Smart Senior

A New Routine

Retirement. How is that going for you? You dreamed about it for decades, but you are not alone if you find yourself feeling oddly bereft.  No matter how you look at it, retirement is a “precursor to old age,” which is deflating to say the least.

It is fun for us old timers. We watch you dip your toes in. You scurry around, desperately trying to fill every moment, and that’s okay, for now.  Admittedly, watching you try to do everything at once is enough to make our heads spin, but frantic as it seems, we know that the honeymoon phase will soon be over.  

Whether you loved your job or were mired in burnout, you had a routine, and it was a comfortable one. Your work was what you did, and in many instances, it was who you were. No shame in that.

Love or hate, your workday dictated your schedule. There were expectations, you had goals to meet, and a sense of satisfaction when you met them. Leaving all that behind creates a void, a sense of isolation. Something is missing.   Your “club” was the people you worked with, gossiped about, and shared satisfaction and dissatisfaction with.

 Life, as you know it, will no longer be dictated by the hands of the clock. This sounds quite wonderful at first, but it can be discombobulating.   

Once the initial euphoria wears off, your new life will officially begin. Endless time will weigh heavily on you. You will miss the routine, the sense of structure that used to form your days.  What are you going to do?

Stop panicking.  Slow down for a few minutes and let your body and your mind settle. Accept that you do not have to adhere to 8 hour days.

Listen to your body. This isn’t too hard because you will soon find that “it” has a lot to say. Start by paying attention to when you are tired, hungry, energetic or reflective. Use that information to establish a new “routine.”  Once you have a sense of what works for you, you can plan activities that interest you and you will soon find your purpose. You are going to be alright.