A DAY IN THE LIFE
“Woke up, fell out of bed
Dragged a comb across my head
Found my way downstairs and drank a cup
And looking up, I noticed I was late
Found my coat and grabbed my hat
Made the bus in seconds flat
Found my way upstairs and had a smoke
And somebody spoke and I went into a dream”
Songwriters: John Lennon / Paul McCartney
One of the first things I pondered on my first day of retirement was What is a typical day for me now? What should it look like? I had ended a chapter in my life where everything was organized and prearranged by other people, now the pages of my life are blank, and I am the one in charge of creating my day-to-day. The good news was that I now have the freedom to do what I want when I want! On one hand, this felt exhilarating to me but on the other hand, it was overwhelming. I genuinely believe to have my life be relevant and feel refreshed I needed a routine. A routine I could structure the way I wanted; a way that made me feel fulfilled. I am now in the drivers’ seat and in control of the schedule and the route the bus takes, and I might add what passengers I choose to pick up along the way!
Much research has been done regarding our aging baby boomer generation it is widely believed that having a daily routine is critical to enjoying life after work and beyond. It is essential to have a retirement routine so our life can be meaningful and have a purpose, to feel better, and to maintain good mental health.
Being a planner at heart I got a fresh notebook out and started asking myself questions. I took my time to contemplate the questions and the answers A technique I have used before is to have an unfiltered brainstorming session to write down everything that comes to mind without editing the answers.
The first question I asked myself as a general lifestyle question, Do I want to keep busy, or do I want and need a slower pace? I came up with I need a slower pace right now to decompress from the stress of working life. I decided during my first year of retirement I needed to slow down, however, I also wanted my calendar to have activities with family and friends scheduled. I did not want every day to be filled to the brim, but I also did not want a completely empty calendar.
Here were some of the questions I asked to help me get clarity on making my retirement daily routine.
What time do I want to wake up? Do I want to set an alarm or wake up naturally?
What is my wake-up routines?
What type of activities do I want to do each day and for how long?
What are the activities that will make me feel I accomplished something?
What type of exercise and for how long each day
What time do I want to eat my daily meals?
What time do I want to go to bed?
What are my bedtime routines?
Here are some of the answers I came up with in, my daily routine brainstorming session.
When I was working that alarm clock was so annoying. I longed for the day I could just wake up naturally. Now that wish can come true. I can trust my body clock to wake me up. Starting my day with a 10–20-minute meditation or visualization exercise is important to me to set the tone for the day and it just feels good to start with this peaceful and positive practice. To feel accomplished I decided to make the bed every morning would create a visual that Yes, I did accomplish something today. Putting away the dishes and tidying up are also on my daily routine list. Exercising is an important piece to the puzzle since I am really out of shape a 20 minute morning “wake up” walk and a 20 minute afternoon “freshen up” walk is included on my daily routine list. Bedtime is at 10:00. To create a closing for my day I either meditate or do a creative visualization for 15-20 minutes.
This has helped me stay focused and engaged and not become bored. The next step in my retirement planning is to create a weekly routine and a monthly routine. I am also going to review this routine to determine what I want to add to or eliminate from it. The most exciting part of this is, I GET TO DECIDE! And that feels so good.
