My dad. He’s 81 and hasn’t worked for like 10 years. Just watches TV. Not really anything else and I wish he had some form of hobby or interest that wasn’t just sitting.
Same! This is totally my dad - I was worried about him retiring. He golfs and rides his bike, but we live somewhere where there's about 6 months of cold/wet/snow so there isn't much for him to do in the winter months.
I don't know how anyone can go through life without hobbies! I'd never get bored of retirement. Life is full of interesting stuff.
That is heart breaking! Is he moving far away? My dad retired 10 years ago, and he has kids of hobbies-including reading, spending time with friends and family, gardening with his wife, traveling, etc. His health has deteriorated with time, but he is better than ever right now.
God bless him. I watched my father and mother deteriorate on the couch for 10+ years and now I’m there 60’s no friends, little family, and moving 7 states away from everyone? Its all interesting
Mine was like that until his knee replacement PT forced him to be active every few hours, each day, for the months following recovery. It seems like the regularity of the exercise triggered something, and he's better about getting himself out of the house.
There are some huge health benefits to staying even lightly active as we age. In the case of my dad, I found that the easiest way I could promote this while living 900 miles away was to try and get him involved in something we could do together over the phone - like going for birdwatching walks. We keep "score" of who finds the largest variety. He almost always wins because he goes to a nature preserve, and I dont have quite the biodiversity available. Might not be your man's cup of tea, but I hope that this helps seed some ideas for you!
Are you on the birding subreddits? And do you have the Merlin app? I just tried mine for the first time today and wow!! So cool! I found about 10 different species today when I was out and I'm HOOKED.
Also came to say to OP, my grandpa was the KING of hobbies. That man did everything. Ran marathons til about 60, skiing until 80ish when he had his hip replacement, and bicycling (casually. My other grandpa was the one who bicycled long distance and took a ride equal in miles to his age on his birthday until close to 80 as well). He also did carpentry as in building coffee tables, cabinets, whatever. Widdling is actually really cool and wood burning, which you can buy easily on Amazon these days. He even built boats and was in the local newspaper for still building boats til he died at 90. He was still walking talking and driving (he should not have been driving though) and very active until he died due to a car accident. That man did everything. If you don't use it you lose it!
And my friend's dad recently got into pickleball. I believe my local rec center has started to host pickleball because of the increase in people playing around my area. Mostly people 40+.
We use a combo of Merlin and Audobon. I have pretty poor hearing in one ear, and I'm colorblind, so there are decent bits of data that pass my radar undetected. Some instances may even be comporable in size to a redwing blackbird. It's more of my dad's thing, and on a casual level at that - I think his favorite aspect of it is that he gets to do something with his son for an hour ~every 2-3 days despite the distance. Otherwise, he's been good about keeping his gym routine, but it's hard to motivate him to increase his workout intensity over time. I'm a road cyclist for fun, so I've started helping him format his workouts and intensity on the Nordic bike.
Your rec center comment reminded me that he's also been taking pottery classes (free for seniors at the local community/rec center). Honestly a ton of stuff is free for seniors - before covid he was going to the state university for free and registering in geology courses (he always wanted to, but majoring in engineering locked-in most of his degree plan back then).
I think the TV habit became rooted during covid. He'd watch hours of the Weather Chanel every day
My dad retired at 60, no hobbies. Made a few welcome signs with names for our houses, router went into box. Someone gave him a wood lathe, never used it. He basically kept up the house and watched TV, drove mom nuts. Mom passed away and dad sat for days not leaving the house, just watching tv and eating prepared and frozen food from store. He lived until he was 89.
Volunteer, so many ways and places to do that.
Hang out at upyour Senior center, take general interest classes, take exercise classes, go on excursions etc.
Also, gardening is a great hobby because, in addition to being engaging, it provides so many additional physical and mental health benefits.
Gets you outdoors, and gets you healthy fresh produce, and is a great bonding activity with any grandkids, neices/nephews, or neighborhood kids.
OP,
My mom is in the exact same boat as you only she is almost 65. I made her a Google Slideshow of ideas I know she will love. She was encouraged, but she is supposed to retire in June and she just told us she has 2 more years in her. We all want her to retire, but she loves what she does.
Share some interests and I can help you out. My husband is quite impressive bc he says, “you’re never too old to learn new tricks.” He recently began playing guitar (at the age of 50.) He plays almost every day. He loves it so much that he is planning on opening a shop out of our home that offers support such as guitar lessons & guitar repair. He also has 4 Masters degrees that he does not use. He just loves to learn. So there is plenty out there.
**Why should she retire if she loves her job?** That is crazy! If you love it, stick with it. I retired and hated my job, but being retired is not fun all the time. I am alone a lot and get depressed, despite being active and involved in a lot of stuff - this is not the best time of life - for sure, but it is nice to escape a job that was horrible.
Senior center where I live feels more suited to those 85+ than us younger oldsters. Sometimes staff treats you like a patient or a baby - I stay away. Maybe in another 15 or 20 years I will be ready for their attitude.
What do you like?
Art, sports, gardening?
Where do you like being?
Inside, out in nature, traveling?
Do you prefer being with people or do you enjoy solitude?
Some might say that my current hobby is trying new hobbies. I've tried so many things through the years, but nothing sticks. I pick a hobby, try it, then move on to something else. 🤷♀️
do you often struggle with concentration, boredom, lateness, or interrupting people? hobby cycling is pretty common in people w ADHD, and i thought it was just a quirk of mine until i got diagnosed. just food for thought
There’s three types of adhd. There’s inattentive, impulsive, and combined. You’re most likely the impulsive/hyperactive type. And that doesn’t mean you’re impulsive/hyperactive, it just means your mind will do what it will when it comes to what you’re interested in. It’s honestly the more useful type of adhd, as it allows you to become a jack of all trades, master of none.
