The most popular article on RetireFabulously.com has been the mega-list of 100 Things You Can Do After You Retire. After all, there’s no reason to be bored after you retire.
Unfortunately, during the COVID-19 pandemic, some of those activities aren’t feasible because they involve interacting with groups of people in potentially unsafe situations.
But don’t despair! The glass is still half full. Half of the things on that list are still doable during these stay-at-home, socially-distanced times.
Regardless of whether you’re already retired or you’re working from home, out of work, or out of school, you can choose a few activities from this list to make good use of your time in fulfilling, enjoyable ways.
Here are 50 ideas to get you started:
1. Learn a new instrument, or rediscover an instrument you used to play
2. Go for long walks
3. Ride your bicycle
4. Play card games
5. Play board games
6. Sew or knit clothing
7. Write a memoir or autobiography
8. Take up photography
9. Learn a new language
10. Create crafts
11. Join a book club – or start one
12. Join an investment club – or start one
13. Write a novel
14. Start a website or blog
15. Join a discussion group – or start one
16. Research and document your family tree
17. Research and document the history of your town
18. Try new recipes and develop your cooking skills
19. Call or write to your friends on a regular basis
20. Invent a new game
21. Write poetry
22. Restore old furniture
23. Redecorate your home
24. Listen to everything in your music collection and create playlists
25. Compose music – or write funny lyrics to existing music
26. Go fishing
27. Compile a collection of jokes or funny stories
28. Record a CD
29. Plant a garden
30. Learn mixology
31. Make your own beer or wine
32. Compile a collection of your favorite quotes or bits of wisdom
33. Work crossword puzzles
34. Plan day trips to nearby places, and take photos and write about them
35. Learn some magic tricks
36. Invent things
37. Start a new charity
38. Start a business
39. Be a pet sitter or a dog walker
40. Take bird-watching trips (within driving distance)
41. Start an internet radio station
42. Create a comic strip
43. Go camping
44. Learn how to sew, or how to sew new things
45. Learn more about investing
46. Learn, or get better at, woodworking
47. Reconnect with a hobby from earlier in your life
48. Learn calligraphy
49. Update Wikipedia with things you know about
50. Write a play
Some of these ideas will require adaptation for the current stay-at-home, socially-distanced conditions. For example, the book club, investment club, or discussion group will have to take place via video chat (Zoom, Facetime, Skype, etc.). Taking lessons can also be done via video chat.
You may also enjoy reading How to Make the Best of Retirement in the Pandemic.
Please feel welcome to comment below.
This topic is explored in greater depth in my book Design Your Dream Retirement. This book will show you how to visualize your retirement in an optimistic, possibility-filled light, and provide you with the knowledge and tools to help you create a plan for achieving your retirement dreams. You will learn how to fill your life with a balance of activities and pursuits to keep you happy, healthy, and fulfilled.
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© 2020 Dave Hughes. All rights reserved.
Photo credits:
There is no place like home: Anastasia Chepinska
Piano: wal_172619
Hands on laptop: Thomas Lefebvre
Garden: Jonathan Hanna
Lady walking dogs: No-longer-here
2 Responses
I’d like to share a 51st thing your readers can do: organize and digitize old photographs. So often we lose these precious keepsakes in fires or natural disasters or even to ravages of time. Taking the time now to digitize and upload photos to a safe cloud storage location where they can be shared with family is one way to preserve them. Plus by including information about who is in the photos, the stories that go with the scene, when they were taken and where, you preserve a treasure trove of history for future interested family members. It’s time consuming work, but has a great end goal and you get the pleasure of reliving those memories as you do the work. 🙂
Hi Darien,
That’s an excellent idea! And your suggestion to include stories, names, dates, and places will add tremendous value.
During the pandemic, I have been ripping my large collection of vinyl LPs to digital and converting a bunch of VHS tapes to DVDs. I’ve rediscovered music I haven’t listened to in 30+ years! It’s like renewing old friendships.
Thanks,
Dave