Aug 01 2008
Avoiding Boredom in Retirement
Avoiding Boredom in Retirement may just take a little reminding of how much fun we used to have doing certain things and then renewing that fire! Another technique is to find things that we never had time to do before we retired, things we were reluctant to try before we retired, and NEW THINGS that never exited before we retired.
Let’s see: A new thing that is a wonderful way to avoid boredom in retirement is to start a blog on Today.com ! I’ve just been doing this for a little over two months now, and I can tell you that it is something I look forward to doing every single day. Admittedly it may require some discipline to post every single day, but discipline is something we used to take for granted before we retired. We had structure and that was good for us. After retirement we lack that structure and discipline goes by the wayside. Having SOMETHING that has to be done every day is a GREAT way to avoid boredom! (At Today.com , one can also write the posts in advance and then edit the “timestamp” so it is published on a day in the future. So, write those posts today and take the weekend off!)
Some other ideas:
Get a digital camera and play! If you’ve never used anything but a box camera, this is just about as simple. If you have used a 35 millimeter camera, you will love digital! The cost is very reasonable, and unless you decide to print a lot of shots for others, the digital versions that you can save and create slideshows and write to a CD or DVD, or simply e-mail to friends, doesn’t cost much at all. Even the cameras are cheap these days.
Get a Pet. No human will ever appreciate you so much as a dog does. The best part (some would say the worst part) is that a dog always remains like a three-year-old kid! He or she will run to meet you at the door and wants nothing more than your attention, kind words, a treat now and then and some play activity. Loyalty and Love. Get a dog. Cats are another story altogether. They don’t need much attention, and only give you attention when the mood suits them. They think you feed them because they are in charge and you are a servant. Some people like cats and not all cats are alike. We have three and each is a totally different personality. If you want a retirement challenge in order to fight boredom…get a cat.
Grandkids love grandpa and grandma because it’s fun time all the time. No chores, no discipline, no homework. Likewise, grandparents love grandkids because it’s fun time all the time and then they go home and leave us in peace. No discipline problems, no fits, no work!
Golf with others your own age. I quit trying to golf with my adult children. First, they are stronger and better than I am and they like to remind me of how it “used to be.” My competitiveness is still there so I am apt to overdo it just trying to show them I still can. Better to play with duffers like myself.
Become a Catch and Release fisherman. First of all, you don’t have to make excuses for not bringing home the catch. Second, you don’t have to clean or filet the things, and Third, the spouse will not complain about stinking up the kitchen with “fishyness.” As a “catch and release” fisherman you can claim to be a true sportsman, plus it removes all the pressure so you really can enjoy the great outdoor experience. Not worrying about your success will also save you money. You don’t have to keep up with the latest equipment or lures or flies. You don’t have to travel so far to hit the season’s hot spots. Just have fun. Buy some waders and play in the water with the spouse. (Better get the spouse some waders too.)
Skydive. Nah, you don’t have to.