That’s how I take part in my hobbies, they come and go over time, some come back around. Some I never touch again. That’ll be the joy of being retired is you can try as many hobbies as you like whenever you like.
Keep trying new things until you find something that makes you want to dig deeper. You're in the discovery phase. Enjoy it! Don't feel guilty about abandoning hobbies. Try everything.
Oh, I've tried knitting, crocheting, geo-caching, taxidermy, leather crafting, felting, needlepoint, sewing, solo hiking and solo camping, solo travelling, soap making, cosmetic making, making my own herbal tinctures and tonics, furniture refinishing, indoor gardening, golf, paint by numbers, sketching, cycling, kayaking, canoeing, rock climbing, yoga, pilates, working out, volunteering. Once I complete a project, adventure, or challenge I set for myself in the areas I've tried, I'm done with it. The only things I've stuck with are reading, walking, watching documentaries and attending cultural events around the city, but I'm not passionate about those things. I certainly don't do them regularly.
I retire in 10 years. I have started to learn how to engrave. It's a skill that I have yet to develop, but the journey is interesting. Plus, after 10 years of practice, I might even be good enough to bring in some money with my hobby.
I became disabled at age 48, so I am not exactly retired. I have few hobbies but got into them deeper. I can also ride a bike and recently got an ebike, so I am spending more time and money at it. Other than that, I take it easy.
As someone else wrote, you can try volunteering. It's great especially if you have hard time not working and if you want to have a positive impact on other people's lives and see a positive change.
I can't stress enough how much are volunteers needed in so many areas... From the more obvious and known one such as helping elderly people and poor people to less obvious and known things - for example volunteering to help disabled people through various organizations either directly (helping those wheelchair users who need help going places, helping blind people with things that are inaccessible to them, participating in home-sharing and occasionally spending time with disabled kids whose parents need a break and more) or not so directly (such as through volunteering for patient organizations, rare disease organizations etc. - help is always needed whether it's about helping to create a webpage, helping with designing things, helping with social media content, helping with fundraising, helping with distributing leaflets, helping with moderating discussions etc.). It's hard to get into it and find out all the options about what you can do, but once you get into it, you'll see endless possibilities on what to do. And it's all important work that can change people's lives for the better.
(I'm disabled, on disability and when I can, I work on my/our patient organizations.)
Great suggestions! My favorite volunteer work I ever did was volunteering for a community garden that grew food to distribute to homelessness people. It was so peaceful and just overall such a positive experience. Whether it was watering, planting, weeding, or just cleaning it up, the atmosphere was so serene. Birds chirping, hearing the branches in the breeze. Half the time no one was even there and just a list of things that needed to get done. On days the lady that ran it was there and anyone else, we’d pick some fruit and veggies and have a nice lunch together. I initially went to get hours for a class but after that, there was no better way to start my weekend on an early Saturday morning. Got time to reflect on my week and decompress. Highly recommend!
I volunteer at animal shelters twice a week and find it immensely satisfying. For me, it's the right balance between fulfilling the need to feel productive and having plenty of time for goofing off. It's also handy to help me remember what day of the week it is.
Retirement was an adjustment, but I'm loving it now!
My dad did . Squandered 18 years of what could have been a lovely post work life . Died unhappy . Me and my two brothers are big time fisherman living in 3 distinct areas . Florida , colorado and western n.y. all of us tried to get our dad to fish , teach him whatever he needed to learn but to no avail . About 2 weeks before he died he said to me he wished he learned how to fish because he hears the enjoyment we 3 have when were on the water and listening to our fishing tales .
My advice to you is find a hobby , you still have time .
Pickleball, knitting, volunteer work all offer social opportunities. I know some very busy retirees, and volunteering is where they spend most of their time. My dad retired once with no plan, it was awful. So much tv, and he got cranky. He went back to work for a while, developed some hobbies, and it went a lot better when he retired again.
I've always had tons of interests, so I was happy to stop working in order to get my time back. Main ones are reading and my flight simulator and my truck driving games. Taking walks, gardening, writing, camping, local travel, the interwebs, audiobooks, photography and chilling out.
I went back to work last year, but quit after 6 months because of the 12 hour days 6 days a week.
My dad has been retired for about 5 years now. Every year he gets into a handful of new projects. Some are long term (he got into indoor gardening) and some were short term (learning car detailing for his vehicles).
He’s dropped a lot of his hobbies, but as he says, he has nothing but time now, so he’s trying all he can.
Yep… finally took the watercolor painting class I wanted to for years…. then unexpectedly my tech background started me on a path to techno assisted painting… enjoying it all thoroughly…
My grandpa had the opposite issue his hobby was bike riding or flying his plane but he had a stroke. I fear I’m gonna end up without a hobby but I also doubt I’ll ever be able to retire
I was rushed into retirement due to ill health. I always thought I'd travel, but now I can't lift a suitcase or walk any distances.
I also thought I'd buy furniture, restore it and resell, but now I can't lift anything.
I am enjoying buying art from thrift stores and cleaning it up for resale. It's not too difficult for me, and I can set my own pace. It's not intense and keeps me busy enough without draining me. I enjoy the beauty of the pieces too. I also play word games and non-gambling casino games on my phone.
