Fun Things to do in Retirement

LouisHorkan

By Louis Horkan
Reviewed by Nathan Kattner

Table Of Contents

    We discuss fun things to do in retirement, focused on helping you achieve enjoyment and fulfillment once you retire.

    Table of Contents

    Overall, we offer 5 fun things to do in retirement as a primer to help get you thinking about how to have fun and be fulfilled in retirement, plus a bonus list of other things to consider.

    You’ve put in your time, fought the good fight, played by the rules in terms of investing and planning for life in retirement. Now, suddenly you find yourself retired.

    And…

    What should I do now? Next?

    Get up at 10ish. Put in a round of golf every day starting early afternoon. Watch some TV and do a little web surfing to catch up on the news. Eat dinner. Watch some more TV. Engage in a little conversation with your spouse or a friend/neighbor. Fall asleep in front of the TV. Lumber blindly into bed late at night.

    2, 4, 6, 8, 12 months go by. And you feel more fulfilled than at any time in your life. You look forward to another 5, 10, 20 years or more…of the same routine.

    PROBABLY NOT!!!!

    Starting the “second half” of life can offer you an opportunity for a reset. One that after 30 to 40-plus years in a career can be sorely needed, even if you loved what you did.

    From getting started in work to starting a family, homeownership, raising kids (diapers, doctors and the dentist to shuttling them to soccer training or band practice, etc.), putting them through school and then college, all the emergencies, the sleepless nights, worrying about bills, somehow maintaining a few marbles and barely holding on to your sanity… and everything else that went on along with the aforementioned in the first half of your life.

    Now it’s time to reap the rewards of all that discipline and hard work. For you and your spouse, if married, as well as the circle of family and friends who are at the same stage of life. It’s time to get out and enjoy the life you’ve made for yourself.

    The one problem many run into at this stage is the fact they haven’t really spent much effort trying to determine what it is they want to do with their time.

    That said, many of those same people probably don’t want to engage in a big, time-consuming process filled with a bunch of self-assessments. If you are among that large group, you probably just want to start doing versus spending a lot of time analyzing.

    Let’s start with some ideas…

    First Step

    take the first step towards relaxation in retirement

    Some people are naturally good at engaging in creative self-assessment in order to gain important insight about themselves, such as their type of personality, strengths, and weaknesses, issues they care about passionately versus those they might have an interest in…and those they absolutely loathe.

    For many others, that’s just not who they are naturally. Nothing wrong with that. But it can make it hard to make decisions, especially when planning.

    When it comes to the very big issue of what to do in retirement, it’s best not to be too rigid and think you need to make decisions that will be set in stone.

    Instead, given you have the freedom to try new things on for size and switch gears as often as you’d like, it’s better to be open-minded – be willing to try new things you haven’t considered or simply couldn’t do in the past.

    Yes, you’ll make some mistakes. Buy that new home gym weight system that goes unused after three months, or that $4,500 set of Taylor Made clubs that actually don’t improve your swing or lower your score.

    Mistakes are part of life and we learn from them. That’s no different when it comes to retirement. The point is to learn what really matters and tickles your fancy.

    Keep in mind it’s not always about going and doing either. Simply sitting back and using the senses you were given can bring much fun and satisfaction as well.

    Ultimately, it is very important to take the time to determine what will bring you happiness and fulfillment.

    But you don’t have to do so in one sitting, or even this minute. Better to do so in small pieces – a bit at a time. Trying one or two things early in retirement can make a lot of difference when it comes to satisfaction.

    And those things can lead to other things you never considered. They can also lead to potentially new friends or groups you might want to hang out with for years to come.

    Bottom line, it’s best to try new things…and let what comes of them naturally develop. Allow some adventure. That doesn’t mean you have to do things you know you would never like, such as bungy jumping or sky diving. Instead, just be open-minded and see what develops

    For now, let’s start simple. We will throw out 5 ideas to get the process going for you. Keep in mind they are a mere starting point that you can use to find inspiration.

    Hobbies

    55 year old retirement planning hobbies

    You may already have a hobby or two, which is a good thing. Now you have more time to devote to such things. If you find satisfaction with whatever that is, such as bird watching, hiking, stamp collecting, or anything else, you have more time to do so. And it’s likely you can find other avenues or hobbies that can bring equal satisfaction.

    Travel

    traveling at 60s during retirement

    This is not something cheap, so like most things in life, you have to find balance with your budget, as well as other things of interest in your life.

    Unlike when you were doing this as a family, when it was Disney World or similar, travel in retirement is about whatever you want it to be. From bucket list to simply getting away from home once or twice a year, to heading to Tibet to contemplate the meaning of life, travel can be a fantastic elixir when it comes to enjoying life. Even the planning process of where to go and what to do can be fun.

