Having too much time after RE? Is that even possible?

[jetpack]

I'm 42. I've been semi retired for about 10 years now and have gotten a lot of that pent up demand out of my system. I've been trying to find a new real passion, but that's been difficult... Today, I'm bored. I went to the farmers market this morning, and it's raining this afternoon, so, I really don't know what to do. On some day's I'd surf the internet all day. I really want to get away from that.

 

[ProspectiveBum]

The one thing I am most looking forward to is being able to spend more time reading books. At work reading/writing emails/presentation/reviews means I don't want to read when I get home so I rarely read for my own enjoyment now unless I am on vacation. I can't wait to be able to spend 3-4hrs on a rainy day with a good book

Same here. For me, it's having young kids at home that make it difficult to read. I prefer to read novels in longer sittings of at least a few hours at a time. I rarely get that much uninterrupted time anymore. I imagine that will change when they become teenagers and don't want to have anything to do with me.



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[FIREd]

I am an introvert but don't do very well with "a completely open day." I think it's caused by 30 years of Megacrop rat race I am still in. On weekends, I feel like it's time wasted if I have too much time sitting around doing nothing. I can only do so much relaxing at a time ... (confused).

Having a completely open day does not mean that you have to spend it sitting around doing nothing. It is possible to keep busy without living on a schedule.

 

[M Paquette]

I have nothing to do. Ever. I just sit around and stare out the window.

Sometimes I lie just to add variety to my day.

Sounds like a couple members of our household...

 

[Which Roger]

This is more or less my lifestyle. I could never understand why people seem to have a need to always be doing something.

It seems that the majority of us on this forum are like this, since a person who feels the need to be busy and engaged all the time with a very structured life would be less likely to want to ER. But remember we are not the norm.

I've been ERd for almost a year now, and have felt bored from time to time, but boredom is now the exception, whereas it was the rule when I was sitting at a desk all day while I was w*rking.

I've completed a lot of projects since I ERd, but my "to do" list is longer than ever, since I keep thinking of new things to add to the list.

 

[David1961]

One observation I have made. I have always enjoyed having "down time" in my days. Some folks are at their best having to do 20 hours of work in 12 hours. I'm better at taking a slower pace. Just my preference. If I felt like I had to fill up the hours in every day, retirement would have been much more difficult. In fact, I'd probably still be working.

Some people may think I have too much time on my hands, but I think I'm the better judge of that.

 

[AnIntentionalRoad]

Thanks razztazz and Meadbh. I knew I wasn't the only one who feels this way, but I don't run across too many other souls like myself in my regular life. It's probably because they are enjoying themselves at home alone, the same way that I am

No, you're far from alone (at least metaphorically).

 

[Lisa99]

I have a fishbone diagram with everything I want to do in retirement sorted into categories. Can you tell I'm a project manager by trade?

The plan is to cram as much fun in as I can while I'm able. My in-laws retired from the military at 53/51 and stayed retired. They traveled, worked their gardens, volunteered w/the Red Cross... basically enjoyed life.

For some reason around the age 65 they stopped doing much of anything but watch tv and their health steadily declined.

Two weeks ago my MIL died of cancer; she was 76. In helping FIL get the house ready to sell we found hundreds of projects she'd started but never finished. Knitting, needlepoint, stained glass, trips planned but never taken, etc.

I can look back on knowing them and see the progression from being able to do anything they wanted to doing almost nothing every day (and the doing nothing resulted in each of them gaining a LOT of weight).

So one of the things on my list to do everyday in retirement is get some form of physical exercise even if it's just taking the dog for a walk!

 

[AnIntentionalRoad]

I am an introvert but don't do very well with "a completely open day." I think it's caused by 30 years of Megacrop rat race I am still in. On weekends, I feel like it's time wasted if I have too much time sitting around doing nothing. I can only do so much relaxing at a time ... (confused).

I was like this too when working--always had to be busy doing SOMETHING vaguely productive--couldn't waste time just being. Though I am still very driven after 2 years of RE I don't like being over scheduled, or scheduled at all, and like to pursue things at my own pace.

This attitude has done wonders for my relationships with DW and children. And I can enjoy just lying back and reading fir pleasure or thinking in peace.

 

[Tailgate]

Enjoying reading the posts of those who have been ER for several years and the variety of perspectives. You folks are all amazing. For me, it's too soon (6 months) to know what's what. i'm finding that if I accomplish one thing every day, that's enough...even if it takes 5 minutes or 5 hours, as long as it needed doing. Today I went to the boat slip and snapped the cover on the boat. Took 10 minutes and I was quite proud of myself!

 

[6miths]

Always doing something...

'All of humanity's problems stem from man's inability to sit quietly in a room alone.'

Blaise Pascal, Pensees 1670

I've only been retired for 2 months and I am still in the 'not enough hours in the day' stage. Check back with me in 5 years.

 

[W2R]

Having too much time after RE? Is that even possible?

Not for me. Like you,

I think I will have too many pent up things to do that 24 hours a day of RE won't be enough. To name a few ... more traveling, sleeping, golfing (lessons, at last), regular daily workouts, walks, reading (about time), stock trading (in the mornings), watching TV (whenever), gardening (3 times a week), join bowling league, spend more time with relatives in different parts of US, volunteering, fishing (always wanted to get int), daydreaming, and back to more traveling, sleeping, golfing ....

In my fifth year of retirement, I have more than enough interests to fill my time and then some. I just wish I had ten lifetimes to explore them all, since it would take at least that long.

 

[Reach]

I am an introvert but don't do very well with "a completely open day." I think it's caused by 30 years of Megacrop rat race I am still in. On weekends, I feel like it's time wasted if I have too much time sitting around doing nothing. I can only do so much relaxing at a time ... (confused).

It took me at least a year to wind-down from MegaCorp life, but I expected it would take at least that long. In some ways the 2nd ER year was the toughest after the "vacation" feeling was over. You learn a lot about what you enjoy and I remember someone once saying to me "you just get to live your life".

Now (after 6 years) I love the open days, especially when something interesting comes up and you can just go for it without hesitation. Makes all forms of travel less stressful too when you've no place that you have to be.

On the other side of the coin, when social engagements come up that I do enjoy, I always feel just a little stressed and over-scheduled. A funny perspective in reality.

 

[ksr]

As long as I can get outside, I am rarely bored. However, on a miserable rainy day, or a bitter cold winter day when I'm stuck in the house I do sometimes feel a little bored. I have never once thought that I'd rather be at work, though. When I was working I was bored a LOT. Now I may occasionally be a little bored here and there, but at least I have control of the situation and just need to figure out what I want to do.

 

[Cassie]

My idea of heaven is no commitments or social engagements AT ALL. The thought of time stretching in front of me completely open is such a wonderful feeling.

I can relate...and when I do socialize and someone asks me what have I been doing or what do I do....if I say "I've been doing nothing" or " I have nothing planned" I get a look of bewilderment.

I too agree with razztazz...find it interesting that some people seem to always need to be doing something. Whatever floats your boat.

 

[robnplunder]

As long as I can get outside, I am rarely bored. However, on a miserable rainy day, or a bitter cold winter day when I'm stuck in the house I do sometimes feel a little bored.

DW and I play golf on weekend (both days). For us, it's a whole day event - 18 holes, dinner, and TV or game in the evening. But when golf is canceled abruptly by weather, I have hard time replacing the day with anything else other than moping around home. No back up plan ---> boredom .

 

[Mulligan]

This is more or less my lifestyle. I could never understand why people seem to have a need to always be doing something.

Once someone was giving giving me a sob story about how hard their life was and telling me how easy I had it because I was retired. I told them: Just because I'm retired doesn't mean I don't have problems. For instance, some days I have trouble staying in bed till 10 o' clock

I am like you, Razz. I can kill a day doing nothing and enjoy every minute of it. I would much rather go back to work than learn new hobbies and interests. I have enough interests to keep me busy, and when I don't, this internet invention fills all dead time.


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[BBQ-Nut]

I have an extensive 'dream list' of activities that I created during my lunch breaks while eating at my desk at megacorp. Sprinkled between do nothing days at home, I think that my time will be filled for quite awhile!

 

[EastWest Gal]

Me, too. Last week in family Alsaka cruise trip, DS brought a book that I read in high school, Cat's cradle. I read it again and it reminded me how I used to love reading books. It also reminded me that it was the first time in years that I read a book other than manuals, product specifications, e-mails, etc.. Can't wait til RE and get back to reading.

OMG I was on an Alaska cruise last week too! We left Seward 7/4/14, Royal Caribbean. Which one were you on?

I too read books on the cruise.

 

[robnplunder]

OMG I was on an Alaska cruise last week too! We left Seward 7/4/14, Royal Caribbean. Which one were you on?

I too read books on the cruise.

The same! We were shipmates. Did you see the most perfect double rainbow ever? Only a small portion of us saw that.

 

[Tom52]

Only 5 months into ER so maybe not enough time yet to say for sure, but so far my days have been fairly busy. This is in part due to the fact I am still dealing with settling up my Dad's estate which is out of state, and we also recently put our house on the market. Of course, when colder weather arrives the daily schedule will change quite a bit.

If we are able to relocate within the next few months I would expect our schedule will be fairly full as a result. I am looking forward to getting settled in to our retirement place, wherever that is, and getting a routine established.

 

[EastWest Gal]

The same! We were shipmates. Did you see the most perfect double rainbow ever? Only a small portion of us saw that.

Yes we did. Sorry I took so long to reply. I'm still w**king.


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[citrine]

I am semi retired going on 5 years now....never been bored! I do wish that DH was semi-retired also so we could hang out. For now, I have the diy projects, Pinterest, 3 crazy cats, and lots of reading/research on the internet to keep me very busy. When I really don't have anything to do...there is always napping

 

[xyz]

I try to keep my weeks flexible based on the weather.. I like to bicycle and run outside but on rainy days I go to a health club and either swim or do a spin class... I watch the weather forecasts daily and usually can develop my weekly plan (flexible).

 

[Lakedog]

Retired 6+ years - don't see how it is possible to have too much time. Time zips along way too quickly.