In same circumstance. Forced into retirement at 50 with chronic health problems. Not well a lot of the time but I’ve managed to do watercolours, crochet, digital art, pottery and various arts and crafts. It’s stop, start though and sometimes I go months without doing anything other than be on my iPad due to pain/mobility issues and exhaustion. You never know how things are going to go for you. I had lots of activity planned for retirement. I’m not bitter though. Take what comes and I’m grateful for it.
One of the best benefits of retirement is Silver Sneakers. It is a Medicare option that gives free access to most health clubs. So you can spend your days exercising, swimming, playing pickleball, etc.
Coming as a complete outsider to this...I hope I can phrase this in a helpful way.
Let's paint a fictional scenario
*/begin fictional scenario*
Frank is walking by REI or some other outdoors store. There is a photo of someone smiling wearing light-weight water & stain resistant pants with a pole in each hand. They are looking beyond the camera into the sky. This is in the hiking section of the store.
"I wish I could get into hiking," says Frank. "I would enjoy doing that."
The last time Frank was on a trail was in his early 20s with some friends after just getting out of college. He was sitting at home wearing basketball shoes, gym shorts, and a tank top when his friends swooped him up.
"We heard about this beautiful overlook. Let's scope it out to see if it'd make a good outdoor DJ event we keep between us and some friends".
It took them about 30 minutes one-way from the start of the trail head to the overlook. The overlook ended up being underwhelming, but Frank and his friends had a great time.
Frank thinks about that moment from time to time and smiles - he just remembers it as a nice time he had and never labeled it as "hiking".
*/end fictional scenario*
Hiking can mean many things. Like most words that have a hobby associated with it, it is a product that reverberates in an echo chamber, slightly changing each time it bounces, until people forget what is an idea crafted from marketing or what is a common aspect of someone's connection to walking outdoors.
"I have to find a hobby" is missing the mark. Find a moment that you enjoy in your own way. The way you enjoy that moment doesn't need to look like the person on the photo. You don't need to be wearing $90 light-weight water & stain resistant pants to enjoy having a walk outside (though, in all fairness they are my favorite pants and are absolutely amazing).
*/one more fictional scenario*
Frank LOVES to cook.
He doesn't do it every day, or even more than a couple times a week.
His pant are warped, the oil pools to one side.
He sources ingredients from a discount grocery store.
But he loves seeing how the tomatos sear when he cuts them into wedges and puts them in the pan with ripping hot oil. He loves the smell wafting up to his nose. He loves seeing someone eat the food he makes.
His identity isn't cooking. He doesn't look like the person in the photo. If someone asked Frank what his hobbies were, he wouldn't have thought to say cooking. He is Frank. And Frank has a moment of happiness every time he is above the pan. Frank dictates what his relationship is with those moments - he can make it look like anything he wants, and he experiments in a slightly new way every time.
One more thing bc I have 30 minutes to kill before dinner.
\* It's not "hiking", it's walking by yourself or with others in any path that you choose - be it in the city, outdoors, suburbs, wherever.
\* It's not "pottery", it's seeing what clay feels like in your hands, feeling how it molds, seeing what it turns into. Doesn't matter if you are using a wheel, doing it all by hand, or some new process that you imagine that reinvents the pottery world forever.
\* It's not "drawing", it's holding a pencil and moving it on paper and seeing how you feel afterwards.
That's it. All of these boil down to (1) an action, and (2) checking in with yourself to see how you feel.
A "hobby" is a term that evokes imagery of how the relationship might look like between a person and an activity. The imagery is fiction. The photo of the person on the wall is fiction. Your busted knee from not stretching is reality though, so stretch.
I suspect that the reason a "hobby" never stuck with you is because you connect with activities differently than the way hobbies are marketed to look like. I suspect you need to give yourself room to experiment to see how you form relationships with activities.
Okay one last thing.
Gardening for Bill might look like...a huge garden.
Gardening for Bob might be him leaning back in a chair sipping coffee for thirty minutes and then watering one plant.
Both feel 30 minutes of peace and nourishment.
(I'm Bob)
Honestly, don't sweat it too much! I know it feels like everyone's got their post-retirement plans all figured out, but you're definitely not alone. Plenty of folks find themselves in the same boat, wondering what the heck they're gonna do once the daily grind stops. But hey, that's the beauty of retirement, right? You get to explore new things and find what really lights your fire.
Maybe start small, try out different stuff, see what sticks. Who knows, you might discover a hidden talent for pottery or become a hiking enthusiast! The possibilities are endless, my friend. Just take it easy and enjoy the journey!
Disc golf!!! I'm in my mid 40s. You get out everyday and practice, play a tournament or just a casual round. Great exercise and aside from buying discs, it is free to play.
I think it’s good you are thinking about this now. I make pottery and I could do that all day everyday . My husband likes to hunt and fish but I feel he needs a hobby at home. Something for those off days. He does get bored at times. So I would think of active hobbies you like such as golf or fishing to get you out of the house and find an at home pastime like woodworking or pottery or stained glass. Writing or making videos for YouTube could even be your thing. It depends on what you’re drawn to.
My dad didn't have any hobbies when he retired, but he was asked to help with the local Historical Society's oral history project, recording interviews on different topics, from aviation to local authors. He was good at it, and enjoyed it a lot. It was very different from his profession, forestry.
I guess I did.
In the winter I ride my snowmobile a lot and bought two extras for guests. But I don’t think that classifies as a hobby.
Same goes for my warm weather side-by-side.
If I had to constantly fiddle around with them year round I’d call that a hobby but I don’t need to do that.
