my life very sweet!
Exercise. Hobbies. Travel.
Stare out the window and wait for death. Seriously, retirement is not for everyone. When I stopped working at 33 I travelled the world. That will burn you out quick. Then I travelled the US in an RV. I still travel a lot but it's not so terribly exciting. I have also done all the "fun" things, flown planes and helicopters, raced cars, flown through the desert in fast trucks, been in a boating club. I'm tired of eating out, and every day is pretty much the same. The main difference is the view out the window while I surf the net. Even if I came up with a hobby that took 2 hours every day, I would still have 12 to fill. In the mountains I drink coffee slowly, then go for a two hour hike once it's warm enough. If Florida I go for a walk, then swim for an hour, then drink coffee. Still leaves most of the day open. I may be a special case but there is a reason a lot of people keep or go back to working, just better than sitting idle at home.
You did a lot of things already after that you’re back to where you are because there is really nothing left to do so you get bored. Thats how I feel too
Gym 5am daily Monday thru Friday Breakfast 7-8. Watch a show. 8am move outside to my garage and work shop where I spend 5-6 hours daily working on projects listening to talk radio, catching up with friends and family on occasion. Fixing things for my kids and grandkids or working on the yard and massive amount of plants trees and bamboo we planted in the previous 12 years here. Soccer for the 6 grands is in the spring and fall so that’s 2-3 afternoons a week and every Saturday 2-3 games so that changes up the schedule. Church on Saturday night. Sunday is our Saturday. Bored. Not quite. After working 60+ hour weeks for 40 years this is our reward!!
I do Astronomy with my many scopes at night, then sleep in the day. Guess I'm sort of a Goth.
6:30 Coffee, read internet news. 7:30 Run 8-10 miles 9:30 Shower, shave,more coffee, plan day with wife 11:00 Lunch 11:30 Chores- mow, blow leaves, cut/split firewood, garden, etc (2.5 wooded acres) or indoor paint, repair, clean. 2:30 Nap time 3:00 Read 4:30 Happy hour 5:30 Cook/Dinner/Clean up 7:00 TV, internet, mostly read or socialize, occasionally wood shop projects. 11:30 Bed
A project my hubby and I are starting… Trying to get congress to stop taxing SS benefits of people under a certain income threshold. I have been doing the research, hubby was in sales so he is used to pitching ideas. We plan to approach key people hoping to spark interest, or at least get people thinking. Not retired yet, but this needs done before we are retired so started earlier than planned.
Volunteer one morning a week at local food bank, exercise class one morning, hike trails in local parks at least three mornings a week. Long walks including stop at local coffee shop. Lots of hobby time - photography and miniature art. Write monthly article for local paper. Lunch with friends a few times a week. Host friends for lunch or dinner. Life is good!
video game binge, swimming, snack. wash, rinse, repeat.
I do some volunteer work--delivering meals one day a week to patients with restrictive dietary needs. I am also on call with the local animal shelter to transport animals when needed. My son recently bought a house that needed some work and that has kept me busy. When I'm done there, I have a list of projects to do at home. In some ways, I feel busier than when I actually worked a job. But all of my time is my own. That one big part of my brain that was consumed by work has been mostly reclaimed.
Never bored! Relaxing early morning coffee. Birdwatching here at home. Morning stretches, exercise of various types during the day, often a long walk. We play Wingspan (board game) every day. Mostly cook at home. Read, evenings we like to stream old British Murder Mysteries or “Murder She Wrote”. We stay in touch with distant friends and family mostly electronically.
My father does the chores. Drives the school bus. Goes to the va for occupational therapy and for cancer treatment. Suffers in pain because he won’t get his knees replaced. Other than that, online.
I retired a couple of months ago and I love it. Right now I'm still drinking coffee and having cuddle time with my boyfriend and cat. Today we're washing the car, going grocery shopping, maybe drive to the forest and go hiking. My boyfriend says that I somehow managed to get even more spoiled since I retired.
A lot of outdoor activities. Gardening, fishing, mushroom hunting and so on. I'm sitting here at 5am having coffee and waiting for it to get light enough to go kokanee fishing from my kayak. Winter is harder though. Fortunately I'm very happy just sitting and reading and watching the rain. I also enjoy doing DIY stuff around my 1938 craftsman which we're slowly restoring to its original condition
I know several "retired" people who are actually busier than when they were working. They do alot of volunteer stuff or they travel or just take up alot of new hobbies.
Whatever the F they want!
Daily: long walks, Pickleball, tennis, read, short nap, volunteer Intermittently: travel
Daily: Exercise, physical therapy, errands, neverending chores and repairs, reading, cooking, dealing with an elderly cat who needs special care. (I honestly don’t know how I kept up with all of this while working. I can barely keep up with it now.) Less often than daily: Traveling, volunteering, meeting friends for breakfast every couple of weeks, meeting different friends for happy hour every couple of weeks, concerts or dinners out, doing puzzles, watching a small amount of TV or movies.
