Yet another article suggesting we won't be happy in retirement

[teetee]

I have a good friend who is Chinese which doesn't matter except english is her second language learned later in life. She makes an interesting mistake when trying to say "I am bored". She says " I am boring".

However when I think about it when I am bored it turns out I am being kind of boring in terms of going out, doing new things, not visiting friends or family. So suddenly when I do some thing interactive suddenly the world is less boring...

Read recently that happiness is an activity and not a state of being...

Lots of kids shows put focus on being active and making friends. I think there should be an adult version of that for retirees in general.

"How about having drinks in a bar and talk to people?"

Not as simple as it sounds though.

 

[Lewis Clark]

Doom...gloom!

"they'll find you dead in your Barcalounger in front of your HDTV if you ER!"

A former neighbor of mine was found dead in his recliner in front of his television around age 92 or so. Could happen at any time!

 

[LARS]

To add to the pile:



https://www.washingtonpost.com/life...4c561e-1a15-11ec-bcb8-0cb135811007_story.html



This one argues that too much free time makes us less happy.



I love the Washington Post, but they've been piling on the lifestyle articles lately. (Although I admit I read some of them, including this one.)



The absurdity is demonstrated by this contradiction. Early in the article is the statement, "It turns out that reclining alone on a beach all day might not be as ideal as it sounds."



Later in the article is the statement "...“productive” means worthwhile or fulfilling, rather than contributing to the greater good. 'For some people, it might be sitting on the beach watching the waves, and for others, it’s volunteering or renovating the house.'”



So it actually turns out that reclining on a beach can make some people happy.



Geez, almost everyone has things that need to be done - sheets to be changed, bills to pay, relative care, pet care. The article sets up a fake straw situation, one of magically total leisure time. It takes no account of the flexibility and power conveyed by the ability to order one's own time along with the reduction of obligations presented by w*rk.

I’ve spent twenty-six plus years in "retirement"; and, I still haven’t figured it out. But then to my mind "retirement" is simply the act of not working to earn money.

What that leaves is "living".

And I’m not confident I will ever figure that out…

 

[W2R]

I have been retired since 11/9/2009, and the days and years since have been the happiest time of my life. I was BORN to be retired. I just love it so much.

I guess this is one of those "YMMV" things since apparently everyone doesn't feel this way. But I sure do.

 

[WestUniversity]

By the way, the article talks about having too much free time in ER.

Like that’s a bad thing? I obviously don’t want to sit around in a rocker waiting to die but at the same time it’s blissful not to be constantly stressed out like I was at w!ork.

I’m more than happy to err on the “life” side of the “whole work/life balance” equation…

 

[brett]

Never been happier. Covid has been a downer on our travel regime but we remain in good health and are optimistic. My time is my own.

Cannot say that I miss those QE and YE sales, revenue, expense, growth and pbt targets. Not to mention HR issues, downsizing decisions, contract negotiations, or dealing with the 'puzzle palace' geniuses who had never been in front of a customer.

So yes...much happier in retirement.

Does this make me the exception....I hardly think so!

 

[NW-Bound]

Doom...gloom!

"they'll find you dead in your Barcalounger in front of your HDTV if you ER!"

there was always plenty to keep us occupied before we started working, so why not afterwards?

A former neighbor of mine was found dead in his recliner in front of his television around age 92 or so. Could happen at any time!

Did your neighbor retire at 65, say, then sit in his recliner watching TV till he died at 92?

If it took 27 years of watching TV to kill him, I have to admit that TV watching is not as hazardous to one's health as I suspected.

 

[martyp]

Yes, read the full article. It is very good. This statement:

“ According to study results published earlier this month in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, an individual’s well-being increases in correlation with their free time — but only to a certain point”

This is similar to research about money and happiness. Too little money is definitely not good but after a certain point more money doesn’t necessarily make you happier”

I often like to tell people that being retired is not the same as being on vacation. Time means something else entirely when it is essentially unlimited.

I like this too:

“ According to the new study, people who spent their free time in “productive” ways, such as developing new hobbies, lifting weights, bowling or biking, experienced optimal well-being. So, if you’re newly retired or unemployed, and unsure what to do with your suddenly empty days, consider hitting the trails or, say, mastering a new language.
Fritz emphasizes that, in this context, “productive” means worthwhile or fulfilling, rather than contributing to the greater good.”

I did volunteer work during my first 5 years of retirement. I leveraged my work experience and taught classes on my own schedule. Now I am living in Thailand and I am learning a new language.

And this, “ You’re more likely to be happy if you spend some of your free time engaged in social activities”

When you ER you are along quite a lot. I specifically made a point of doing something social every week. I took classes, attended a book club. Lunched with friends and strangers, and continued to salsa dance.

 

[Markola]

+1. Good article, which jibes with my own experience of FIRE. I respected that they didn’t preach how we must go out and “serve others”, which is another irritant in many of this genre of articles, but we can instead find happiness in a balance of all kinds, levels and quantities of engagement.

 

[Amethyst]

This has top billing in the Mom Playbook.

Also can be used when the child in question is not actually bored, but doesn't seem busy enough, or busy with the wrong activities. E.g., making music on the tabletop (clinking fork against salt shaker, glass, etc.), pestering the cat, etc.

Too bad it doesn't work with adults.

If any of us expressed the thought that we were bored, my mother could easily find some sort of housework for us to do.

 

[albireo13]

I retired last year and picked up some volunteering work. I also now, have picked up part-time contract/consulting work. Pretty busy and not having the relaxing retirement I had dreamed about yet. Some of our adult kids are struggling and need financial help, thus, me going back part time. It helps cash flow since, I don't want to dip into our nest egg just yet.

... maybe next year I'll be RETIRED! LOL

 

[jrcunniff]

I can’t remember the last time I was bored. Granted I spend an awful lot of time working right now, but I can easily waste my few spots of free time with TV, internet, podcasts.

My thoughts on retirement are that I will need to organize my time so I don’t just piss it away. Set aside time for volunteer work, home projects, exercise/activities, etc. When I was unemployed for a bit several years ago, that’s what I did. But I expect I’ll welcome unlimited free time so I can structure my time the way I want. It’s never occurred to me that I could be bored!

 

[RxMan]

What would be productive for me would be if organizations like the Washington Post actually just reported the news. Let me worry about things like constructing my own world view based on my own belief system or determining whether or not sitting at the beach is productive. I guess that’s too much to ask of the modern day media companies though.

 

[aaronc879]

I work seasonal and part time and I am never bored. I can't imagine how anyone can ever be bored. There is an unlimited amount of stuff to occupy your day just going online. Add in all the other things in life and there isn't enough time to do everything even if you don't work. If you are somehow bored, then find something to do. It's not even the least bit hard.