A Life Less Ordinary – 13 Great Things To Do When You Retire

When you have worked hard all your life, your retirement is something to look forward to. It is a time to do all the things you never had time to do when you were employed. If you are a recent retiree and looking for ideas on how to spend your spare time, here are 13 great things to do when you retire.

Take to the Seas

Get your sea legs and indulge in some watersports. If you want to keep fit but don’t fancy a dip in the sea, you could look for a swimming pool in the local area such as Lehi City. As you are now retired, you can visit the pool during the quietest times of the day.

If you are more of a thrill-seeker, you could learn to water ski, surf, or invest in your own boat so you can sail the seas whenever the urge takes you. Look for a range of suitable vessels at local boat dealers in Utah, for example.

Get Green Fingers

When you retire, you can get outside and enjoy your garden. Grow some fruit and vegetables or transform your backyard into an entertainer’s paradise by installing some decking, comfortable seating, an outdoor bar, a fire pit, and a barbecue.

Unleash the Artist Within

Painting is a popular hobby for retirees to adopt. You can set up in your spare room or convert your garage or shed into a studio. If you have a natural artistic streak, you could run classes for local community members from your studio. Doing so can earn you some pocket money.

Play the Game

If you are keen to meet new people, you may want to consider playing some social games such as cards, dominoes, chess, or bingo. Ask your local community center or bar if they run game nights. If not, you could ask a few friends and neighbors over to your home to play a few games of Bridge or even some board games such as Scrabble. If all goes well, you could make it a weekly occurrence at a different participant’s home each time.

Stimulate the Grey Matter

When you grow older, it is essential to keep your mind fit as well as your body. Doing puzzles or crosswords each day can keep you amused while training your brain. Most daily newspapers have a crossword or puzzle page in them, or you can buy a book.

Pass it On

Chances are, after a lifetime of working, you have a plethora of skills you can pass on to others. You could teach your skills to others through working as a personal tutor, an online tutor, or as a teacher at a local community center. You could join social groups such as the University of the Third Age and give lectures to members.

Be a Sport

To keep fit and healthy in your retirement, you could take up a sport. There are plenty of sports for all levels of fitness. Social sports such as golf and lawn bowls are popular with retirees. If you move to a retirement complex or village, you will find that they have organized sporting events and golf courses.

Pack Your Bags

Now that you have plenty of time on your hands, you could travel the world and visit all the places you dreamed of seeing. World cruises are popular with people who have retired and can be an excellent way for single people to meet new people and build up a support network. Companies such as Elder Treks specialize in holidays for older people.

The Sound of Music

Become the next Jimi Hendrix and learn to play the guitar. You can learn to play an instrument with one-on-one lessons with a qualified instructor, join a class or teach yourself by studying a mixture of YouTube videos and instruction manuals.

If you can already play an instrument, you could join a band or establish your own one and play at weddings, bars, or local shows.

Family Matters

One of the best things about being retired is that you can spend more time with your family.

You and your partner can enjoy doing activities together and get to know each other again after years of losing touch because of work and family commitments.

If you are lucky enough to have grandchildren, you can enjoy being with them. When they are young, you may want to offer your babysitting services and look after them a few times a week while their parents are at work.

Be A Bookworm

You will now have time to read plenty of books. If your eyesight is failing or just for convenience, audiobooks are a great way to get lost in a book. You can listen to a thriller while you do the gardening or walk around the block.

It is said that everyone has a book in them, so why not put pen to paper and write a bestseller. There are online novel writing courses available and apps to help kick off your life as an author.

Break the Language Barrier

If you have always wanted to be bilingual or add to your language skills. Why not spend some of your spare time learning a new language. To learn, you can attend a class, get help from an app or complete an online course.

Volunteer

Volunteer work is a great way to get out into the community and help others rather than sit around the house. You could offer your services at a homeless shelter and cook or serve up meals for people in need.

If you enjoy dealing with the public, you may want to work at a charity shop or become a handyman and do jobs for those with limited resources and skills.

Children can benefit from your skills and experience. Many retirees become scout and guide leaders or work at youth centers and mentor young community members.