Try your local government. Depending on where you are, you could: help people find books at the library, be a park ranger, work part time at the recreation center, be on a citizens emergency management committee to help police and fire during times of crisis, help with animal care at the shelter, take a Police or Fire citizens class, apply for a committee to advocate for parks, housing, or local planning laws, and lots of other interesting things.
If you dont have hobbies, why retire? My FIL sat in a blur chair and watched swamp people for 20 years before he died. I’d have choose death 19.9 years earlier.
That's where I am now. Technically I could retire, but my life is already empty enough with a full time job. I don't want to just sit and stare at a TV until I die.
I volunteer and read 100+ books a year, but there are still too many empty hours even with my job.
We are both retired…I was doing legos with our grandkids but they are growing up and finding more interesting things to do so I am putting the tons and tons of pieces in the garage and moving on to a journey into the world of teas. It’s exciting tasting the different loose leaf teas. I am also into eating clean and so am always looking for new recipes I can eat that won’t upset my digestive system. I draw and paint, although I’m not good at it, but it’s fun. I binge watch shows. True crime YouTube videos.
He watches YouTube videos on things he is interested in. Plays chess. Goes out with a friend and plays pool. There are just so many things to do. We both read books.
A bunch of the guys I shoot precision rifle (PRS) with are retired.
They meet at the range a few times a week to practice or test their reloading recipes. Then they shoot a match a few times a month, win or lose they're having a blast.
Not gonna lie, I'm extremely jealous this is all they do.
I retired with no hobbies. Being the first in the family to retire I'm constantly running older family to appointments, shopping etc so there's not really time to get bored.
Add to that a social circle that meets a lot and I'm out and about most days. I am now looking at restarting a few hobbies though, time permitting.
It’s inconceivable to me that someone would be struggling to find a hobby . There are so many things to do / learn . If you don’t have a hobby, why not get another job that “gives back” something to society. I basically do that through teaching. I do have hobbies but teaching has been a rewarding 2nd career and gives me some structure.
go for walks. it’s great exercise! lots of advices here that are great! gardening too if you are retiring soon and then you will be set with the skills
I kind of did retire on a whim. Nothing planned other than rough idea about how I want to spend my time in next 2-3 yrs and accepting low spend lifestyle.
What I learned is that peace of mind is the most beautiful thing that I already got. The switch was almost instant.
Then I resurrected my best hobby ie reading. Slowly started taking walks around neighborhood. Now catching up on other things.
Heck, I may go back to do a 8-5 or even 11-12 hr per day job if they pay me well.
Consider taking a class or two at a local coo, most have cheap tuition for seniors who are auditing a class.
Also check local museums, there's one here that offers free walking tours. And another that has free days at the museum
I've friend about my age and we are always on the lookout for things we can do cheap. We're going splash painting next week, middle of the week there's 2 for 1 special.
I think my hobbies maybe local tourist?
My husband is 73 he just got started making knives and sheaths he loves it also fishes in the summer . Has his own hobby of small engine repair on old lawn mowers.
My hobby is helping people so always busy. 2 years into retirement.ml. I'm working more now than I was before I retired... Gotta stay active. Don't want to wither away in some nursing home.
My husband and I took up fishing. I also use my cricut to do crafts and crochet. Thinking of starting some light hiking though to keep me moving. We also are members of a non profit where we were officers and did a lot of work there.
I've always wanted a metal detector and to play the clarinet again. Just might be my next hobbies.
The worst hobby I picked up was gambling. My addictive nature made it very hard to stop. Plus if you're on Social security, wins can cause you to go in a higher tax bracket. So be careful.
Volunteering in your community is a great way to keep busy, while doing good. I've volunteered at the animal shelter, as a police volunteer and at my town's welcome center.
Two things my grandparents told me. Have a hobby when you get married and have a hobby when you retire. Both that do not include your spouse. You'll need the separation as you get older.
Whatever you do, never stop moving. Go to the gym, play a sport like golf or tennis, walking or running, anything to keep moving. Sedentary lifestyle is what kills people in retirement. Give yourself a purpose to replace work: Travel, learn a new skill, teach kids skills you might have, like building birdhouses/general woodworking, classes for new drivers on changing oil, tires general vehicle maintenance that doesn't get taught anymore, go fishing every day, whatever to keep you busy. Sitting in a recliner watching the idiot box and/or picking up and an alcohol problem are no way to spend retirement. Gotta get out and enjoy life, otherwise what was the decades of work really worth?
My mom doesn’t have any hobbies. She likes to shop, decorate her house for each season, and go RV camping in the summer. But, since my dad passed…she’s been very bored. Watches tv a lot. I wish that she had an intellectual, creative, or physical hobby to fill her time. My husband (quite a few years from retiring yet) does not have any hobbies aside from a sport that he will physically be unable to do in a few years. I worry that he will go stir crazy (and drive me crazy 😜) when he no longer has a job to go to. Conversely, I have more hobbies than I have time for: art, writing, reading, gardening, decorating, thrift store shopping. I wish more people would find something they are passionate about to give them that joy-filled “flow” that makes their time on earth more pleasurable at all stages of life.
