Two years after retiring from a career I loved, I’ve learned a thing or two.
Most of the first two years we were in a lockdown and when that went away, some restrictions remained. I knew I wanted to be healthy, active and have a sense of accomplishment and satisfied with my newfound freedom. I also wanted to spend more time with my family. I have always liked traveling and even though I had less income I didn’t want to stop traveling.
First, I committed to not do anything for two months except for a trip that I had already committed to the week after I retired. This was during the lockdown and required flying cross country. This involved family and the freedom to enjoy a trip, without commitment to have to complete a project or address a problem when I returned home. This was quite liberating.
Having been very actively working since I was a teenager, I started feeling the urge to settle on something. I eased into this by choosing somewhere to go each month for the next 4 months and I chose to do some volunteer work. It isn’t important what I did but suffice it to say since this was around the 2020 election, I was mentally stimulated to be a contributor and not a quiet bystander.
I then said “Self, it’s time to sign up and follow your passion of helping others.” I had lots of choices, including offers to work again in my career field. Alas, that was not the commitment I sought. Admittedly, I was found by others, but the hook was to join the executives who give back and help develop future leaders and entrepreneurs. I willingly signed up.
So, what else was going on? One big takeaway is you must figure out how you want to “spend” your well-earned retirement. This can look very different depending on what you earned, planned for, and how disciplined you are to following a script. The main takeaway is that if you have been blessed enough to do everything you wanted to do prior to retiring does this mean you are done with living that way? Perhaps not. I followed my budget. But my spouse had been retired for years. You now must incorporate both retired lifestyles, which may have different “agendas” and as the song says maintain that “you’ve got that loving feeling”. How you do this is communicating early and often. One cannot assume to know what the other is thinking.
After year two, which was during the summer months, I noted some malaise. I had a wonderful summer of travel in and outside the US. Being the type of person I am, I knew I couldn’t let that fester. I realized I had completed some major accomplishments including travel in the US, Europe, and an island resort. It occurred to me I had completed two long-term projects at two organizations that I support. I didn’t have any plans for the rest of the year other than minor day to day projects. Basically, I wasn’t pursuing my passions. Analyzing myself for the past few days led me to write this blog. It really is for one who is working or retired. I have moved from retired to semi-retired to rewired. Rewired is a reminder to me to refocus if I find I need to recalibrate my attention or effort.
Are you productive? When you aren’t, do you have that letdown feeling? I do. Remember I said I have actively worked for years. I read an article, that really didn’t offer anything new to me, but it may help others.* I subscribe to using these suggestions and am sharing how I incorporate similar steps and ideas in my daily pursuits.
The number one thing I find helpful is to practice mindfulness and have a sense of purpose every day. So many things can distract you but if you have a To-Do List every day and monitor it you will achieve your priorities. Be careful not to add new ones halfway into the day. Put them on tomorrow’s list.
I continue to read you must have 7 to 8 hours of sleep every day and get up the same time each day. This gives you routine even if your night may have been more restless than usual.
Do activities earlier in the day, rather than later. I find when I don’t, somehow other things get in the way, and I don’t feel as energetic. I also have a sense of letdown for not following “my script”.
You may get very consumed in a project and just keep working until you’re tired, hungry or hurting. Ideally you should take a break every hour or if every two hours works best don’t go past this time. It is amazing how necessary this is for both your brain and body. You may get some new ideas, solve a problem, or just need some deep intakes of air. Today, the new mantra for working people is how important vacations are. It changes your focus and rejuvenates you. You feel like you have earned “get back to it” time.
One of my favorite sayings to others who seem to not get things done, is that we all have the same 24 hours in a day. The article offers a tip that may be one key ‘make or break’ for determining one’s productivity than anything else. Scheduling time has always been important for me. It goes back to the thought of focus and priorities. This helps with the need to have boundaries from friends and family who want something from you that may not be a good time for you.
Finally, practice self-care. Do note, this isn’t the last thing you should do. You should always be aware of incorporating this into daily living. The pandemic took its toll on many people. I haven’t read surveys where anyone said self-care didn’t help.
Retired, Semi-retired, and now rewired. I am ready for continuing to fulfill my productive life!
*For Seniors Magazine, How to be More Productive in Life, August 2022
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