have a routine - out of house by 9/10am?

[retiringat50]

Do you find it helps (especially when you first "early retire") to have someplace to go and get out of the house early? (Not as early as work life)
If not it feels like youre wasting your day?

[cantlogin]

Nope.

[kumquat]

Sounds like having a j*b, yuck.

[Jake46]

I try to not have any fixed routine. I get to things as I need to -- or not.

[Orchidflower]

I do make a list of what I have to do that day and try to do it. Like write letter to X, lunch with X, grocery store, clean floors, lift weights, go to library and pick up book on X, whatever. And I do try and follow that list so the day is not totally wasted. I'm not always successful, and do get waylaid with my plans; but, it works half the time, at least. Maybe this would work for you?
From years of getting up early, tho, I find I cannot break that habit easily. And I still seem to go to bed around 10 pm or so. What a swinger, eh? Maybe that will change when I am thru eldercaring? We'll have to see...
Regardless, I read the local paper and the Wall St. Journal faithfully each morning, watch some Bloomberg or Squawk on the Street while doing so, and eat breakfast now each day. That is a new routine for me, for sure. I was always a cup of coffee only before.

[bbbamI]

I sleep as long as my body needs rest...until 9, 10 or ll and then I let the chips fall where they may. No day is wasted IMO.

[haha]

I have a little shopping area that is about a one mile walk RT from my apt. I often go down there fairly early and have an espresso and read the NYT.

Or, maybe I decide I want something for breakfast that I don't have in the house- so I go to the supermarket in that same area.

The walk wakes me up, and I tend to feel better all day no meatter what else I do later.

Ha

[Moemg]

Originally Posted by retiringat50

Do you find it helps (especially when you first "early retire") to have someplace to go and get out of the house early? (Not as early as work life)
If not it feels like youre wasting your day?

No but I do make it out of bed by nine .

[rs0460a]

I volunteer 2x a week to deliver meals to elderly / shut-in's (Meals on Wheels).

Usually leave by 10:15 and back by 12:15.

Every eight weeks, I give blood at a scheduled 11:00 appointment (back home in an hour).

2-3 hours a week volunteer time vs. 50+ wo*k week; no comparison! (and I feel my volunteer time is more appreciated)...

Anyway, even if I did not volunteer, my time is indeed "mine to waste"

- Ron

[oma]

Originally Posted by retiringat50

Do you find it helps (especially when you first "early retire") to have someplace to go and get out of the house early? (Not as early as work life)
If not it feels like youre wasting your day?

15 mo short of ER, but during spans of days when I'm off from work, I do exactly what you say - in order to have a productive day that doesn't go wasted. I think having a daily plan is important whether it means exercise, hobbies, chores, etc.

[megacorp-firee]

No, I am no longer a slave to anyone's 'morning call'.
... uh yes dear ... I'll sign off right now

[travelover]

I have a daily to-do list. Lasts a week!

[Goonie]

Originally Posted by retiringat50

Do you find it helps (especially when you first "early retire") to have someplace to go and get out of the house early? (Not as early as work life)
If not it feels like youre wasting your day?

Ummmmm.......Nope! The only time I even care what time it is, or even what day of the week it is, is if I have a dentist/doctor appt., or if I have a trip to go on, or class to go to. Otherwise, I get up when I get up, and do whatever (if anything) that I have or want to do.

There are times I don't leave the house (er, make that the yard) for days on end......I have enough gardening and other hobbies that allow me to have a blast w/o having to 'be on the go' all of the time.

I look at ER about the same as my pre-kindergarten days.....get up when I'm ready to and play until lunch time. Then play some more until I need a to take a nap. After my nap (a.k.a. siesta) I play some more until I get hungry, and then eat supper. After supper I start winding down, and start putting away my toys, and then I go to bed when I'm just too tired to play anymore! Repeat infinitum! It took me the best part of almost one whole day to get settled into this regimen.....and although it's kinda of strenuous....I'm makin' the best of it!

I haven't 'wasted' one single day since I ER'd nearly a year ago! The only 'wasted' days I ever had were the days from the time I started kindergarten, until the day I ER'd!!! And I've promised myself that I will NEVER 'waste' another day, as long as I live!!!

[kumquat]

Originally Posted by travelover

I have a daily to-do list. Lasts a week!

I get up in the morning with nothing to do all day. When I go to bed I'm lucky if I got half of it done.

[Khan]

I too don't leave the property for days on end.

I do find that I have to set up schedules for myself in order to keep things running smoothly: when to change sheets, when to water plants, when to clean bathroom, when to wash dishes...

And sometimes there are appointments: dentist, vet, giving blood...

And scheduled events: local farmers' market...

[Walt34]

There are times, like Khan, I don't go anywhere for days. If the weather's decent I'll walk around the neighborhood for a half-hour or so sometime during the day. If it's not too hot or cold I might take the boat out and go fishing.

DW is going to school one class per semester - three more classes and she'll have her BA - and since parking is tight without a 30-minute walk to class I'll drive her and pick her up two or three days a week depending on the class. I try to be supportive of her scholastic efforts since she says she's going to get a job when she's done. That way while she's working I can be spending. Isn't that the way it works?

Nothing so structured that I'd call it a routine though. I'll get up anywhere between 4:00 AM and 9:00 AM depending how late I stayed up the night before.

[Moemg]

Originally Posted by Goonie

I look at ER about the same as my pre-kindergarten days.....get up when I'm ready to and play until lunch time. Then play some more until I need a to take a nap. After my nap (a.k.a. siesta) I play some more until I get hungry, and then eat supper. After supper I start winding down, and start putting away my toys, and then I go to bed when I'm just too tired to play anymore! Repeat infinitum! It took me the best part of almost one whole day to get settled into this regimen.....and although it's kinda of strenuous....I'm makin' the best of it!

Great Post ! I think I'll go start dinner in my Easy Bake oven !!

[Rambler]

Originally Posted by Walt34

There are times, like Khan, I don't go anywhere for days. If the weather's decent I'll walk around the neighborhood for a half-hour or so sometime during the day. If it's not too hot or cold I might take the boat out and go fishing.

Walt, weren't you gonna go back to work for a while due to boredom and some bucks for the travel trailer? Just wondered, because I'm considering the TT or RV myself, and as much as I hate to admit it, I fear boredom a bit, after the main things I want/need to get done are in fact done. DW fears my boredom more than I do though...

R

[Dawg54]

No I don't feel like I have to be out of the house by 9:00am but more often than not, I am out doing something. A couple of days a week I play golf at 9:00 and other days I'm headed to a walking trail to exercise with my dog. But today it rained and it took me longer to get out.

I see no reason why you should have to set a schedule. Just let your day happen.

[lsbcal]

I've enjoyed the answers so far, especially this succinct one:

Originally Posted by kumquat

I get up in the morning with nothing to do all day. When I go to bed I'm lucky if I got half of it done.

I like to have some plans but not every day. Most days I'm out early either on my runs or doing gardening. Occasionally I'll declare a totally free day and just sit around and read. Don't have to shave every day either. I'm a morning person and enjoy reading the local paper + WSJ while eating breakfast. Never turn on the TV before 5pm and then only sparingly. Nowadays I've been adding to my reading list -- just read a historical fiction book by Sharon Penman When Christ and his Saints Slept, it's about the fight for England's crown during the 12th century between Maude and Stephen.