Retirement advice?

Retired from the corporate workforce about 3 weeks ago. I'm doing my best to keep busy and rev up as many relationships as I can, but I'm having a little difficulty with the relative isolation and lack of structure. Don't know if anyone else has gone through this, but any words of wisdom and encouragement would be most welcomed!

 

Give it a couple of months and you will be busier than ever. You will be so busy you will wonder how you ever got anything done while working.
I buy, restore and sell houses now to keep busy avg. 2 a year.
Retired from being a general contractor but love what I did so I could not stop. The big difference is NO CUSTOMERS.

 

Isolation--check
Lack of structure--check


If you have a hobby, get after it.
Go process some firewood. Do a little traveling.
There are so many things to do once retired, it's crazy. You'll find your way soon, I'm sure.
I've not slowed down a ton since retiring, so I joke that I need to go back to work to get a break.

 

Thank IP! I thought this might be the case, I suspect it's just like any major transition. I'll be patient and keep plowing ahead.

 

Thank you, PD! I have a lot of hobbies, when I was working, I lived for them, and was always frustrated with my lack of time to engage in them. I probably am 4 or 5 years ahead on wood, with another 4 or 5 ready to be processed. I also have a huge garden, and about 100 house projects that I need to get to. Hope to get a fishing kayak soon, and pick that up again. I guess I miss my work friends and the pressure of not having enough time to squeeze everything in. Strange, but I'm sure I'm not the only one to feel this way.

 

My 1 st year was a little iffy. Comin' up on 5 years and don't know how I ever had time to work.................. and the nice part is now you work to your expectations not someone else's. I love picking my daily activities and being able to vegetate if i want to. RETIREMENT................... there no job like it !!!!!!!!!!!

 

When my wife went from working full time to being a stay at home mom, she kept to a daily schedule. She got up at the same time everyday, and planned one activity a day when our three children were all old enough to go out and about with her. Monday was for the library; Tuesday was a park; Wednesday was to a lake or pool; Thursday for a visit with friends who had children, etc.. One activity a day, even for an hour or two, seemed to help the whole day fall into line.

I think keeping a regular schedule most days is a good idea, at least it would be for me. I look forward to getting up early, reading, walking, driving to work with a coffee in hand....get to the clinic early, make the coffee, go through my paperwork and charts, start seeing patients, etc...

The great thing retirement will afford you is the freedom to mix things up and be spontaneous, but day in and day out, most people tend to do well with structure and a routine.

Congratulations on your retirement by the way! At age 55 I plan on going for a awhile yet

 

If you find yourself looking for something to do, visit your local senior center. They have lots of needs for volunteers.

 

Be very careful about buying staff you hadn't planned on. hard to say just how much uneaten food we through out. I bet it is at least half.
Take lots of pictures. Socialize, go to activities. Keep up with your reading. (helps keep your mind working right) Keep your medical appointments and treatments as prescribed.
Don't get too involved with watching TV, esp. late evening news. Eat healthy and portion for what you need. Get a dog. part time work or maybe volunteer. be careful not to go over what social security says you can earn, at least until you are 65, after that earn all you want without having to give back 2 for l $. That is only if you take SSAN at the earliest date.

 

Adopt a rescue puppy, find a good cause and volunteer.

 

Sound advice Dennis as usual!

I can attest to this first hand watching my folks. Dad retired and Mom and Dad did a bit of traveling but then she fell ill and lost her mobility. Sadly she is no longer able to travel and Dad struggles with it as he is in good health and still wanting to travel. My wife and I try to include him in our vacations as much as possible and we still do our annual Key West fishing trip.

 

I coming to the end of my first 4mths of retirement.
I'm just starting to get my new routines down. My wife still works,
so I still get up w/her. That is good. I'm used to getting up early.
First month I worked myself into the ground.....thought I had to be working.
Learned that I don't have to hurry anymore. It will get done when it gets done.
I use sticky notes in Win10 to remind me of my daily routines and todo lists.
Works well. I'm settling into 100 mile weeks on my bike. Building stuff.
If I have an idea for something, now I can just stop and go at it.
I have my garden and greenhouse to take care of. A lawn to mow everyweek.
...and I have my pup dog that is my constant shadow and companion.
....and I have learned that I can take a 2hr lunch on the patio and just enjoy.

I think most people that care about their job, live it 24/7/365.
I know I did. It takes sometime to get away from that. It doesn't go away
over night. I have felt everything you listed.....working on all those things
everyday. Gett'n better everyday.

So will you. Enjoy! You've earned it.

 

Thanks BWS. I've read similar expressions from you in the past, and it helped me make the decision to pull the trigger when I did. I probably waited 3 or 4 years too long, and the job became too important a part of my life and identity. But, I enjoyed the work and (most of) the people, just not the travel and bureaucracy. Definitely became institutionalized at least a little, now I'm having to unwind that. Excellent advice!

 

JDN- Delighted to hear your experience, just what I was hoping to hear. My lady is still working, and probably will be for many years, and she travels a lot for her job. I'll start being more diligent about building my own structure so I can hold myself accountable for stuff, like your bike weeks, which was something I used to do before the job got too consuming, and always planned on doing when I retired. Thank you!

 

Patience and persistence.....working or retired....they will get you where you want to go.

You're welcome.
I'll see you on the road.

 

Right on, brother!

 

I've already got this part nailed down, MW! And, I don't even have a science or engineering background!