The body may be shocked by retirement. Your feeling of purpose may have also been taken away by the loss of the job that used to occupy you for at least 40 hours each week. If you do not discover enjoyable activities to do when you retire, you could feel lost and lonely. Here are several recommended hobbies and activities in retirement that you can explore.
E-Learning
Your opportunities for international learning and travel may be hampered by mobility challenges, travel restrictions, financial limitations, or time restraints. However, you can continue your lifetime learning journey in retirement without ever leaving your front door. Even if you lack the resources or means to attend in-person classes, you may still keep yourself busy and broaden your mind by enrolling in one of the numerous online lectures, educational programs, or courses created specifically for the elderly.
Volunteer Work
Volunteering is a popular retirement pastime. It comes in a variety of forms and is very social, and healthy for the soul. You will have great opportunities to learn new things if you work at a museum or any other places of interest. Join a service activity where you can benefit others. Or work as a volunteer at a cultural institution where you can attend performances for little or no cost. One retiree who enjoys working in a California men’s jail coaching inmates on career development shared that doing so had deepened his dedication to prison reform and allowed him to learn a lot from his students. Another retiree appreciates sharing the essential lesson about “how courage, cooperation, and tenacity on the part of primarily unheralded heroes brought about great improvements” as a volunteer docent at the National Underground Railway Freedom Center.
Joining a Book Club
If you enjoy reading, you can improve your understanding of both books and people by joining a book club as one of your hobbies in retirement, making reading even more fulfilling. A retiree who is a member of four book clubs is forming a fifth. She remarked, “I like the reading and the ideas, friendships, and other perspectives that arise from club conversations. In retirement, joining a book club might inspire you to read literature you otherwise would not and can lead to new experiences.
Walking/Hiking
Hiking and walking are additional retirement activities. Both activities give you an opportunity to watch nature, get your heart rate up, get some fresh air, and, if you walk with a friend, get in some of that crucial social interaction for healthy aging. When you add it all up, a 45-minute walk helps your brain more than doing a crossword puzzle would. Walking, according to one retiree, transports you back to your childhood: “I grew up in a tiny town and, when the weather allowed, we would take lengthy Sunday afternoon walks. It was always a special occasion to take in the wonders of nature and to say hello to those we would come across. We felt rejuvenated, joyful, and thankful when we got home. I still walk and internally feel the same, even though I’m 82 years old and live alone. Definitely a great way to start my day.”
