Ten Things To Do Right After You Retire
If you are like us, you probably retired without any real mental preparation or clear expectation. Then, one day, your career was really over. What to do—and not do—in the first few months?
Here are our top ten ideas:
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Do sleep late. If you worked like we did, you are tired. More than you realize.
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Do something during the day that would have been unimaginable while you worked. A matinee. A three hour lunch followed by a nap. An afternoon boat trip. Enjoy the wonderful feeling that you are playing hooky. Prepare to be astonished at the number of people who seem to do this regularly.
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Do visit children or friends. This may be difficult, as they may be too busy to spend time with you, and terrified that you are about to attach yourself to them like a limpet for the rest of their lives. But if you make it clear you are just making up for all of the times you canceled while you worked, and that you will soon again be too busy to see them, you might enjoy yourself. They might too.
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Do binge watch some crazy shows that you never had time to watch at all before. This idea is related to number 1. You can sleep late.
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Do read a book. Or two. While sipping something lovely.
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Do think about what you have always wanted to learn, and find out where you might be able to learn it. One of us learned to fly. One of us learned design. You might be interested in astrophysics, or pizza making, or ballet. Check it out. In a relaxed way.
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Do go on a trip. Maybe not around the world, though that would be fun, but somewhere different, maybe for a long weekend.
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Do get back in shape. At least make a start.
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Do not make any long term decisions. You are not ready yet.
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Do not agree to babysit/clean up/tutor/volunteer/etc. You are not ready yet.
These ideas should take you through three to six months. No rush.
After this phase—the recharge phase—you will be ready for the next steps. Those involve thinking about what you want to do for the next thirty years. We’ll talk about how to do that soon. But don’t worry about the vast future until you get through the first few months. You will restore yourself physically, you will grieve over the loss of your job and your identity, you will wonder how you can survive without the structures you have lived with for so long—and then you will start to see there is a big world out there just waiting for you. You will come to understand that your career was just a stepping stone to the next purposeful activity. But you need to give it some time.
And since you need to give yourself some time, have fun being footloose and fancy free. It won’t last!
Number three and Number ten are especially wise and helpful. Thank you such a great list! Maybe follow up with ten things to do when your husband retires?
This is a great article… . . I love the kind and gentle wording.
Thank you..!
Absolutely right! I took a year, and am now impossibly busy, but loving it.
You hit the mark in this article. After a very busy demanding career, it took awhile to give myself permission to indulge in all the dos, but I have and yes, it’s a good life doing things I want to do. I think of this phase of my life as as the Reward years!
You hit the mark in this article. After a very busy demanding career, it took awhile to give myself permission to indulge in all the dos, but I have and yes, it’s a good life doing things I want to do. I think of this phase of my life as as the Reward years!
Amazing advice!
Amazing advice!
Thank you for this article! It came at just the right time. I retired July 1 and have been mulling over … my next steps. I feel there’s (got to be) more to my life and your suggestions could not be more timely.
Retired July 1 and this article was perfectly timed! The list absolutely makes sense! Thank you❤️ CC
Excellent article, great advice!
2019 marked my first full retirement year. I went to many Broadway plays and events at Lincoln Center. I made dates with friends and family, and had small weekend getaways, alone.
Here I stand a few years later, survived a pandemic and many losses, and retirement still has its rewards. I continue to engage in fun filled delights and activities, but now I work part-time (summers off 😊), and volunteer tutoring adult literacy.
Living and loving life after retirement!
Excellent article, great advice!
2019 marked my first full retirement year. I went to many Broadway plays and events at Lincoln Center. I made dates with friends and family, and had small weekend getaways, alone.
Here I stand a few years later, survived a pandemic and many losses, and retirement still has its rewards. I continue to engage in fun filled delights and activities, but now I work part-time (summers off 😊), and volunteer tutoring adult literacy.
Living and loving life after retirement!
June 2nd was my retirement date and I cannot believe how full my life feels. This article is so right in terms of taking time to figure out who the new you is and your next steps. Thanks for this timely advice.
I timed my retirement to coincide with the start of a 6 mo training program to become a master gardener. I stopped working on haloween, ran out accrued leave & goofed through Dec. than started the training in Jan refreshed & ready to work. & work it was, like a graduate seminar & I loved every min of it. Our final exam was 21 pages open book open notes, passing was 80, it was intense. They asked us to track how long it took to complete & for me it was 20 hr, & worth every min of it. I love being a master gardener it’s so much work & so much fun! Retirement is good. I recommend it highly.
Colette
I timed my retirement to coincide with the start of a 6 mo training program to become a master gardener. I stopped working on haloween, ran out accrued leave & goofed through Dec. than started the training in Jan refreshed & ready to work. & work it was, like a graduate seminar & I loved every min of it. Our final exam was 21 pages open book open notes, passing was 80, it was intense. They asked us to track how long it took to complete & for me it was 20 hr, & worth every min of it. I love being a master gardener it’s so much work & so much fun! Retirement is good. I recommend it highly.
Colette
Retired 6/16 and I needed this. I’m doing many of these things but still sometimes feel guilty or like I should be doing more. I am saving this to remind myself to take care of me and give myself time. It will all unfold when I’m ready!
Retired 6/16 and I needed this. I’m doing many of these things but still sometimes feel guilty or like I should be doing more. I am saving this to remind myself to take care of me and give myself time. It will all unfold when I’m ready!