Americans dream of retirement — time to sleep in, take naps, finally do gardening or projects or take trips. We imagine retirement offering all the opportunities working 40 hours a week detracts from. And you should definitely take time for all the relaxing you want, then find ways to fill those hours and allow yourself to enjoy your post-work life.
Here are a few suggestions for making the most of your senior years.
Get a Job or Volunteer
OK, maybe this isn’t your first stop. But a post-retirement job may give you the opportunity to try something new and perhaps less stressful, or working a part-time position in something fun. It also provides additional income, which many Americans would benefit from during their retirement years.
Volunteering also is a great way to be involved in your community. Libraries, schools, museums, hospitals and nonprofits are always looking for volunteers. You could even use your expertise acquired from working to help out a small business.
More than three-quarters of the “unretired” say that it is important they make a positive impact on the lives of others.
Find (Or Rediscover) a New Sport or Hobby
A pickup basketball game after a long day of work when you work at home can be exhausting. A pickup game without that long day of work can be energizing and a lot of fun.
Learn to golf, go fishing or boating, play tennis, go biking, join a team (check out the National Senior Games Association if you want some real competition) or reacquaint yourself with the local gym or hiking or walking trails.
“Golf is great because you don’t have to run fast or jump high,” says Peggy Grace, who runs Mellomar Golf in Owings with her husband Doc. “Actually a lot of our senior players walk the course for their exercise, and since we are have shorter courses, it’s easy to get a few rounds in before it gets too hot outside.”
Regardless of your level of fitness, you can find some sport or exercise that fits. Perhaps pickleball?
This mashup sport combining elements of badminton, tennis and table tennis is quickly gaining popularity among retirees.
Sara Aiken, president of Eastport Pickleball in Annapolis, tells us that a new Western Colorado University study of middle-aged and older adults found that regular pickleball playing — in this case three times a week for one hour for six weeks — resulted in improved blood pressure and cardiorespiratory fitness. The researchers said the game’s “moderate exercise intensity,” combined with its “fun factor,” supports it “as an ideal alternative form of physical activity” for this age group.
Other studies of older adults competing in pickleball tournaments found that the “serious leisure” activity was associated with lower levels of depression. Researchers surmised that the benefit may be related to, among other things, social connections made during the games.
Retirement is also a great time to find a new hobby. If you’ve always been interested in cooking but never had much time to experiment, now you do. Take up gardening, learn to play the piano, take dance lessons or painting classes.
Travel
These might be jet-setting trips to Europe, Asia or Australia; or weekend trips to the local national parks, the cities around you, or visiting friends and family throughout the country. It could even be packing up a camper and driving the country, exploring the nooks and crannies of the United States that tourists often overlook.
Why not use the freedom of retirement to scratch the travel itch?
