Earlier this month, I celebrated the 8th anniversary of my retirement at 61. Occasionally, I have floundered, but I’m happy with the shape it’s taken. Many of my friends are retired or nearing it, and I’ve observed a range of philosophies:
Nonretirement – For several writers and artists I know, retirement looks like slowing down, not quitting. They have fewer paid jobs but they’re still working. Or they have a big project underway which might be published or shown later.
No schedule, no plans – Some people prefer the freedom to choose their activities day by day. For years they were yoked to a commute and an office. They feel they’ve paid their dues and earned the right to do whatever appeals to them on any given day. They hate the idea being locked into a schedule and resist planning too far ahead. I’ve noticed more men choosing this style.
A bit of structure – These retirees prefer several days of planned activities but want lots of free time, too. Their schedule might include workouts or sports, socializing with friends, and weekly volunteer gigs. They also value unscheduled time and are careful not to pile too many events into one day. This approach often appeals to women. I belong to this camp.
Always busy – This group is eager to do everything. All the time. For as long as possible. While the first three groups like to travel, these retirees travel even more. They’re adventuresome and willing to try whatever looks fun, which could be a class, a biking/hiking/kayaking group, a tour or whatever. They’re an enthusiastic bunch and want to be sure they do it all before time runs out.
Aimless – Some people struggle with retirement because they miss the structure work provided (even though they resented the job at times). They don’t know what to do with themselves. With so much free time, their days can feel empty. They have trouble getting projects accomplished because there’s always tomorrow.
Not loving it – Some retirees really don’t like retirement. Often, they are accomplished people who were well-respected in their field. Work provided focus and was integral to their identity. Retirement feels like a loss. The activities they try are pleasant but feel like make-work—time-fillers. They want their pursuits to be meaningful and have purpose, but they haven’t found fulfilling interests yet.
Combo – A person new to retirement may sample several approaches before finding a satisfying mix. Shifting away from paid work can be as confusing and life-changing as starting a career. Many times, people aren’t sure what they want or what will feel like time well-spent.
So much of a person’s approach to retirement depends on their temperament. What do they value most—freedom, balance, drive, accomplishment? Are they self-motivated or do they need outside structure in their days?
What has worked for you? Or how do you envision your future retirement?
I officially retired 2010 from Univ of AZ and hired myself back as a temp employee until 2021 when I officially left the Univ. I always considered my employment as secondary, therefore, I had tons of things in place that I did and continued to do more of once I was home. I feel pretty darn fortunate.
That’s similar to my approach—decreased work and increased fun stuff I was already doing!
Exactly! I was able to wrangle down from fulltime to parttime in a short amount of time and enough so to keep full benefits for the all the years I was at the U. And I kept decreasing my hours, and increasing the fun stuff at home. I liked your breakdown for ‘structure’ in that department.
I haven’t worked in an office for years, but I’m still walking dogs at the shelter and taking care of grandchildren. My husband, however, is supposed to be semi-retired, but all he’s really doing is working four days a week instead of five. I think he’s hesitating to really retire because he hasn’t decided exactly how he’s going to spend his time. It really is a huge transition!
Retirement for me has been a time to get to know myself more deeply. Working and striving make self-exploration/betterment/knowledge harder to do. No longer having a role is exciting. Now what!
Glad it feels exciting!
Good observations, Ellen. My husband Keith Kenny and I fall into the first category – non retirement, except we call it “re-missioning.” We are both writers now, new careers that provide structure, freedom, and fun. By the way, The Starflower by K.A. Kenny released today. Woohoo!
Glad you’ve found a path you enjoy!
Your list of retiree types is spot on, Ellen. Leaving full-time work behind opens new doors to different ways of being in the world and understanding oneself in the world. It took me a good year to sort my way through mixed emotions and the challenges of a new way of managing my time. I’m happy to say that now, entering my third year, I feel comfortable with the mix of structure and freedom I can enjoy. I no longer look back, only forward, keen to experience life on my own terms.
Most people need to experiment a bit to find the right mix. Glad you found yours!
Astute assessment, Ellen. My spouse and I seem to follow what you observed in men and women respectively. No schedule nor plans, and a bit of structure. If I do one thing a day, I’m happy; if I do too much and tire myself out, definitely NOT happy!
Yeah, I don’t like it if three things get crammed into one day, while the rest of the week is open!
Exactly!