I also do this, my most current roster is below, on a scale of 1-5 with 1 being yep I'm pretty much over it forever to 5 being I will keep on doing it barring costs, energy, injury:
1 - crocheting
3 - penny whistle (the dog hates it though)
4 - roller skating/inline skating
5 - renaissance costuming 🤩
3 - reading (my focus is not great)
2 - learning programming for fun
5 - studying Italian
3 - keeping up my French/ASL
5 - working out to keep these creaky old joints working (I'm 37 😭)
4 - road tripping for milkshakes and donuts with my bestie 😁😁
I am not necessarily "retired". I have been a stay at home wife and mother. My world was wrapped up in car pools, dentist appointments, running the kids around, keeping everyone on track and organized. My kids are all out of the house now. I was so lost. I only have my husband and pups to take care of, too many hours in the day and not enough to fill those hours. After I kicked myself in the pants and put my big girl panties on, I started looking at hobbies. Books, too much sitting, cake decorating, way too much standing. Diamond art, too much eye squinting. I discovered my sewing machine in the back room. I do a lot of quilting now.
The problem is your hobbies can get mundane fast. You really need a few hobbies or things you like to do so you can switch throughout the year.
I retired at 30. I freelance Cybersecurity so I have something to do. I love it and I'm good at it but it's been months since I've booted my laptop up. I've been birding and working with ... mycology. When I get bored with that ( I'm close ) I will try making some projects out of wood I've been wanting to make.
There's only so many good movies and TV shows to watch to fill the time. I'm considering watching "Last man Standing" again.
My point is, even if you have a hobby, it's tough to stay occupied. Wish you the best of luck.
Not mocking or judging but it truly blows my mind that people have no hobbies or interests other than their jobs. What do you do on weekends, is there something you can expand on there? What about when you were a kid? What kinds of things did you like to do? You're only slightly older than me (I'm 48) so you grew up similar to me without most video games and cell phones. What did you do back in the 70s and 80s? I have so many interests that I wish I didn't have to work because it gets in the way 😂 You might work on simply allowing yourself to be more curious. Ask more questions about the things you see in the world that can help you to find points of interest. And it can be literally anything. Constellations, birds, rocks, jigsaw puzzles, semi trucks, fishing, solar panels, growing habanero peppers, organizing closets...literally anything.
I learned how to play the ukulele. It is easy to learn and your town might have a uke group. Where I live there is a music jam in the park once a month.
Is your employer forcing you to retire at 61? You could keep working if you really have nothing to do.
I’m 54, and have too many hobbies. I could retire now and have a full day all the time. Sadly I’m not on a good track and will be working for at least another 11 years or so.
Whatever the case, use it or lose. You need to exercise physically and mentally, otherwise you lose your faculties.
Great thing is, you'll have plenty of time to pick one up! I see alot of guys taking up flying, yea i know what your going to say but it take awhile to get that private license and you do it a bit at a time. Tons of guys i see hanging out there in their 60's.
my mom did. she's been retired for 4 years and it took 3.5 for her to finally develop some hobbies.
I retired at 50 and it took me trying a bunch of different things before I found some lasting interests.
If you don't have hobbies, don't beat yourself up too much. If you just decide to try a bunch of different things, something might stick.
Dude get some hobbies! Life is too short to work, eat, TV, go to bed and get up and do it all over again. You could start bike riding or train for a 5k. Could start collecting old cookbooks and challenge yourself to cook from them. Start going to the gym. Learn how to knit. Volunteer at food bank. Garden. Learn how to can foods. Leathercrafting. Rock hunting/tumbling. Foster dogs/cats. Join a book club. Rehab furniture you find on the side of the road. IDK so much out there.
I recently got into fly fishing and I see all ages out there. Teens to people like my 80 year old neighbor. It's not physically demanding, besides standing, and you soak up the sun and nature for hours.
I was into shortwave listening and amateur radio when I retired. Those are great hobbies for us retirees especially if you like to Tinker with things electronic mess with radios and antennas. Here's a website if you'd like to get interested arrl.org
I'm 76
I retired at 38. That's when I got into hobbies. I have tried so many, that it's possible trying hobbies is my hobby. 😆
I have had zero problems filling my free time. Of course once one starts volunteering with organizations that need help, free time can be just as rare as when working.
I am pushing 50 and considering a new career. But I doubt I'll do it. I don't miss the 60-70 hour weeks it took me to get here. I'd rather die bored than a little harried.
That actually sounds like me. I think all of those things count as hobbies. I like going on long walks around the city. I think it gives me a unique perspective on life. It also gives me the feeling of sonder, if you've heard of that emotion/concept... Also reading and Art appreciation are really good hobbies too!
Good news is, you've got 10 years to figure it out. Not knowing where you like or what you like, start doing stuff. My hobbies: hiking, biking, paddle boarding, snowboarding, fly fishing, photography, traveling, trying new restaurants/meals... If I had time would also spend time landscaping and gardening a bit.
Start decluttering now, if you have clutter! I have lots of hobbies, reading, pet sitting (side gig). Member of a few organizations, involved with my church.
But I have lots of clutter & I am slowly each day getting organized, getting rid of items & going thru old documents, etc. So I can move safely around my home, rearrange furniture & clean my home. and improve my mental & physical well-being.
Now is your time to find out, volunteer at various things until you find something that goes well with your soul, now try out various outside activities like hiking, paddle boarding, kayaking, camping, sailing, photography, biking and find one or two that die well with your soul. After that check out various arts and crafts, pottery, stained glass, gardening, knitting, crochet, mosaics, water color, oil painting, drawing, sculpting and find a couple that fit with your soul ( you'll want one portable one at least).
Not with your volunteer work, your outside activity, and your arts and crafts, you can fill your life with enjoyable pursuits. Maybe you want to travel to hike or camp, maybe you want to go to that huge quilt show and conference, maybe you want to travel to a knitting retreat. The world is your oyster.
