Recently retired

[jonnychgo]

Hello fellows,

 

I just recently retired a couple of years early from my career (I will be 61 in Feb.). I was very excited about all the possibilities and things I could do in retirement, but find myself not really motivated to do much for the first two weeks.

 

Any retirees care to share your experiences during the first year?

 

Thanks

 

J

[craigville beach]

i took about 9 months before i started looking for something to do. You need to "think outside of the box".

[jonnychgo]

Well, I've just been lazy and feel like i should be reading tons of books, binging on every Netflix series. But i sleep late, go out for coffee and read magazines, surf the net, take a nap, etc. But holidays are over and need to shed the holiday pounds so I guess I have no excuse to walk the two blocks to the gym (even in Chicago winter).

[Antonio1981]

Congrats on your retirement. Your situation sounds like me when I look forward to vacation time from work....and then I don't feel like doing anything except being a hermit. I think it's more about learning to adapt to a different pace in life.

[RM]

It's been exactly a year tomorrow since I retired. I don't see why I need so many naps now. I moved into my parent's house. Other than that, I haven't done much different yet than before I retired.

[+ bashful]

I was a just few years younger when my company offered a buy out. After almost 30 years there, home already paid off for ten years, I decided to take it.

 

Forget the first year, its been almost five years. Like you, sleep late, and a lot of the same etc., but have also taken a few nice trips, and see out of state relatives in the summer.

 

I occasionally think of starting to do something part time, but never get around to it. I'm worried they wouldn't hire me because I would want too much time off.

 

Don't feel any guilt. Sleep till you wake, don't set the alarm if you don't have to. Soon you will begin to think, as other retirees have said, you don't know how you got so much done while you also working.

[+ easygoingpal]

Nice to read these posts... I am going to retire at the end of July of this year 2020. I am telling myself that I am going to take a 3-year vacation. I like the idea of telling my body that is OK to continue sleeping instead of getting ready for work. I am now looking forward for time to slow down in retirement...

[gallahadesquire]

I was downgraded from a 50 hour work week to six months out with an orthopedic disaster. I returned to an assignment of either 7 AM TO 5 PM or 8 am “until we’re done” I never made it for more than 5 o r 6 hours.

 

I was transferred to a project that had no plans, and the people working on it had no use for me. I fell into a pretty bad depression.

 

Eventually, I was told I was being let go. The joke, though, was that I was making about 85% of my base pay in disability income, so I didn’t have to dig into retirement for another five years ... and 2012 through 2016 were VERY lucrative.

 

But my slowly being let go gave me the pleasure of sleazing into retirement. Plus 3 1/2 months in hospital / rehab made transition easier.

[+ pepa_e_mango]

I've been retired exactly two years now and just turned 62. I worked for 40 years and it hasn't been easy adjusting to the changes but I've managed. I still get up very early every morning and keep busy through the day by reading, exercising, walking my dogs and working on my truck when necessary. I bought a travel trailer and have taken several camping/fishing trips to the mountains and that's been a great thing that I always wanted to do but never had the time before.

 

I don't have any advice on retirement, but I can say that I'm happier than I can ever remember being. I like having complete control of my time.

[TruthBTold]

My suggestions are first (among other things you will think of) to look for some satisfying volunteer work. It can have something to do with what you used to do (it gives the volunteer entity someone who already knows something) or maybe something you just want to get your hand in. Second I recommend getting into an exercise routine that gets you out of the house so that you aren't able to skip it. Because I thankfully could afford and because I really did not know anything about exercising I engaged a trainer. That meant I absolutely had to get out. Then once I was done with him I could do other things, like grocery shopping, etc.

[keefer]

I'm two years away from retirement, and hoping to follow in the steps of a friend who retired five years ago. On retirement he volunteered at the British Museum (we live in London)... from clueless volunteer, he slowly built up a lot of knowledge on one of the galleries, added to by specialist classes and lots of time with the experts who work there and after five years regularly leads tours through three galleries. He tells me that the volunteer work provides sufficient structure to his week, around which he fits lots of long lunches, gym, etc....

[Epigonos]

After thirty-six years of teaching, in an outstanding public high school, I retired in June of 2002. My decision was actually quite sudden. I had originally plan to teach another year but as it appeared that my favorite class was not going to make I decided to leave earlier. Once my decision was finalized and announced I look a very cavalier attitude publically. However, at home, in bed at, night I was panicked out of my life. The vast majority of my life had been centered on the school in which I taught and on the community which it served. I simply couldn’t imagine what I would do with my time.

