I know some folks like this and I’m sure you do too. Maybe you’re one of them: the busy-bee retiree. Your calendar is so packed with activities that you’re as busy as you were when you were working. You’ve filled your free time with classes, projects, meetings, committees and volunteering. Why not? You have the time now that you’re retired. If your busy schedule fills you with joy and meaning, and allows you to do all the things that you want to do with your time, this article is not for you. But, if you feel drained or stuck in a pattern of constant movement, keep reading.
Limited Retirement Role Models
When we retire, we often rely on our role models for retirement to figure out what to do with ourselves. Maybe you had parents who used their retirement to look after their grandchildren every day. Maybe you had an aunt who volunteered at the hospital, delivered meals to seniors and organized fundraisers for her service club and was always super-busy. We look around at other people our age or older and see examples of how retirement can play out. But if the examples that you see are not your reality, you don’t have grandchildren, or aren’t energized by spending your days volunteering, what do you do?
Take A Step Back
Just because you have time, doesn’t mean you’re obligated to fill it with busyness. Give yourself permission to step away and figure out your new path. It’s OK to take as much time as you need. In the next third of your life, you have more possibilities to explore than ever before! That’s going to take time to figure out. If you’re cramming your schedule with busyness, you’re not leaving yourself room to do the exploration and self-reflection needed. An exhausted person has no energy left for deep thinking or creativity. Consider pausing your activities.
What Are Your Expectations?
Give yourself time to think about how you would like your days, weeks and seasons to look. This allows you to identify areas that might need boosting, and areas where some pruning might be in order. Personal happiness is built from key components including meaningful work*, social connections, mental and physical health, connection to family (or chosen family) and spiritual beliefs/values. If there is a gap between what you hope for in an area and what is currently happening, that area may need a boost. Conversely, if you’re finding your days filled with family responsibilities and leaving no space for anything else, there may be some reorganizing needed.
Try this tool:
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Some questions to ponder as you cultivate your next chapter include:
- Do I allow myself to rest and relax regularly?
- Is my health thriving?
- Do I make room for fun?
- Am I working on something meaningful, that gives me purpose?
- Do I feel supported and nourished by community?
- Is the time that I have for family, and for my spiritual life, the right balance for me?
Only you can answer these questions, because there is no universal right or wrong. It’s up to you and your current needs. But, you may not even be sure of what those needs are, if you’re a busy-bee.
*Meaningful work isn’t only paid work. It can include any work that we do where we’re aiming for a meaningful goal.
Retired, And Now What? 