Many people hope retirement will be a period of leisure and relaxation. But for many retirees, this turns out not to be true.
Although results are mixed, many studies show that retirees experience increased difficulty with mobility and daily activities and more illness within just a few years of retirement. And many recent retirees suffer from loneliness and depression. But there are ways to counteract these problems. Regular physical activity and positive social relationships can boost physical and mental health for older adults. So the real problem probably isn’t retiring from full-time work; it’s having nothing to fill your time once you do.
[See: 12 Great Things About Retirement.]
They key is to plan for what your retirement will look like, not just how you’ll fund your retirement. This means selecting fulfilling ways to fill your time in retirement. Try some of these options on for size:
1. Travel. Even if you’re on a tight retirement budget, you can travel locally. Become a tourist in your hometown or state. Eat at restaurants you’ve never tried. Get a membership to your local art museum. Check out kitschy tourist traps near where you live. If you can, take a friend with you.
2. Learn something new. Whether it’s learning to paint, play music or cook gourmet food, learning something new keeps your brain engaged and healthy. Plus, new hobbies often bring about new social connections, which keep life interesting.
3. Take a class. Don’t want to learn all on your own? Consider taking a class instead. Try a group art, music or exercise class. Or learn a bit of a new language, how to write computer code or how to set up your own website.
4. Teach a class. Don’t leave those skills developed over 40 or more years in the workforce in a drawer. Pull them out and teach a class. Local libraries and community centers often look for volunteers to teach on a variety of topics, from gardening for kids to how to write a resume for those looking for jobs.
5. Volunteer. Your community is probably packed with volunteer opportunities. Teach someone to read. Play with children in your church’s nursery. Take meals to shut-ins. Organize a food pantry. The options are endless, and chances are you can take your favorite aspects of your long-term career and apply them to a volunteer job.
6. Start a side business. You could develop a hobby into a money-making pursuit. Just be sure you don’t sink your retirement savings or cut down your Social Security check as a result of launching a business.
7. Work part-time. Don’t want to devote time to starting your own business, but still enjoy working? Get a part-time job. Local YMCAs and community centers are great locations to find age-appropriate jobs where you could work for 10 to 20 hours per week.
8. Mentor a child. Whether it’s your own grandchildren or a kid on your block, spending time with children is a great way to keep your brain engaged and healthy. If you don’t know any small kids right now, hook up with a mentoring organization like Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.
9. Spend time with family. This is an obvious one for many retirees, but you’ll need to make it a priority if it’s truly important to you. Check in with family members often, and make a point to schedule dinners, vacations and other events ahead of time.
[See: 10 Retirement Rites of Passage.]
10. Become a coach. If you played a sport, even as a child, you may qualify to coach small kids. Most community leagues don’t require any specific skillset, other than being patient and understanding the basics of the sport. If you have a more in-depth knowledge, consider coaching or assistant coaching at a higher level.
11. Try some DIY home improvements. As you settle into being home more often, you may find you have time for projects that you have neglected for years. If you’ve got the skills, go ahead and take on some do-it-yourself home improvements. If not, you can learn basics, such as painting techniques and how to refinish furniture, pretty easily.
12. Spend time with old friends. Just like you need to make time for family, you’ll also need to make time for old friendships. Plan trips to see old friends, or schedule a monthly dinner date with a local group.
13. Develop some new relationships. Maybe your friends are starting to move away, or you retired before most of them. In this case, leverage classes, community centers, your church and other social places to create a new network of friends to spend time with.
14. Babysit. Offer to give your kids a date night by babysitting your grandchildren. Or keep an eye out for parents in your neighborhood who could use an extra hand now and then.
15. Go to college. If you’ve always dreamed of getting a degree, consider going back to college in retirement. Retirees can often audit classes for a very low fee or even for free at some colleges, so you can learn without paying hefty course fees.
16. Work through a reading list. Create a list of all the books you’ve always wanted to read, but have never had time to tackle. Pick one every few weeks to read through during your retirement.
17. Write a book or blog. Start writing your memoirs, or that piece of fiction you’ve always kept in the back of your mind. Or create a blog where you can talk about your daily experiences or give advice to younger workers in your field.
18. Start a garden. Gardening is great for both mental and physical engagement. And it’s especially wonderful when vegetable gardening can cut your grocery bill and give you fresh, healthy things to eat.
19. Host a foreign exchange student. Get yourself some part-time company by offering a room to a foreign exchange student or a student at your local college. Alternatively, make all sorts of interesting connections by offering a room through Airbnb.
20. Set some exercise goals. You’re never too old to set some new exercise goals, especially since you now have no excuse for not making time to work out. Run a marathon. Enter a triathlon. Or simply set a date to walk around the block every evening with a friend.
[See: 10 Retirement Lifestyles Worth Trying.]
21. Get a pet. Pets can be great companionship, and good for your mental health. Plus, if you choose a pet like a dog that needs exercise, it’ll force you to keep up healthy exercise habits.
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21 Fulfilling Ways to Pass Time in Retirement originally appeared on usnews.com
