According to USA Today, 34% of people approaching retirement intend to spend their time pursuing hobbies. But, since most people have spent their pre-retirement time working and raising a family, there was never enough time to commit to hobbies. So what choices are there?
Whether you like to spend time alone or with others, inside or outside, or saving money versus spending money, there are a lot of wonderful things to do to occupy your time. Because studies show that maintaining a routine, even if it is not as robust or strict a routine as your former workday, is critical to a healthy retirement.
‘Making’ is a term that covers creating with your hands. Artwork like painting, drawing, and sculpting, craftwork like crochet, scrapbooking, or knitting, and shopwork like woodworking or working on cars are all hobbies that fit within the ‘making’ category. Working with your hands has multiple benefits, not least of which is the finished product. The gratification of a beautiful (to just you or to everyone) piece of art makes the hours of effort pay off.
If making is too much, try finding. As in finding treasures at swap meets, flea markets, or arts conventions. You can build collections like car parts or comic books or lamps or thimbles or movie posters or lunchboxes, or dabble across categories, but the thrill of the hunt drives ‘pickers’ to find that item that others overlooked or even trashed. Building your knowledge so you can spot the needle in the haystack is a constant driver, and you’re always on the lookout for something you’ve never seen before.
Keep your mind active through continuing education. You can do something close by at a nearby parks and recreation center or community college, you can go a little further to a four-year university’s “learning in retirement” program. Many schools offer UBRC, or university based retirement communities. There you immerse yourself in the college experience – with people like you – and live in a campus-like facility with events, gyms, and classes all a walk away.
Go global and combine travel with education. Road Scholars is an organization that individuals, couples, and families love. See the world and learn deeply while also closely embracing the local culture of the country you visit. Its killing three birds with one stone.
Before you go away, consider starting to learn the language of the country you’re visiting. Studies now show that learning a new language is no harder than when you’re young. And learning that second (or third?) language stimulates cognitive activity, creates new neural pathways, and helps to decrease chances of developing Alzheimer’s.
If travelling far and enrolling in classes is too much, you can still learn a lot just by day-tripping. People are always amazed at what’s in their own backyard. State parks, local museums, funky shopping districts – new and fun things are typically a short drive away.
If you just want to sit at home, fill your time reading, solving puzzles, playing mind games, competing online in chess or bridge, or solving the daily crossword. Create your own little reading club, deciphering motifs, symbols, and themes with your spouse, sister, or friend down the street. Play any of a number of highly rated apps on your phone. Medical News Today rated their favorites as Luminosity, Elevate, Peak, Fit Brains, Reaction Field, and Speedy Sorts.
Birdwatching is something you can do from any window in your house. If you like to travel, it can be done all over the globe as well. Watch or read “The Big Year”, a great film about the passion and devotion of bird watchers. A wonderful documentary about the people of birding is called “Birders: The Central Park Effect”. Phone apps make this hobby easy as well.
Hobbies are a fantastic way to ease the transition from work to retirement. Remember, though – they cost money. Lessons for painters or musicians, binoculars for bird watching, studio space for sculptors, furniture purchases, tuition expenses, or frequent global travel – it takes substantial money to fund your interests. Don’t take away from your retirement savings. Get the money instead from your home equity. Speaking of hidden treasures, that’s just what your home equity is. Your home has grown in value since you first purchased it, and that increase is just sitting in your equity. Take the cash frozen in your equity and put it to use – all while remaining in your home. Cash in and stay in – the SmartRE Way.