My mornings are always the same; breakfast while getting online for emails, news surfing, pay bills, anything computer related. Then I do 45 minutes on my treadmill. Then I do my Spanish lesson on Duolingo. Then I read for about an hour, I always have a book going. Right now it's Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett (great book!) Afternoons I will either do any chores needed around the house or do something fun or relaxing, depending on the season and weather. Chores include mowing the lawn, filling the bird feeders, I might be doing a project like just put new tile for a backsplash in our kitchen. Anything around the house that may need fixing. I also have a couple motorcycles that may need oil changes etc. My wife and I will take turns cooking dinner, but I'm the baker, love homemade bread. If I'm not doing things around the house, then we do fun or relaxing things. If the weather is nice, I like laying out on my deck getting some sun, listening to music, smoking a doobie. We may go kayaking, motorcycling, or hiking. One of my hobbies is brewing beer, usually try to do this during rainy days, it takes about 5 hours for a 5 gallon batch. During the winter we visit casinos for fun, never bet much, just something to do and get out to see things when it's cold out. Casinos often offer good comps on food for seniors over 55. During the summer, we go to the beach often, two or three times a week. We've been taking a lot of road trips since we bought our electric car last year. Not paying for gas and having a high tech, quiet, fun car makes us want to drive it and go places. We've put 13,000 miles on it in less then a year traveling up and down the east coast. We are planning a trip out west this summer. At night we cook dinner, watch some TV, read some more, get naked. Although that can happen any time of day. Can honestly say we're never bored. Even doing nothing is great. Retirement is the best.
Hubs (62) has been retired for 3 years. I’ve (54) been retired for 1 1/2 years. We winter in Florida and have an active winter with lots of exercise and social activities. The rest of the year we still maintain the exercise daily. I go to take glasses at the gym for the social interaction. But am feeling a bit restless atm so I’ve signed up for a free online college course. I want to keep my mind and body active.
I went online to find all the walking trails, free or inexpensive things to do, restaurants I'd never been to before and made lists. I'm working through them doing something new each week. Keeps it a bit less routine.
After 6-7 hours of sleep, wake up. Dog out, dog bfast, coffee, paper (on computer), word games Walk dog Tidy Pilates 3x week Fiber-goal is to touch fiber daily- weave, spin, sew, knit Art- art class 1x per week, goal to work on a piece of art daily. Reading- try to read daily. Gaming-usually solo. Anyone interested in Wingspan? I *think* I can set up a Discord so we can talk. My son set me up once. Maybe I remember how. Gardening-maybe, until the heat and humidity is just too much. Evening is early dinner, knitting, reading and maybe television. Streaming only-because binge watching a series is so good. Dog out Bed by 1030-11. Edit: Add Fridays we eat with friends at a restaurant, getting neighbors together for monthly drinks/heavy snacks. Getting another cat this week-so chaos on the menu as well, plan travel.
52 Semi retired and single in New Hampshire 6am - usually up. Many days I’m showering and headed out to do some birdwatching. This varies by season. On non-outing days, it’s coffee and breakfast and reading / Reddit / YouTube 9am or 10am - work starts. Primarily Zoom consulting calls and planning time. An hour for lunch. I’m done most days by 3pm. It’s about 20 hours a week. Location independent, so I can do this and travel. Usually 4 or 5 days a week. 3pm - Get up and out of the house. Walk. Bird. Photography. Go for a drive. Check mail. Check on rental properties. Woodworking at the local makerspace. Shopping. Dinner prep. Different every day. 6pm - Dinner. Home or out. Usually home. 7pm - TV land most nights. I get out for live music at least once a week. Three nights a month I have online board meetings. I don’t drink or get high very often, certainly not daily. 9pm / 10pm - in bed.
I try to include these things, but I have no set schedule: \- Coffee, yogurt, fruit \- Internet (now), social media, Wordle (something for my mind) \- Stationary bike, gym or pool \- Lunch \- Shopping for groceries \- TV (sports or news) \- Sometimes snorkeling or diving (we live on Cozumel part time) \- Driving range \- Messing with my classic Corvette, maybe a car show \- Live music when someone we know is playing \- Eating out or dinner, I try to eat 4 or 5 smaller meals \- I need to include "work on my sobriety". My wife doesn't drink and I quit a year or so ago, so need to make that a priority
Im in film writing school and also go to acting school.
Clean house, car, etc. Exercise: Resistance, stretch, range of motion, balance FL Studio Fusion 360 Piano Read books Podcasts Scripture Spin Bike Walking Social Activity Focus on emergent activity Journaling Drive
I take care of my 2 yo granddaughter 3 days a week. In the summer I will also have my 5yo granddaughter 5 days. We have 50+ wellness centers here. They are not only a gym, but they have tons of activities. I like to do glass art, leather crafting, and ceramics. Might try watercolor painting. I love being able to get my shopping/errands done weekday mornings when it's quiet. I can spend hours at the library or Barnes and noble. I have a swim spa so I swim every day.
