How to spend your time when you’re retired

Many of us work incredibly hard to be able to enjoy our retirement when we’re older. It can be quite a jarring change of pace to go from working 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday, to suddenly having as much free time as you could possibly ask for. Many of us who come into retirement can find those first few months quite an odd experience, lacking in purpose.

If you’re finding your retirement days are dragging, here are some different things to consider.

Take up an instrument

If you have ever had aspirations to master a skill or art form, retirement is the perfect time to throw yourself into a hobby. There is an abundance of online resources for lessons in learning instruments, if you think you have a musical streak. There is also a great joy in learning to play music with others, and getting involved in one of the many ‘amateur orchestras’ up and down the country can be a great way to meet new friends.

Get involved in the community

Getting to know your neighbours can lead to some meaningful and lasting bonds, and can be a great way to make improvements to your neighbourhood. This can make a number of different forms, depending on what you are looking to get out of your community. There are a variety of local community groups that might be involved in gardening, neighbourhood security, etc. Have a look online or in the local paper to see what’s happening in your area.

Try your hand at gardening

We were told back in the day to ‘dig for victory’ and the sentiment remains true to this day. There is a great deal of philosophy that comes from the East and religions such as Buddhism that discusses the enlightenment that comes from taking care of the life that grows in your garden. While this might seem a little deep for keeping the lawn tidy and digging a few weeds, there is an undeniable satisfaction that comes from putting the work into your garden, and seeing it all come together.

Look after yourself

Now that you are retired, your priority does not have to be about getting money in to pay off the mortgage, you can take care of yourself. This can cover a number different things, be it trying to get some form of appropriate exercise, having the occasional relaxing spa day, or eating a little healthier. The ‘autumn of your years’ is a poor expression to describe your retirement. Better to think of it as life begins at 60, and do what you can to keep in good health to enjoy your retirement.

Refine your cookery skills

It was Nigella Lawson who famously said ‘You cannot truly say you live well unless you eat well’. It is easy to agree with her sentiment as how you eat has such a major bearing on how you live. If you have ever wanted to branch out your skills in the kitchen, maybe it might be worth having a look at a cookery class. Being able to cook well is a great skill to have and allows you to inject that little bit more enjoyment into your retirement.