By Karen and Erica

Did you just retire? Well lucky you! You have some fun ahead of you. Even though the pandemic still rages.

For a few months, at least, you can rest on your laurels, and enjoy life. It won’t last, so take advantage of every moment. In a languid way.

1. Sleep late. If you worked like we did, you are tired. More than you realize. You will not be able to figure out what you want next until you rest.

2. In another time, we would have told you to play hookey. Go to a matinee. Have a three hour lunch followed by a nap. Take a boat trip around your island. Not feasible now. But we’re still telling you to play hookey. Meet up with friends in some outdoor place where you can have lunch safely. Go shopping and buy a dress that you will wear this summer. Get your hair done in the middle of the day. Create your own at home spa.

3. Make a date to see your children. They likely are terrified that you are about to attach yourself to them like a limpet for the rest of their lives. Tell them you will soon be too busy, again, to hang out with them. This is their last chance. They might say yes.

4. Stay up late binge watching shows you never had time for before. (Remember—you can sleep late.) Try The Queen’s Gambit. Or Fleabag. Or a serious movie like Wonder Woman 1984.

5. Read a book. A long book. Or two. Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall, the trilogy? Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Americanah. Isabella Hammad’s The Parisian. If you are in New York, Mark Helprin’s Winter’s Tale is perfect—and it’s Karen’s favorite book. Anything by Erik Larson or David McCollough or Daniel Okrent or Ron Chernow. While you worked you could never have read any book this long.

6. Think about what you have always wanted to learn, something that has nothing whatever to do with your prior career. See if you can organize an agreeable way to learn it remotely. Karen learned to fly, but you can’t do that now. Erica took design classes and met all kinds of lovely people. Again, remote does not make sense. But think about something fun, and get ready. One day we will be together, again.

7. You probably can’t go on a real trip. But you can plan a real trip. Wander around the websites of Departures magazine and Conde Nast Traveler just to get excited about the possibilities. Your trip will start to become real once your plan begins to take shape.

8. Get back in shape. At least make a start. Maybe you can’t go to a gym, but you can do wonders at home with very little equipment. Check out Joan Pagano’s posts for Lustre.

9. Give serious thought to a post-career wardrobe. You will enjoy that! Think elegant but not corporate. Window shop!

10. Spend not a moment worrying about what the future will look like. This is your time to recharge. After this, you will be ready for the next steps.

Does this program sound a bit lazy? It is, especially compared to full time work. But you need to start the process of retirement with some rest. Rest is foundational. And you earned it. So enjoy it! You’ll be busy before you know it.