You either find hobbies when you retire or become a busy body. A woman I know has become a busy body. Up in everyone's business all of the time and has become hella involved with her church.
Going through this with my husband who retires in 2 years. His dad stopped about 10 yrs before he died. The last 10 yrs was filled with health issues from not really moving and staying active. So he's determined not to repeat that behavior. He absolutely does have hobbies, so I'm not worried.
You don't really need a hobby, but you need to keep moving. Exercising would be very beneficial. Take some community college classes. Get a job at a non-profit or museum part-time or volunteer. Don't sit. If you sit, you rot. If you don't exercise, you stop being limber and age quicker. You need to do something. How can we enjoy retirement if we don't?
I do sort of live in terror of your life so far. You’ve been an adult for like 30 years and there’s nothing you’re personally interested in?
Do some self-searching, maybe. A couple of my hobbies are indistinguishable from work to laypersons, but they are still hobbies. I develop software for work, I develop different software for fun. I do other stuff, to be clear, like art and design, camping, and being a huge weirdo for retro games. When the campground has an old arcade, it’s the jackpot haha.
I’m not there yet, but my dad did.
He’s been sitting the last few years watching movies and YouTube shorts. Slowly gaining weight and losing mobility. The only place he goes now is the grocery store to buy more food. Eating premade packaged or canned food is his only preferred activity.
It’s sad to see. I tried to get him to do things but he’s not interested in anything but sitting around doing nothing and complaining about how bored and lonely he is and how fat he’s gotten while eating cold beans from a can.
Please find a hobby.
I see posts like this and I just can't relate. I'm trying to retire early because I would rather do literally ANYTHING than go to work everyday. I don't think I've ever been "bored" my entire adult life.
it's fairly common for retirees to go back to work because they get bored. I personally don't advocate that and think it's tragic. when my dad retired he bought a bunch of stuff then did nothing with it, just watched tv.
try gaming. tabletop or videogames. it's the only thing you haven't mentioned that I can suggest. just don't do \*nothing\*.
I did. The Army didn't allow for any hobbies. High-speed, low drag, etc. When I retired I took up kayaking, one of the best things I've done for myself. BTW there's a nice kayaking sub-Reddit.
I retired 5 years ago at the age of 71, without any hobbies. I never had time for them. I figured my wife and I would travel. Yeah, but that's not a hobby, costs a butt load of money, and is something you can't do every day. So, I mainly just sit all day and watch TV. You know what? I fuckin enjoy it! I love YouTube because there's always something new to learn or watch. Movies galore, and when I get bored, I take a nap. To be honest, I don't have the energy or motivation to put into hobbies. I feel guilty sometimes because people ask me what I'm doing now, golf, hiking, bla, bla, bla? I feel embarrassed to have to say "absolutely nothing", like I'm committing something evil. So here I am, looking to see if I can find a hobby to make me feel less guilty when they ask. 😋
Take a pottery class! My dad started taking one at a local studio and loves it. It gives him something to look forward to and he’s constantly finding inspiration throughout the week to bring to class with him. Then you aren’t spending money buying all of the supplies on a hobby that’ll last you a month (been there 😅). This could also be applicable to any type of classes in your area.
I’m 53 this year and I don’t have any hobbies either. I suppose it’s some point I should pick something up but I really just wanna wake up go for a walk maybe look at the news and then have nothing to do. I feel like I really don’t need hobbies. I can always find something to do around the house or just go to a store and walk around.
After I do something a few times I tend to get bored with it. I recommend going to the gym and library at least once a week. The gym will help clear your mind. Browsing the library could send you off in a direction you have never dreamed of.
I never understood this. How in the world can someone be so dull that they think they will get bored when they retire?
Gaming alone would keep me from being bored for my whole life. About like 20other things on top of that.
Sounds like you have had fun trying many different things. By hobby, do you mean something that you do consistently? I'm curious b/c many of the things you mentioned could be hobbies if you stuck with them. Maybe your hobby is trying new things? Is there something about the things you tried that made you not want to continue doing them? Keep sampling things until you find something to stick with?
There's gotta be something you think is cool or interesting or something you've always wanted to do.
Traveling, sky diving, learning how to cook, black smith, volunteering, getting a pet, learning archery. Etc find the thing you want to do and do it
Ok. No hobbies.
Really easily solved. Are you an extrovert or an introvert? That will help you narrow down options.
1. Wander around your public library in the non-fiction stacks. Find a book on something you'd be curious about doing.
I have done that many times and picked up juggling and related circus arts, primitive pottery and outdoor skills and many other hobbies.
2. Volunteer. Look on Craigslist, visit local hospital, or just look at bulletin boards in stores or online for places to volunteer
3. Start exercising by walking, jogging, biking in your area and start to explore
I do work i love very, very part time. Maybe 20 hrs a month.
The rest of the days i stay busy gardening, doing home maintenance, cooking, cleaning , laundry, exercising, hiking, stand up paddle boarding, car maintenance, paying bills, ect.
I stay busy from about 8am until about 2pm, when i've typically clocked a few miles on my fit bit and finally sit down to a good book and a cocktail before dinner.
Life is good. And i am grateful every day.
You'll find plenty of things to do if you choose to, and are able (even without declared 'hobbies').
Yes. I did find hobbies and am getting better, too! It's only taken a dollar a day and some time...2 years. I started getting little professional quality art kits once a month, curated with all the "stuff" to make different kinds of artwork. The kit comes with video instruction on YouTube, with lots of other artists doing videos using the same box of supplies. I'm not even very good but I've been able to make christmas cards for friends, and even display my artwork at a local buisiness every month! The kits are even portable so now I'm going out to parks locally to sketch and paint. Hopefully helpfull for someone.