I’ve always been introverted and I’m quite content in my own company. I stay outdoors as much as I can and avoid watching TV. I have a lot of hobbies and household projects that I pick and choose from as my mood or the weather dictate. I go to the gym, tend my flowers, do yard work, crochet, cook, bake, read, paint, birdwatch, tend to household maintenance. Retired one year ago and haven’t had a boring day yet.
At 11:00 am, I have an appointment with my workout room, where I lift weights, do cardio, dance, stretch, and so on. For two hours usually. Around 4:00, I’ll usually start puttering around with projects in or outside the house, for a couple of hours. Usually listening to audio books. In between I like to code, learn new software, especially graphics and animation. I’m learning Spanish on Duolingo. I enjoy VR. And Reddit. I like to cook healthyish food. And for the first and last few hours of the day, my husband and I watch tv or YouTube together. A couple times a month, I go out with a meetup group that walks, kayaks, bikes, or snorkels in the state and national parks. I still go scuba diving a few times in the summer. it’s like the first time in my life that I can do whatever I want, whenever I want. As a child, it’s constant school. As an adult it’s constant work. Now, it’s what makes me happy. Right now I’m enjoying some kind of drama between six crows in my front yard
7am. Wake up. Turn goose eggs. Make sure the dog pees. 9am. Wake back up. Make coffee. Feed and release chickens and geese. Catch the indoor kitty outside. Walk half mile to the mailbox. Do laundry Reddit until 1130ish. 1230ish break fast. Eat. Youtube. I need to finish the mandalorian before I cancel Disney. We buy a month, twice per year. 2pmish, household chores. 3pmish, turn goose eggs, chicken checks. Let A team out to free range. 4 to 6ish: nap. Eggs for dinner. 7pmish, walk. Mow. Mulch the garden. 845pmish: put birds to bed. Feed dogs. 11pmish Bed after turning goose eggs. I generally keep the grandkids once per week, it varies in the summer. I go to the feed store/shop biweekly. Shop for the household monthly at the thrift store sale. I do family socializing maybe monthly. I go to foodbanks weekly. We're not church goers currently. I do have a spouse in recovery and therapy. I don't drink. Not many friends. The spouse and I are starting to "plug in" to my daughter's Jewish congregation on a few activities. I'm currently teaching myself some Russian at a snail pace to create new pathways in my 56 year old brain. (I have brain scars related to chronic epstein barr/migraines, some demyelinization, and relatives with dementia. ) The 33 character alphabet is a huge hurtle, so I love it when I get a new letter settled in.
Wake at 6:00, trying to work up to 7:00. Coffee, watch weather and CNBC. 9:00, do reporting, download stock positions, dividend data, plan trades. Busiest trading days are Monday morning and Friday afternoon. Gym at 10:30, then lunch, listen to CNBC. Run errands, yard work, hobbies until 4:00, sit outside and have a beer and watch birds, deer. Ladies (wife & friends) meet 1x a week on my patio, and I hang sometimes. Grill a couple times a week and am trying to help more with cooking. Watch Braves baseball in the evening and catch the end of the game in the rerun in the morning. Go to bed around 9:00, read until 10:00ish. I'm 58 and today is a rest day (gym) and I am bored as hell and don't want to sit around. I need to find something. Only been retired 2 months (earlier than I wanted). I can only spread so much mulch.
Day and swing trade the market from 6:30 till 1: 00. After that every day is like a Saturday. I actually prefer weekdays than weekends when the market open. Less boring.
Right now I’m on jury duty, but when I’m finished (been over two months now!) I’m going back to swimming every morning. I’m thinking of going for an AA in Math, just for fun. Idk I just always liked math.
The best thing you can do is avoid Fox News, CNN, MSNBC etc. Stay away from the nonsense and find some hobbies that require one initial investment etc. Most people if healthy find comfort in relaxation and building relationships with others who are not nagging crackpots... This is from what I've seen. I haven't retired, do what do I know.
Typical Day for me 6:00 a.m. Feed my Cats Have coffee on the back deck and watch the hummingbirds Go for a 3 mile morning walk Work in my flower garden Take care of daily choirs Water my plants in the evening Snack time for my kitties Social media time or watch Netflix Turn in around 10 a.m. I so love my simple life. I am Blessed beyond measure
Eat potted meat and drink water.
Lol
60 not retired yet and no plans to retire for at least 7 years. I enjoy my job and it isn’t stressful. They only thing retirement would offer me is another day or two on the golf course.
I'm single, alone, no responsibilities/dependents/inheritors/family. Finances on autopilot. Same thing I've done my entire life: **AAA**. **A**thletics: exercise **A**rts: photography and music **A**cademics: learn something every day, usually via reading
Chase away the boredom life brings after age 60 that starts about age 40. There's nothing golden about the golden years its all bullshit and window dressing.
I’m sorry you feel that way. I’m in my mid 60s, and the last 15 years have been the most fun I’ve had (kids are grown, haven’t worked in 3 years, etc. ). What would make it better for you?
Hmm some days yeah other days nah.