Retired today....now what?

[Bigdog357]

I bailed out of the work force six months ago at 61. I had been looking forward to it for many years. I have not missed working one bit, I did feel a little lost for a couple months but it quickly passed. The wife retired a couple months after I did and she immediately had double knee replacement surgery. So I have been busy tending to her needs as well as refurbishing a bathroom. I have more time to shoot and reload and three acres of grass to mow help keep me busy. I don't plan on ever working again.

 

[wood714]

Move to the east coast of Florida and learn to surf.

 

[BC38]

Congrats man! I look forward to my full retirement just as soon as I can qualify for my SS checks at 62.

I want to be like my dad after he retired. He said...
"Since I retired I'm so busy I don't know HOW I ever found time to hold down a full time job - BUT I don't do a damned thing I don't feel like doing!"

That sounds good to me. Figure out how to stay busy, but make it doing what YOU want to do instead of what the boss says you HAVE to do!

 

[Mike0251]

Congrats! I retired June 2018 (63) and I'm having a blast and very busy with all sorts of things. As a matter of fact time goes by faster now than when I was employed. Yesterday the Mrs. and I went for a 100 mile motorcycle ride on our own bikes, enjoyed lunch in a small town, came home and went down in the yard and shot .22 with a cold beer, then we played a few games of cricket (darts), had more beer, and finally hit the sack at 11pm. Today getting a haircut, going for another motorcycle ride, and packing my range bag for the state USPSA match tomorrow (12 stages). Caught up on and did even more on the want to do list that accumulated over the years, and thoroughly enjoy cutting 5 acres every week and not feeling rushed to do it. Best damn thing I ever did was to retire. I have more going on now in my life than I ever did and enjoying it all...with the exception of time passing to quickly.

 

[Chief Wiggums]

Congrats on your retirement
what now ???
#1 - beyond the spousal relationship, keep the mind sharp. Read, challenge
the brain , keep the grey matter active......

 

[arjay]

Congrats on your retirement
what now ???
#1 - beyond the spousal relationship, keep the mind sharp. Read, challenge
the brain , keep the grey matter active......

This^^ and see your dr and listen to him!!
I've known so many people who didn't last very long after retiring because they didn't keep up with checkups and/or they poo pooed it all.
Don't be that guy!

 

[Targets Guy]

I've been retired just a little over 15 years now. Primary reaction? I don't know how I found the time to work when I was working.

 

[Old_Cop]

It will now take you all day to accomplish what you used to do at lunch or after work.

 

[us2]

I retired 2 years ago and now don't know how I found time to work all those years. The main difference is now I spend time on what I want to do instead of what some company wants me to do. I love it !!

 

[03hemi]

Do whatever I want whenever I want

I do this anyway and still working. lol

 

[03hemi]

Next month I turn 57, making it 7 years since I retired. Was great for about a month until I realized I still need the intellectual stimulation and with my education and particular skill set, I am at the zenith of my professional life. I've since been working internationally in the firearms/ammunition industry, thoroughly enjoying it. I am always comforted knowing I can quit anytime I want. The important thing is too keep physically active doing stuff you like.

This, why retire when you don't consider what you do work and get paid well to do it?

 

[DGNY]

Hearty congratulations to the OP!

May you enjoy health, great relationships with family and friends - and then find something meaningful to do after you have enjoyed a little time off.

I would recommend two possibilities. First, become a volunteer in an area of service that you love. Second, keep physically active so you don't wear out from disuse!

All best!

 

[Sistema1927]

Everyone needs a purpose.

Retirement allows you to choose what that will be instead of being dictated to by a boss.

I retired almost 10 years ago, and during that time I have kept busy, so busy that I sometimes wonder where I found 40 hours each week to work for someone else.

Church work, overseas mission trips, disaster relief work, and other projects have allowed me to fulfill my purpose. Today I will be delivering weekend food bags for kids who would otherwise go hungry this weekend.

 

[WardenRoss]

Best part of retirement is that I can spend the entire day with my dog or go to the gun club everyday, if I want to.

I trained him to wear headphones too. We are all about enjoying our retirement!

 

[tops]

The worst problem I've found with retirement is the stress of all the decisions that have too be made every day. Do I want too get up or lay in bed a little longer? Eat breakfast now or wait? Eat at home or restaurant? Ride around and talk too other unemployed people, go fishing, shooting, piddle around homestead, eat ice cream and watch tv, etc.
I retired at 60, March 31,2002. It's a hard battle but I hope the stress of retirement doesn't force me too get a job. Larry

 

[quikdraw67]

I still have at least 11 years until I can retire. but let me tell you the 2 very different paths my father and father in law took regarding retirement.

Dad retired at age 62. He took a round the country trip courtesy of the company. After about 6 months, being bored, he went back to work part time. No pressures of management. It was on his terms. He did it until age 72, and then decided to finally fully retire. He had many good years after that. He passed at the age of 88.

My FIL retired at 59-1/2. He didn't do diddly after that. I think he got cabin fever and started acting weird. Pulled a lot of shady stuff. After my MIL died he got worse. Conspiracy theories, nonsense, delusions. Couldn't talk to him, he knew everything. He ended up losing his house due to not paying school taxes since he "was exempt since he was over 70-1/2." He died last year in a VA facility.

So, my advice, keep busy doing something you like.

JMHO YMMV

 

[Echo40]

As someone who essentially had to retire prematurely due to a variety of personal circumstances beyond my control, despite the fact that I loved my job and would have preferred to have kept on working, I strongly suggest that you find something constructive to keep you busy.

For awhile I had no idea what to do with myself and ended up getting really depressed. As nice as it might seem to just relax and do whatever you like all the time, it just doesn't come naturally to someone who gains satisfaction from a good day's work, and ultimately just makes you feel terrible.

Nowadays, I work from home as a Data Entry Operator, mosly pro bono, because it gives me something familiar and constructive to do. I've also established a daily workout routine and have become something of an amateur bodybuilder over the past few years. So I'm technically retired, but I still keep busy and I'm honestly in the best shape of my life, emotionally, psychologically, spiritually, and physically.

Retirement doesn't mean that your life has to slow down to a stop. Find things to keep you busy which bring you the same satisfaction that work brought you before, if not more so, because now you're free to pursue the interests that you couldn't previously. Furthermore, I highly recommend getting into a daily workout routine, not just for health but because the physical exertion will keep you feeling young/active, and nothing helps your self-esteem like honestly being able to say that you're in the best shape of your life post-retirement.

 

[Dave_n]

Because Uncle Sam had no fixed retirement age (not being LE) I did not retire from NIH until I was gone 75. Still publish extensively (now heading 83) and enjoy the lack of administrative duties (aside from those that SWMBO gives me!!), but still keep up with the science but at my priorities not Uncle Sam's. Do what you like doing and enjoy. Dave_n

 

[greeman]

I retired in January 2008. Had worked every day my whole life, starting when I was old enough to deliver a newspaper. I told the wife that I probably wouldn't be good at this retirement thing and not to be surprised if I went back to work somewhere. Now somewhere between 13 and 14 years later I can't for the life of me figure out why I even thought that. I'm just to busy for work!

 

[jeffrefrig]

I retired last March, 2020, just when the SHTF with the covid. I'm just glad I had both retirements taken care of and the Soc. Sec. My last day of work was March 17, the second day the School Board told us no work; only emergency, which the walk-in cooler repair was. I had the covid worries, so I stayed home as much as possible. Then, I decided my shoulder pain was too bad so I got rotator cuff surgery in June '21. Still going to therapy, probably till November. I learned to shoot the .44 Magnum with one hand. And a few other guns. I hate daytime TV, so that's out. I have my 13 year old Weimaraner to take care of, so that's a good thing since she's getting pretty bad in the hips/back legs. She goes everywhere with me except therapy. Get a dog if you think you can outlive it. Wife still works, so that's a good thing! (Privacy) I've probably acquired about 6 firearms since retirement, maybe more. Sold or traded a couple. Soon as I get both arms working I have some stuff to do so we can sell the house and downsize. (No steps!)