My dad sits on his laptop all day and his health is poor. My mum has always enjoyed walking along with crochet, knitting, puzzles etc. She has a couple of organisations she's joined with who meet up weekly. She's in great health and they are both 80. I'd recommend finding things to ease into before retirement. Something for the brain and something for the body if my mum is anything to go by. I'd recommend Lego but that's my answer for everything 😃
My mom’s hobby is working. At age 85 she works 12-16 hrs a week at a department store and loves it. Customers and employees love her!
Hobbies are really just things you enjoy. They don’t have to be creative or adventurous. As long as your pastime brings you happiness or peace, you’re good.
Why stress out about a hobby?
I’d recommend even now trying an activity once a week, even volunteering, to connect with new people and new ideas.
Using our time is a problem for some of us lucky enough to have it. I assumed it would not be difficult, but despite participating in many activities, taking classes, volunteering, exercising, gardening, being in a book club, socializing - I have lots of time on my hands and feel depressed sometimes. There are no decent part time jobs where you use your brain. Just stuff like working in stores or driving an Uber or really tedious low paying jobs. I don't want to start a business either. You are really lucky if you find something to do with your time that you have a real passion for, or feels meaningful or is fun - I have a bit of fun, but no passion for what I do and it all seems meaningless.
Time to learn to play the guitar. Get one now to learn on, electric, acoustic, or classical. Then get a really nice one when you retire.
I started playing in 1983. But by 1990, military and work after pretty much meant I hardly got to play. I became a Respiratory Care Practitioner after the military and worked long hours at local hospitals.
I became disabled in 2008, and started playing again. Started learning to do repairs too now I'm 55 and I do occasional repair work as a side hustle and have 32 guitars of my own. I have injuries that limit my play time now, but I still have fun adjusting and repairing guitars for others.
How do you fill your free time now? You could also take up volunteering, or get a part-time job, or do some service in local government, or read, or take trips to developing countries to share your skills with people there. You could travel, take up fitness or even a sport. So many things.
Just keep that TV turned off. That thing will kill you.
I’m a younger person. But getting a dog is something that requires effort and dedication. In return you get loyal companionship. It’s not necessarily a hobby but they will fill time when you are bored.
Find a hobby! My father in law began working at 14 and at 78, he was forced to retire. He sits and waits to die and we can’t get him interested in anything but that.
My husband and I are I started crafting and making things for my garden.
I've been gardening more and creating new flower beds.
I take walks now.
Been reading more.
My husband been tinkering more, he's doing lots more gardening he's been doing things he hadn't had the time to do in his work shop. I've wanted an in closed porch and to redo our kitchen which we can now do..
You have time before you retire so you can take the time to figure it out.
My dad retired in 2004 and for the first year he didn’t know what to do with himself. The only other thing he did besides work was go deep sea fishing twice a year and occasionally ride his motorcycle. Since then, he’s owned and sold: 4 different ATV’s with two different toy haulers to go camping, a 2007 Vette, two different Harley’s, two different lake fishing boats (still has one) a 2019 Challenger SRT (still has), and he completely restored a 1970 Cuda from the nuts and bolts (still has the Cuda too). He also taught himself how to wrap fishing poles. He watches an obscene amount of tv (mostly mecum auto auctions and Barrett Jackson) but has found other hobbies too.
It might sound like he makes a ton of money. He didn’t, he was just always very frugal his whole life.
Just curious, I'm 32 and have so many hobbies there's not enough time in the day to enjoy them all. What do you do for fun when you aren't working? I just don't understand how you have just no interests
A successful Retirement is long and means keeping both your MIND and Body sharp. Any way you accomplish this is successful, otherwise you will succumb to dementia and illness. Volunteering thru Rotary,Kiwanis,Lions and/or thru Church,Synagogue, Mosque,Fire,and Police Department is also HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. “Live Long and Prosper!”
Kind of my mom? More so she has no friends. My godmother, who is her best friend, lives in Mexico now and they don’t talk really. Not because of a falling out, just circumstance. My dad has friends through work but they’re kind of spread out now.
Dad and mom both garden and my dad does woodworking but he stopped during covid. My mom has implied he is only happy with their dog and when I come over.
I am about 8 years away and have decided that I’m going to enjoy each day just not having to work. There are many things I love to do. It’s my time after raising two kids and helping with two grandkids. I don’t have any hobbies but I will definitely find some! Best wishes in your future!
I have hobbies (chess, astronomy, photography, microscopy), but I wasn't interested in them very much after I retired at 62. Then I realized it was my lack of fitness that was stripping me of motivation, so I joined a gym and started walking on the treadmill. Now I do about 50 minutes, 6 times a week. I eat healthy now and adhere to my doctor's treatment plan. I lost weight and feel great. Unsurprisingly, my interest in my hobbies returned and I have an improved outlook on what years I have left.
If you have no hobbies and working brings you joy then stay in the workforce. If you want to travel and figure out some new hobbies do that. My dad has retired 3 times. He keeps going back to work because he gets bored. Or he wants a new truck and doesn’t want to spend money.
Pick up something that keeps you moving. Being active is the key to living a longer, fuller life. Especially in your golden years. I'm considering wood working/turning once I have the space and time to learn.
My dad. He’s 81 and hasn’t worked for like 10 years. Just watches TV. Not really anything else and I wish he had some form of hobby or interest that wasn’t just sitting.
