How do you fill retirement?
Discussion
I am fed up with work. Generally not the work itself but having to put up with the BS. Office politics, gaslighting, backstabbing plus all the corporate BS full of meaningless crap, hypocrisy and lies. Just as an example we had to spend two hours recently in a high-performing teams session to come up with a mission statement that I’m sure no-one remembered the minute we left the room (and hasn’t been referred to since).
Anyway, it is making me think of retiring. But I am not sure what I would do with all the free time if I did retire. I am reasonably active and fit in tennis, badminton, learning languages, spending time with my family, taking the dog for walks and riding my motorbike. However, I do that already despite working full time. What would I do in the 40-50 hours of the week currently filled with work?
How have others coped with the transition from employment to retirement?
Anyway, it is making me think of retiring. But I am not sure what I would do with all the free time if I did retire. I am reasonably active and fit in tennis, badminton, learning languages, spending time with my family, taking the dog for walks and riding my motorbike. However, I do that already despite working full time. What would I do in the 40-50 hours of the week currently filled with work?
How have others coped with the transition from employment to retirement?
Esceptico said:
I am reasonably active and fit in
tennis
Do more of thistennis
Esceptico said:
badminton
Do more of thisEsceptico said:
learning languages
Do more of thisEsceptico said:
spending time with my family
Do more of thisEsceptico said:
taking the dog for walks
Do more of thisEsceptico said:
riding my motorbike
Do more of this.Due to Corvid restrictions I am willing to defer my fee until a later date.
HTH
Sleep in until mid morning.
Lazy breakfast.
Bit of car tinkering or gardening.
Go to gym or for a bike ride.
Watch whatever sport is on that day.
Visit relatives/pub.
Not technically retired but that has largely been my life for the last nearly 5 years. Kind of forgotten how you can fit 40 hours plus commuting of work into a week.
ETA. And spend too much time on PH.
Lazy breakfast.
Bit of car tinkering or gardening.
Go to gym or for a bike ride.
Watch whatever sport is on that day.
Visit relatives/pub.
Not technically retired but that has largely been my life for the last nearly 5 years. Kind of forgotten how you can fit 40 hours plus commuting of work into a week.
ETA. And spend too much time on PH.
Edited by ChocolateFrog on Saturday 19th September 22:50
I had a lot more spare time when I was working an 83 hour week.
Now the hours just fly by.
The biggest problem with retirement is:
You never get a bloody day off!
Grandkids are very time-intensive little pastimes.
Marvellous!
TBH, I just don't know how I used to find the time to go to work?
Now the hours just fly by.
The biggest problem with retirement is:
You never get a bloody day off!
Grandkids are very time-intensive little pastimes.
Marvellous!
TBH, I just don't know how I used to find the time to go to work?
Have a baby (now three, so not a baby - as she constantly reminds us!).
That'll occupy your time. Trust me on that one!
You don't miss anything and can spend the time without having to rush off to work or drop her at a nursery etc.
Think on a Wednesday morning (as we did last week..) lets go snorkelling. You can just bung everything in the car and head off, find an hotel (one that's open at present..) and stay away a night or two. You won't be worried re holiday allowance, taking time off at, very, short notice etc..
Spend proper quality time and really develop a small person; best thing I ever did. Well, certainly in the top 5.
Also running... I do about 200km a month. We live on a hill in a hilly area....its 30C by 11:00 usually and often 95% humidity. I'm not fat.
Reading - so many books, so little time in one life.
From my observations - things not to do:
- drink
- watch TV
- sit on your arse all day
- all three of the above combined.
That'll occupy your time. Trust me on that one!
You don't miss anything and can spend the time without having to rush off to work or drop her at a nursery etc.
Think on a Wednesday morning (as we did last week..) lets go snorkelling. You can just bung everything in the car and head off, find an hotel (one that's open at present..) and stay away a night or two. You won't be worried re holiday allowance, taking time off at, very, short notice etc..
Spend proper quality time and really develop a small person; best thing I ever did. Well, certainly in the top 5.
Also running... I do about 200km a month. We live on a hill in a hilly area....its 30C by 11:00 usually and often 95% humidity. I'm not fat.
Reading - so many books, so little time in one life.
From my observations - things not to do:
- drink
- watch TV
- sit on your arse all day
- all three of the above combined.
hyphen said:
Start a hobby businesses
I recently enquired about training for TEFL, a language learning is something I’m passionate about. However TEFL school said that although I seemed a good candidate, Covid had killed the market - probably for a few years - with most schools stopping courses after current cohort and she herself was being made redundant. I think doing my other hobbies as a business might kill them as hobbies.
Esceptico said:
40-50 hours of the week currently filled with work?
There's your first problem50 hours per week, eeek.
But its a serious question, I have taken up a hobby of restoring old computers and have now found I have insufficient time when I am not working. The wife fears retiring as she does not know what to do and also works far too long hours so she only sees work and weekends, whereas I have loads of time to myself already and can fill every moment.
Do you currently pay people do do your gardening, decorating etc ? Doing those yourself fills in quite a bt of time - our neighbour seems to fill most of his day with the garden and keeping the outside of the house in perfect condition - as I'm still working, our garden and house gets enough attention to keep it OK, but not as bright and shiny as his!
As already said, voluntary work, Charities always need help, not just hands on stuff like working in a charity shop, the sort of thing anyone could do, but if your work was something financial for instance, they need people to manage finance or corporate stuff. My Dad worked in tax and was treasurer for some charities which kept him busy. Pissed my mum off no end as he was out almost as much at meetings when he retired as when he was at work - someone in one charity would know someone at another who'd ask if he could advise, just do a bit, etc...
Running keeps you fit and expands to fill as many hours as you want/allow it to, Good Gym combines running and charity.
Restoring of tinkering with classic car/bike will also expand to fill all available free hours.
You could downsize your job, if you don't need the money you could do something you enjoy, part time, less stressful, hassle free.
Above all, make sure you do something, my sister's father in law had no hobbies and did f all when he retired apart from going to the shop every morning to buy the Daily Mail
, go home, read it and wait for Countdown and Midsomer Murders to come on.
As already said, voluntary work, Charities always need help, not just hands on stuff like working in a charity shop, the sort of thing anyone could do, but if your work was something financial for instance, they need people to manage finance or corporate stuff. My Dad worked in tax and was treasurer for some charities which kept him busy. Pissed my mum off no end as he was out almost as much at meetings when he retired as when he was at work - someone in one charity would know someone at another who'd ask if he could advise, just do a bit, etc...
Running keeps you fit and expands to fill as many hours as you want/allow it to, Good Gym combines running and charity.
Restoring of tinkering with classic car/bike will also expand to fill all available free hours.
You could downsize your job, if you don't need the money you could do something you enjoy, part time, less stressful, hassle free.
Above all, make sure you do something, my sister's father in law had no hobbies and did f all when he retired apart from going to the shop every morning to buy the Daily Mail
, go home, read it and wait for Countdown and Midsomer Murders to come on. Gassing Station | The Lounge | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff