Active vs Busy during your retirement?

I am 11 years into retirement now. It's been an adventure. It took a little while (few months, maybe) to adjust to a new life - this one not involving getting up super-early and rushing around to try to get everything done. After that, I was asked to join several volunteer organizations (related to the work I did during my career), and I accepted about three of those requests. That (and a variety of other things) kept me plenty busy for several years.......actually too busy. I eventually phased out of all three organizations, and had more free time (briefly), which was nice. Then, life took a few different turns, and I got very busy again. The new challenges involved mostly family stuff (buying a house for DD when she and her two boys moved near us, spending a year fixing it up, then helping her clear it out and sell the house a few years later, when she started a new relationship and ended up moving away). Shortly after that, DW and I were in Florida for the winter (renting), and a house near us down there came up for sale at a very good price. We had to make a quick decision, and ended up buying the place (it needed some work, but had a lot of potential). So........we have spent a good part of the last two years fixing up that place, and it is in nice shape now. That brings me to the present, and I have no idea what will happen next! I guess the point of this is that life has its unexpected twists and turns, but in the end it's all good, as long as everyone is in good health. You can plan your retirement to some extent, but unexpected things will always happen, and it's okay. :)
 
I found in the early years of retirement that I cut my activity level by about 20% right away. I also committed to not watching TV during the day and to do something social a couple of times a week. I got involved with a volunteer organization for a couple of years but didn’t let the commitments get overwhelming. After 5 years I moved to Thailand and re-married. Life here is just generally more relaxed and I lead a lifestyle to match. I do occupy some of my time studying the language. A glacially slow but enjoyable endeavor.
 
I am two years into retirement. One of my principal activities now is growing vegetables. Mother Nature has no hard fixed deadlines, but there is definitely an order of events that must be followed at the same general times - plant the seeds under the lights, when they germinate move them to peat pots then bigger pots, cold harden them, put them in the garden, water, fertilize and spray for bugs, weed around them, harvest them when they are ready. Then preserve what is not eaten fresh. That agricultural calendar adds structure to my year.

On a daily basis, I do the NYT crossword and spelling bee, read the news and moderate here. I also work on projects around the house (Currently, I am turning our smaller guest bedroom into a large walk-in closet and I am building a shade garden in our back yard). I also go to church on Sunday and choir practice on Wednesday (pre-Covid). Add in an occasional trip somewhere, and my days, weeks and months are full.
 
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We stay active and keep our weight in the normal range by biking, cycling, and hiking just about every day. We aren't bound by any schedules other than planned trips. Having a hobbies like photography and videography also gets us out of the house and keeps us active. We both have been participating in a study at UCLA Health where they have been monitoring our health for the past 18 years and have been guiding us through our annual preventive screenings and filling out online questionnaires between checkups. A sedentary lifestyle is the worst thing you can do especially in your 50's into your 60's. I would say we are pretty active and busy and plan to stay that way as long as we can.
 
I have some routine in retirement, but not a set schedule. Activity comes from playing Pickleball 6x weekly and tending to the garden/pool.
Otherwise, we look to travel a bit, tend to various investments and do the necessary errands and have some socializing.
We don't volunteer and some days just do nothing and that is okay. Truly never bored.
 
WhiskyDave said:
So my question to you, how do you naviagte this balance between staying active, yet not too busy?
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For me, "active" means activities that keep me physically and mentally fit. They are enjoyable, either in the results I see in me, the results of the activity, or both. Sports activities, yard work, home repair/improvement projects, the type of board/computer games I play, certain programming/technology tasks, reading things of my choice, etc. All of these fall into the "active" category for me. I prioritize them, especially the physical ones, since I do not know when I will no longer be able to do them.

Almost everything else is "busy", no real benefit other than to pass the time. I put passively watching anything on the TV or computer as "busy", something to just pass the time with some entertaining but no real benefit to me. I try to limit that to no more than a couple of hours a day. Of course, if I have had a very active day - like a walking round of golf and a couple of hours of bowling, I will plop myself in front of the TV for more that time - but most of that time ends up being nap time :).
 
A part of me has the fantasy of just sitting around and eating chocolates for a couple of days straight. But neither DW nor I seem to have the personality type to manage to do that. So we are active. Super active. Busy even. The difference between this and working is that all the decisions are made by us (ok, to tell the truth, often made by her) and not by a boss or a sense of obligation. We are happy and fulfilled - but I do sometimes wistfully dream of being able to convince myself just to do ... nothing. Maybe I’ll put that on my to do list (no! No!!! There I go again with the lists!!).
 
Right now, too busy. Adult sitting with mom 5 days/week, redoing garden fence, planning the reflooring of the first floor in house (BTD event!), making a river table/bar, are the latest additions to the work list. South African grape juices arriving in 2 weeks!
 
WhiskyDave said:
I heard a great quote about retirment which was " To stay active, but not busy"

I think it sums up exactly how I want to live each day after I FIRE later this year. I have heard it's better to have a loose schedule, possibly daily or weekly with interests and hobbies, but without too many (or any) set or required commitments.

A morning cup of coffee followed by a walk and or lunch out etc... vs no schedule can make your retirement more enjoyable---This is what I have heard from several current retiree's I have spoken with

So my question to you, how do you naviagte this balance between staying active, yet not too busy?
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For the first 12-18 months of my retirement I ardently avoided any semblance of a schedule, after decades of way too many meetings and feeling as if my time was not my own.

But then I realized I was avoiding things I wanted to do, and dare I say, wanted to accomplish, so I now have a bit of a schedule. And yes, I’m active but not busy. It’s delightful!
 
My husband goes to the sportsman’s club when he feels like it. He putters at his work bench when he feels like it. He reads just a little and likes his TV in the evening. He likes dilly dallying in the morning and having a second cup of coffee while on his laptop. I give him occasional handyman work to do. He also likes crossword puzzles. He’s a simple man with no grand plans.

I, on the other hand, have a light schedule, but it can be flexible. I try to exercise an hour a day 5 days - always different times- unless I have cleaning to do, but I will break that if I feel like it. Like today I decided to sit by the lake for a few hours since we are looking at rain in the next few days.

Wednesday is my food shopping and laundry day. But again, I can change it, of course. Spend some morning time on bills or communications. I make phone calls to far away friends. ( I’m a talker).

I try to schedule a local trip somewhere each week- like a hike, we drove to the Maine coast one day which isn’t that far and walked and had lunch, and this week one evening we are going to a theatre to see a movie. In the winter we went to the Ice Castles. We also went to a couple of live comedy shows. Things like that.

Last year we joined a 10:30 weekday walking group, but this year it seems to have fallen apart. The local Town Park and recreation dept. has a weekly hike on Tuesday which I join in. In winter it was snowshoeing.

Last summer our neighbor who has a pontoon invited us for some rides out on the lake. We are in a vacation area so lots to do. I spent a good part of the spring and summer swimming in our community pool and floating in the lake.

We joined a political group and have a monthly luncheon 3rd Saturday of the month. I keep my eye out for local things to do and places to see on going. We are going to a big festival in June for a day. Already have the tickets.

We try to socialize and chat around the neighborhood as well. Have dinner out with some or house get togethers.

I also am a big reader.

We are pretty chill about things. We know if we don’t get to some chores today there’s always tomorrow.

You would be surprised how fast the days go. I can imagine once this COVID is behind us all there will be more to do as our HOA opens up the clubhouse for some activities and get togethers!

If church didn’t require masks we’d be going there every Sunday also.
 
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I'am 5 months in on early retirement, during a pandemic in a colder state wasn't the best timing but I found things to do. I wouldn't say I'm "busy", busy to me is commuting 1 hr each way, work when I get home, fit in grocery shopping, bills housework, going to school and raising kids. I would say I'am now "content".

I have no work stress, I do what I want when I want. I do things but its at my pace.. I have helped schedule vaccines for people, taken people to get vaccinated. I signed up to donate my platelets. I go for walks, analyze stocks, look at potential places to live in the winter and just started having lunch with friends. I like having the energy to try some gardening and sit on my deck and read. Its really awesome! I have done a little more cooking and have taken a trip to Florida (after being vaccinated).

My only things I vowed to do is not be on Social Media a lot (took it off my phone), and stretch most days and wear my fit bit and make sure I get in at least 5000 steps a day. Some weeks have been better with those goals but overall its working!
 
I would say I have found myself pretty active. We have an older home on a couple of acres. Ongoing maintenance keeps me busy. Some of the improvements we are doing are physically taxing but I'm only in my early 60's. I still feel great.
Mentally, retirement has been tough.
In 2017/18 DW and I discussed my desire to retire at 59 1/2. After some reflection and advice from out financial planner it was decided that 62 would be much better. I agreed. I would leave in the summer of 2020 unknowing that COVID-19 would strongly influence the type of retirement I was going to have.
On the positive side, in April of last year I was offered additional financial incentives to leave. This was directly tied to the company wanting to trim the workforce due to lower auto sales. That would not have happened if it were not for the pandemic.
Negatively, I was unable to see family and friends in the ways one can imagine. No breakfast with the guys or going to visit kids and grandkids. No random wandering though hardware, electronics, or sporting goods stores. I also enjoy vintage car shows. They were all cancelled.
I knew my options were going to be somewhat limited anyhow since we are caregivers to my MIL. Se has Alzheimer's and needs someone here 24/7.
My wife still has a career she really enjoys. She is 10years younger than I and is not interested in ER. Her job gives her great flexibly. Our plans are to to buy an RV and travel. She can work from anywhere.
So, 10 months into retirement I still haven't truly found my groove or established the vision of "retirement" I had hoped for. I'm not really bitter, just a bit frustrated. Now that the family is fully vaccinated we are actively seeking part time in-home care for my MIL. We are hoping that this will give the DW and I an opportunity for some time just to our selves and get out and play catch up with friends and family.
 
4+ months into retirement and I have never been busier, nor more active. Lost 25lbs first year retired. I have always been a busy person with far more interests than time to spend with them. I have 3 antique cars and a hobby business in vintage parts repair and manufacturing. We bought a second (120 year old) lake house in '19.


Two things I have taken up since retiring is hiking (528 miles last year) and cooking.


That being said, there is nothing that I want to do 8 hours a day. Having so many interests/hobbies serves my mild ADD, I can flit from one thing to another and the best days I do a little of a bunch of things, including getting up when I want to, reading email and social media and having 3 cups of coffee in the morning and of course a hike in the woods with our younger dog after lunch.



Never been busier... but I love it for one simple reason: I know that I don't HAVE to do anything. To me, that is the very essence of retirement.
 
In have decided to retire next April. I have thought about what will keep me busy the realised I don’t need to keep busy. I’ll do my walking, this will be long coastal walks around Scotland and maybe England, cycling and any jobs round the house or garden. I also want to start yoga exercises at my gym.

I intend to buy a Campervan and DW and I will tour our magnificent country and plan outperform European adventures. So active, but not busy.
 
Retired for 3 months and We have been packing, downsizing and setting up for a move. We have busy doing stuff that has to be done, but some days do what we want to relax. We will be moving in a few weeks and then resting for a week before starting our house hunting in earnest. We have been watching the housing market and know what to expect. Renting for awhile while we house hunt. Once we are into our retirement house we will be engaged with a lot of activities. No plans to watch TV and sit around all day.
 
The nice thing about retirement is you are in charge of your own day! Plan whatever you want to do, when ever you want to do it.
5 years ago, I started out with a "list" of things to get done, worked diligently at crossing them off one by one, then realized if something else came up that day and I didn't get that project crossed off, I felt frustrated. Threw that list away super fast!!
I don't have a schedule, but things get done when they need too. I enjoy my days and my time is my own. Love it!!
Everyone gets their own retirement groove, you will find yours.
 
I will probably employ a list, but it will be open-ended. My goal would to cross things off before they get too many pages behind :)
 
I never want to be busy again. I never wanted to be busy when I was working.

But hey, they're paying you eh?
 
After 27years of ER I've formed some strong opinions. Busy can be bad like that evil WORK! grin. Never volunteer erstwhile one can get BUSY before realization sets in. It's hard to un volunteer. One can always show up and contribute. My two cents.

Learn that No is a wonderful word.

After 27 years of active, busy, volunteer, and slacking, watching grass grow, gym, hiking, re modeling , travel, etc., and mixtures thereof I go with the mixes I like and my body/psyche tell me are OK.

Heh heh heh - ER grants you freedom to chose and go forth. ;)
 
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