 

I had always gone to the gym prior to going to school and I continued that routine. There I had time to talk to others and quite quickly made friends and joined their coffee klatch. I finally had the time to read to my heart’s content. I joined the board of directors of my condo. All of a sudden one day, about a year after I retired, I suddenly came to wonder just how I had had time to work considering all the fun things I was doing. Now I am able to do my household chores at my convenience rather than pack them all in a busy weekend. One amazing consequence of my retirement is that I don’t get things, I don’t necessarily enjoy, completed as quickly as I did when I was working – there is always tomorrow.

 

The best advice I can give you is sit back relax and allow your life to evolve. Spend more time doing the things you really enjoy and life will take care of itself. I always tell people who ask me if retirement is a good as I had anticipated -- NO -- it is a thousand time better.

Edited January 3, 2020 by Epigonos

[marylander1940]

I retired in 2012 but I'm still occasionally working in the family business when younger members of the family can't make it. I've been busy with family, going to the gym daily, hiking, volunteering for the Humane Society, earlier in life I also took care of my great-nephews, etc.

 

My advice: enjoy things you couldn't do before and keep yourself busy, don't get attached to your TV and sofa.

[+ WilliamM]

I audited courses at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, and did most of the reading required and occasionally took part in the class discussions, especially in the literature courses. And made several close friends- more professors and students than folks my age.

[+ Charlie]

First, during the last couple of years before I retired, I looked for a part-time job that I could continue to do after I retired, and since I intended to relocate after retirement, I focused on something I could do online from wherever I moved. (It is always psychologically good to keep making some money, even if it is only enough to treat yourself to a few good restaurant meals each month.)

 

Immediately after I retired, I indulged myself with a one month vacation in Australia.

 

Then I spent the next year traveling around the country checking out possible places to relocate, choosing one, and making the actual move.

 

As soon as I was settled into my new home, I looked for a volunteer position as well as a new hobby. The volunteer work, which was at a local adult school, lasted only a couple of years, but the unexpected hobby was learning to play tennis, which turned into "the sport that lasts a lifetime."

 

I have been retired for 17 years now, but I am still too restless to just lay about the house.

[+ Reisr30]

Congratulations on the retirement. I have many years left before I can do so (unless I hit the powerball ) but I look forward to what it will be like. Taking notes as I read the responses above.

[jgoo]

I've been retired for about 12 years now, retiring relatively young. One of the reasons was that I decided to be the primary caregiver for my remaining elderly parent. That turned out to be more than a full time job for a number of years. After they passed I transitioned to a true retirement focusing on myself for a good year....doing things I enjoyed and exploring various activities and hobbies. Some stuck while others were interesting but just not me.

 

I've settled into a good life for me...up very early every day, getting out of the house in the early morning to walk in the parks or hike the trails near me, when the weather permits I golf and I take a few trips a year (part of the fun for me is planning those trips). I've considered, and may do, some volunteer work but at the moment I consider myself too busy to have the time for that. Having a dog is great for retirement for me as it gives me something else to take care of. It was useful to create that "bucket list" and start to get some of those things done....taking time so not to get it all done in a year, and to keep adding to it as new things are discovered. This year I ran a 10k and jumped out of an airplane. In addition to focusing on keeping physically active, one has to keep mentally active as well. I love technology so am always trying to learn new things and getting new things for the house. Eventually I may even start taking some courses.

 

My best advice is to keep moving forward...doing those things that bring you joy and searching for new things to try. One day we may not have the energy, physical ability or mental state to be able to do them so carpe diem and enjoy every sandwich!!!!

[+ WilliamM]

After thirty-six years of teaching, in an outstanding public high school, I retired in June of 2002. My decision was actually quite sudden. I had originally plan to teach another year but as it appeared that my favorite class was not going to make I decided to leave earlier. Once my decision was finalized and announced I look a very cavalier attitude publically. However, at home, in bed at, night I was panicked out of my life. The vast majority of my life had been centered on the school in which I taught and on the community which it served. I simply couldn’t imagine what I would do with my time.

