To Schedule, or Not to Schedule? That is the Question!

Sociologist Jean Potuchek wrote: “One of the biggest changes accompanying retirement is the change in how we use our time.  For most adults in full-time jobs, work schedules provide the structure that the rest of our lives are organized around, and freedom from those time constraints is the central dream of retirement. We imagine lives that will be simultaneously rich and relaxed, full without the stress of our work lives. But this freedom can be a double-edged sword; it can leave us feeling unmoored.”

WILL YOU BE THE SCHEDULER –
using pen, paper, computer, and phone – filling all your calendars with lunch, travel, classes, and volunteer work? Monday 10-12, Tuesday 12-1, Wednesday 10-12 and 12-1, etc. This is fun until it’s not fun anymore because there’s simply too much activity every day. (In fact, isn’t that why some of you retired?)
or

WILL YOU BE THE GO-WITH-THE-FLOW TYPE –
sleep til you wake up, do whatever the day feels like when you feel it, be spontaneous? Choose that sweet thing to do on the day you want to do it?  This seems fine until you end up feeling disappointed in your choices, sitting around watching TV, and feeling angry that your kids haven’t called.

OK – SO WHAT’S THE ANSWER?
I believe you can have it both ways!  You can have a schedule that helps you get up every day, AND you can also allow for a little spontaneity. I believe you can open yourself up to doing new things and meeting new people without being overly scheduled and getting overly tired.

But how do you figure it all out?  And can you do it by yourself?  Retirement is a time of huge transition. You need to reconnect with who you are now.  After all, you DESERVE to:

STAY PRODUCTIVE,
RECOVER LOST ENTHUSIASM, and
INCREASE YOUR FEELINGS OF HAPPINESS AND WELL BEING.

Working with a Retirement Coach gives you support as you think about your real priorities and how you can create that healthy routine for what brings you joy and fulfillment.  After all, isn’t that what we all want?
Let’s talk.