    Keep in mind also that it doesn’t have to be heading to Europe, Asia or other exotic areas of the world. Doing things right here at home can be very satisfying. Even how you do so, such as renting or buying a motor home, is part of the equation and can be quite fun. Buying a Harley and doing the Pacific Coast Highway trip can fulfill a life-long itch.

    Getting off the grid for a month or more was probably never something possible while entrenched in the normal 9 to 5, but it can be when in retirement.

    Volunteering

    volunteering during retirement

    This is an easy one. There are soooo many people, from young to old, families, homeless, disabled, and more, who need assistance. And you probably don’t need to be told that doing things and giving of your time and money can be extremely satisfying.

    This can include staying in your lane in terms of offering time and expertise from your prior career, or doing so in a new manner (it might be a little uncomfortable), such as helping out in a homeless shelter, a soup kitchen or counseling troubled kids, mentoring start up entrepreneurs, etc.

    What’s for sure is there are a litany of organizations serving countless people, animals, causes, and more, that all need volunteers. And acting selfless through volunteer activities is sure to make you feel good.

    Continuing Education

    continuing education during retirement planning

    Before you shut this down immediately, the reality is that many people find that learning can be fun and fulfilling, especially when doing so when they want to and on subject matter of interest to them, versus what they experienced in school and college in the past.

    There are so many avenues when it comes to learning, from taking a course in something that is a passion, finishing the degree you might not have previously, taking an advanced degree because some part-time teacher is something of interest to you, and much more.

    Or there are online courses on literature, civilization, art, humanities, warfare, cooking, baseball and other sports, writing that book you’ve always felt you had in you, and much, much, more.

    Got Sports?

    playing sports during retirement

    Sports is a big area in life, and crosses over many categories, from passions, hobbies, wanting to maintain health and fitness, our competitive nature, and more.

    While we may think about slowing down in life during retirement, and may believe we are simply too old once we enter our 50s, 60s and beyond, the fact is that is your mind talking and setting limits.

    From soccer to bowling, tennis, skin diving, pickleball, golf, playing darts, softball, lifting, running (plenty of people start to run seriously when they enter retirement), coaching youth teams, and countless other sporting activities, there should be no time limit.

    Playing something till you drop is a great way to go through retirement. Fits in with the, “Die with your boots on,” mentality that speaks to living life fully.

    If you can physically handle it, why would you ever stop? And the very act of “doing” can help keep you active and healthy, and in turn lengthen your lifespan.

    Even better is to do it with your spouse if you share the same passions…or completely separate so you each have things that are “yours.” Joining a group, squad or league often makes it that much more fun and enjoyable.

    Additional Suggestions

    The aforementioned fives are but a handful. There are tons of others. Here’s some additional ideas to consider:

    • Teach
    • Work Part-time
    • Start a Business
    • Mentor
    • Write
    • Get Into Home Improvement and Make Your Home Your True Castle
    • Get Into Crafts

    Do Some Me Time

    relaxation during retirement at 60

    Me Time is separated from the other suggestions for a reason.

    Why?

    Because it is especially important in retirement. The idea of retirement isn’t to go, go, go, go, go till you pass.

    No, the point is to enjoy and seek contentment. And sometimes that means slowing down and just focusing on yourself.

    Some may think that sounds selfish, but the fact is you’ve probably spent years focused on other people, from your spouse and kids to other family members, friends, co-workers, etc.

    If you don’t build in some regular “me time” then retirement will feel like more of the same – what you experienced most of your life.

    Be it reading, having a beer or glass of vino watching sunsets, that perfect cup of joe watching the sunrise, late nights sneaking ice cream and watching Netflix, engaging in some ME TIME on a regular basis is important. The bottom line, it’s not selfish – it’s actually one of the best ways to recharge.

    When it comes to living the life we want versus simply living, it takes some time and planning. This is especially true when it comes to retirement, given the freedom and extra time you might have.

    If you aren’t enjoying yourself and engaging in a variety of things, retirement might feel like drudgery and lack the fulfillment and fun you always hoped for.

    A little creative thought and planning can help you avoid such a scenario and end up with the retirement you always dreamed of having.

    When it comes to your retirement, whether you are approaching that time in your life now, or you are so already, it makes sense to work with a retirement planner if you aren’t presently.

    A good one can help you identify what your needs, goals and desires are, and help you set realistic expectations in terms of where you stand currently and what can potentially be done to help get you closer to where you want to be.

    We’d be happy to review your existing plan or build a new one specific to your situation. Our overall approach is to incorporate a holistic model that considers all your assets, tools and accounts, with the goal of providing a comprehensive plan built specifically to your needs and goals in retirement.

    If you’re ready to take the next step and talk to a team of financial advisors and retirement planners who put your interests first, Schedule a call today

    Summary
    Fun Things to Do In retirement
    Article Name
    Fun Things to Do In retirement
    Description
    Work is over and retirement has just begun, but what do you do now with all this time? Here are some fun things to do in retirement.
    Publisher Name
    Oak Harvest Financial Group
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