 

I had always gone to the gym prior to going to school and I continued that routine. There I had time to talk to others and quite quickly made friends and joined their coffee klatch. I finally had the time to read to my heart’s content. I joined the board of directors of my condo. All of a sudden one day, about a year after I retired, I suddenly came to wonder just how I had had time to work considering all the fun things I was doing. Now I am able to do my household chores at my convenience rather than pack them all in a busy weekend. One amazing consequence of my retirement is that I don’t get things, I don’t necessarily enjoy, completed as quickly as I did when I was working – there is always tomorrow.

 

The best advice I can give you is sit back relax and allow your life to evolve. Spend more time doing the things you really enjoy and life will take care of itself. I always tell people who ask me if retirement is a good as I had anticipated -- NO -- it is a thousand time better.

 

I didn't agree about a thousand times better. But, then I liked my job in Philadelphia. I have visited countries on my own (no tours or cruises) like The Former Yugoslavia, Sweden, Prague and Russia.

[+ WilliamM]

First, during the last couple of years before I retired, I looked for a part-time job that I could continue to do after I retired, and since I intended to relocate after retirement, I focused on something I could do online from wherever I moved. (It is always psychologically good to keep making some money, even if it is only enough to treat yourself to a few good restaurant meals each month.)

 

Immediately after I retired, I indulged myself with a one month vacation in Australia.

 

Then I spent the next year traveling around the country checking out possible places to relocate, choosing one, and making the actual move.

 

As soon as I was settled into my new home, I looked for a volunteer position as well as a new hobby. The volunteer work, which was at a local adult school, lasted only a couple of years, but the unexpected hobby was learning to play tennis, which turned into "the sport that lasts a lifetime."

 

I have been retired for 17 years now, but I am still too restless to just lay about the house.

 

Interesting about the adult book store.

One of my young housing clients worked at an adult book store after graduating Penn State. After we became actually friends, he occasionally suggested working in an adult book store part time. Luckily, I had read his client profile or I wouldn't have known he had worked in an adult book store himself.

 

Above all, I was happy that he was looking out for me.

[+ Oliver]

Interesting about the adult book store.

One of my young housing clients worked at an adult book store after graduating Penn State. After we became actually friends, he occasionally suggested working in an adult book store part time. Luckily, I had read his client profile or I wouldn't have known he had worked in an adult book store himself.

 

Above all, I was happy that he was looking out for me.

Charlie said "adult school", not an adult bookstore.

[Beancounter]

Interesting about the adult book store.

One of my young housing clients worked at an adult book store after graduating Penn State. After we became actually friends, he occasionally suggested working in an adult book store part time. Luckily, I had read his client profile or I wouldn't have known he had worked in an adult book store himself.

 

Above all, I was happy that he was looking out for me.

Unless I completely misunderstood something I think the poster was referring to working at a local school educating adults and not an adult bookstore. Am I wrong?

[+ WilliamM]

Unless I completely misunderstood something I think the poster was referring to working at a local school educating adults and not an adult bookstore. Am I wrong?

 

Same things. (Smile).

 

Seriously, if you are suggesting my former client/llater friend doesn't count for much, you are completely wrong.

Edited January 3, 2020 by WilliamM

[+ Charlie]

Interesting about the adult book store.

One of my young housing clients worked at an adult book store after graduating Penn State. After we became actually friends, he occasionally suggested working in an adult book store part time. Luckily, I had read his client profile or I wouldn't have known he had worked in an adult book store himself.

 

Above all, I was happy that he was looking out for me.

I think you misread my post, or were not actually responding to it but to something else that clicked in your head when you saw the word "adult." I did not volunteer in an "adult book store" (they don't need volunteers!). I volunteered at a program for adults who didn't graduate from high school and were trying to prepare to take the test for their GED. It was a satisfying activity, but I stopped when they moved the program to another school in an inconvenient location for me.

[+ WilliamM]

I think you misread my post, or were not actually responding to it but to something else that clicked in your head when you saw the word "adult." I did not volunteer in an "adult book store" (they don't need volunteers!). I volunteered at a program for adults who didn't graduate from high school and were trying to prepare to take the test for their GED. It was a satisfying activity, but I stopped when they moved the program to another school in an inconvenient location for me.

 

Too bad. Yes, I saw the word "adult' and thought you wrote adult book store.

[+ Reisr30]

Too bad. Yes, I saw the word "adult' and thought you wrote adult book store.

I agree. I’d love to retire and volunteer at an adult bookstore