While freedom after decades of work may sound exciting, you’re bound to become bored and unhappy without retirement plans. Retirement is not the end but simply a new chapter full of potential. If you’re wondering how you’ll spend your retirement, this article provides rewarding and fun activities you can pursue.
Retirement allows you to rediscover and pursue your deepest passions and goals. This period will enable you to develop new skills, gain new experiences, and spend more time with the people you care about.
According to a Merrill Lynch survey, retired individuals report higher levels of contentment, relaxation, and lack of anxiety than at any other point in their adult years, but this has to be planned. So let’s delve into ten exciting ways you can do just that.
1. Take up a new hobby
If you want to hone your artistic skills, you can do so in multiple ways. These include options like drawing, painting, ceramics, and sculpting.
There are also countless videos, online courses, and books to help teach crafts, cooking, sewing, homebrewing, and foreign languages — anything you’ve wanted to sink your teeth into since the beginning of those never-ending hours of work. You could also contact a local specialist, such as a concert pianist who gives lessons occasionally or a potter who hosts regular workshops.
In addition, hobbies can be a great way to spend time alone or with friends. Wes Moss observed that the most content retirees regularly engaged in up to four hobbies. There are countless activities for people to try. Here’s a list of some examples:
- Gardening
- Horseback riding
- Sailing
- Winemaking
- Dancing
- Pottery making
- Baking or cake decorating
- Model building
- Antique collecting
- Singing
- Reading
- Bird watching
- Walking or hiking
- Furniture restoring
2. Gift homemade goods for fun
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Do you enjoy throwing your heart into the food you cook and treats you bake? Maybe it’s your first time trying it at all. Whatever it is, why not turn the things you create into homemade gifts and give them to your friends and family?
This isn’t just limited to cooking and baking — if you enjoy woodworking or making ornaments, furniture, toys, or customized greeting cards, go for it! Make as much as you want and gift them to those you care about. You could even donate your homemade items to orphanages or those less fortunate. Why not take it a step further? Start making online videos to teach people worldwide how to make those homemade gifts.
3. Join a local community organization
Be informed of the cultural events around you. You can attend sports competitions, theater shows, and more. Many events offer special senior discounts.
Find organizations that interest you and check if they need your skills. You could teach English to foreigners, deliver meals for Meals on Wheels, lead a Scout troop, and help Habitat for Humanity construct homes. There are also platforms like VolunteerMatch that can help you find volunteer work in your local area.
4. Attend some classes and learn new skills
Learning new skills is not just a great way to challenge yourself, but it also helps keep your mind sharp. A good option is to join a class or workshop to help you develop the skills you need. You can also find many free resources in the form of videos online. Here are some creative ideas for activities for people to learn:
- Play musical instruments
- Speak a new language
- Scuba dive
- Drive an 18-wheeler
- Cook different cuisines
5. Volunteer to help those in need
Volunteering is a beautiful way to assist those in need, and it often becomes a rewarding experience for the volunteer. Also, since you aren’t expecting financial compensation, you have more leeway in selecting the charities you want to support.
Retirees who volunteer and devote more time to volunteering experience greater overall happiness. According to this study, the benefits of volunteering are the same regardless of a person’s race, gender, or economic status.
6. Join a retirement club
The average retirement club is a paradise when it comes to finding enjoyable activities to do. If playing billiards and other recreational activities tickle your fancy, many retirement clubs have you covered. They are lovely venues to meet new people and spend a pleasant afternoon or two in the company of friends and neighbors. These clubs also allow for fantastic dining and restaurant experiences for you to share with loved ones.
If you enjoy staying active, whether going for a stroll or hiking, retirement communities are where you’ll want to be. With these clubs, you can get your daily dose of fresh air and exercise by taking advantage of the area’s hiking paths, gardening spaces, sports facilities, and picnic places.
Some clubs also have fitness centers with gym equipment and indoor and outdoor swimming pools. Shuffleboard courts and three-hole golf courses are other standard outdoor amenities at retirement clubs.
Acts Retirement-Life Communities offers a wide variety of retirement activities, including art courses, craft and woodworking studios, and more. You can also expand your horizons by studying new languages or doing a new hobby.
7. Refine your travel plans
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Many retirees put traveling near the very top of their bucket lists. Some retirees have always wanted to check out a particular city. For others, however, regularly exploring different places is truly exciting.
You don’t need to fly across the ocean to enjoy a memorable vacation. You could spend a lifetime in your hometown and still not see everything. A trip around your own state can open your eyes to sights and sounds you previously didn’t even know existed.
A traveler’s days are never dull. Many like train travel, while others opt for an RV. Naturally, flying will get you just about anywhere you want to go.
As a retiree, you’ll have a lot of leeway in where you stay. If staying in hotels is your thing, book some. Try a service like Airbnb, which provides guests with private B & B accommodations in countries all over the world.
8. Spend time with friends and family
While in retirement, you’ll naturally have more time on your hands now than when you had to work. This means you can concentrate on strengthening your friendships and other relationships. And this isn’t just another fun activity — it also has positive health effects.
According to a study published in the Ageing Research Reviews and the American Journal of Epidemiology, having close friends and family by your side might improve your cognitive health and reduce your chances of getting illnesses like cardiovascular disease and dementia.
That said, make plans to get together with other retirees regularly. Organize a wine tasting or movie night. Get together with the grandkids or other relatives. Meet up with old pals again, whether at a reunion or online.
9. Get a part-time job
Having a part-time occupation can be helpful because while some people are naturally driven, others struggle to maintain consistency when they no longer have to. By working part-time, you can boost your income and have a more organized week.
Retired workers with years of expertise in the corporate world can find excellent part-time career roles that allow them to work from home. It’s also a great option to do consulting on the side if you want to improve your income.
It’s a win-win for businesses, too, since they can get expert help without hiring a full-time employee at a high salary. You may also use platforms like Upwork and Guru to get clients and find freelance jobs.
10. Explore your family tree
Explore your family tree and learn more about your background. This could include going through old photographs or compiling a list of family stories.
Platforms like MyHeritage and Ancestry allow you to construct a family tree and learn more about your ancestors. The subscription fee is often between $80 and $200 annually. You can also visit platforms with a directory of free state-specific genealogical resources.
How to choose the best retirement activity for you
Virtually no one today associates retirement with winding down. Some people hope to work forever. And others wish to explore the globe as much as they can now that they have the time to indulge in it.
You’ll have lots of choices with all the options out there. So to guide you along, here are some questions to consider:
- What activity did you love when you were younger? What did you envision your future self doing?
- Do you expect to feel any regrets on your deathbed? Do you wonder what could have been if you’d tried something in particular?
- What does your favorite film or book say about what matters to you?
- Which people do you treasure spending quality time with?
- What would you spend your time doing today if finances were not of concern?
- What do you consider a perfect day? Is this something you’d do every day?
For those who have left the traditional labor force, there are plenty of retirement activities to pursue. You could long for a quiet, leisurely existence or look for a vibrant environment only a major city can provide.
Or you could retire and do sprinkles of everything. There’s no need to make a hard choice now. But it’s never too early to have ambitions. Still, it’s important to remember that a solid financial strategy is essential in retirement too. Be it for security or pleasure, the last thing you want to worry about is money.
Conclusion
Retirement is often the most peaceful and fulfilling period of one’s life. Feel free to participate in the retirement activities you enjoy the most. Whatever you desire, start planning so you can work on turning your dreams into reality.