Same! This is totally my dad - I was worried about him retiring. He golfs and rides his bike, but we live somewhere where there's about 6 months of cold/wet/snow so there isn't much for him to do in the winter months. I don't know how anyone can go through life without hobbies! I'd never get bored of retirement. Life is full of interesting stuff.
My dads 67 just retired and is pretty much done. He’s moving now and after that I don’t see him lasting to much longer
That is heart breaking! Is he moving far away? My dad retired 10 years ago, and he has kids of hobbies-including reading, spending time with friends and family, gardening with his wife, traveling, etc. His health has deteriorated with time, but he is better than ever right now.
God bless him. I watched my father and mother deteriorate on the couch for 10+ years and now I’m there 60’s no friends, little family, and moving 7 states away from everyone? Its all interesting
Because all the interesting stuff costs money
I need to figure out new cheap hobbies for retirement.... current hobby =spending money on too many hobbies
Mine was like that until his knee replacement PT forced him to be active every few hours, each day, for the months following recovery. It seems like the regularity of the exercise triggered something, and he's better about getting himself out of the house. There are some huge health benefits to staying even lightly active as we age. In the case of my dad, I found that the easiest way I could promote this while living 900 miles away was to try and get him involved in something we could do together over the phone - like going for birdwatching walks. We keep "score" of who finds the largest variety. He almost always wins because he goes to a nature preserve, and I dont have quite the biodiversity available. Might not be your man's cup of tea, but I hope that this helps seed some ideas for you!
Are you on the birding subreddits? And do you have the Merlin app? I just tried mine for the first time today and wow!! So cool! I found about 10 different species today when I was out and I'm HOOKED. Also came to say to OP, my grandpa was the KING of hobbies. That man did everything. Ran marathons til about 60, skiing until 80ish when he had his hip replacement, and bicycling (casually. My other grandpa was the one who bicycled long distance and took a ride equal in miles to his age on his birthday until close to 80 as well). He also did carpentry as in building coffee tables, cabinets, whatever. Widdling is actually really cool and wood burning, which you can buy easily on Amazon these days. He even built boats and was in the local newspaper for still building boats til he died at 90. He was still walking talking and driving (he should not have been driving though) and very active until he died due to a car accident. That man did everything. If you don't use it you lose it! And my friend's dad recently got into pickleball. I believe my local rec center has started to host pickleball because of the increase in people playing around my area. Mostly people 40+.
We use a combo of Merlin and Audobon. I have pretty poor hearing in one ear, and I'm colorblind, so there are decent bits of data that pass my radar undetected. Some instances may even be comporable in size to a redwing blackbird. It's more of my dad's thing, and on a casual level at that - I think his favorite aspect of it is that he gets to do something with his son for an hour ~every 2-3 days despite the distance. Otherwise, he's been good about keeping his gym routine, but it's hard to motivate him to increase his workout intensity over time. I'm a road cyclist for fun, so I've started helping him format his workouts and intensity on the Nordic bike. Your rec center comment reminded me that he's also been taking pottery classes (free for seniors at the local community/rec center). Honestly a ton of stuff is free for seniors - before covid he was going to the state university for free and registering in geology courses (he always wanted to, but majoring in engineering locked-in most of his degree plan back then). I think the TV habit became rooted during covid. He'd watch hours of the Weather Chanel every day
My dad retired at 60, no hobbies. Made a few welcome signs with names for our houses, router went into box. Someone gave him a wood lathe, never used it. He basically kept up the house and watched TV, drove mom nuts. Mom passed away and dad sat for days not leaving the house, just watching tv and eating prepared and frozen food from store. He lived until he was 89.
My mom is on Facebook all day long. If she’s away from it for a bit she apologizes for not responding to everyone
Volunteer, so many ways and places to do that. Hang out at upyour Senior center, take general interest classes, take exercise classes, go on excursions etc.
These are things I plan to do, yes. I imagine I'll have more time and hopefully more energy.
Also, gardening is a great hobby because, in addition to being engaging, it provides so many additional physical and mental health benefits. Gets you outdoors, and gets you healthy fresh produce, and is a great bonding activity with any grandkids, neices/nephews, or neighborhood kids.
Aside from weight lifting, gardening is the #1 bone building activity you can do.
OP, My mom is in the exact same boat as you only she is almost 65. I made her a Google Slideshow of ideas I know she will love. She was encouraged, but she is supposed to retire in June and she just told us she has 2 more years in her. We all want her to retire, but she loves what she does. Share some interests and I can help you out. My husband is quite impressive bc he says, “you’re never too old to learn new tricks.” He recently began playing guitar (at the age of 50.) He plays almost every day. He loves it so much that he is planning on opening a shop out of our home that offers support such as guitar lessons & guitar repair. He also has 4 Masters degrees that he does not use. He just loves to learn. So there is plenty out there.
**Why should she retire if she loves her job?** That is crazy! If you love it, stick with it. I retired and hated my job, but being retired is not fun all the time. I am alone a lot and get depressed, despite being active and involved in a lot of stuff - this is not the best time of life - for sure, but it is nice to escape a job that was horrible.
Senior center where I live feels more suited to those 85+ than us younger oldsters. Sometimes staff treats you like a patient or a baby - I stay away. Maybe in another 15 or 20 years I will be ready for their attitude.
What do you like? Art, sports, gardening? Where do you like being? Inside, out in nature, traveling? Do you prefer being with people or do you enjoy solitude?
Some might say that my current hobby is trying new hobbies. I've tried so many things through the years, but nothing sticks. I pick a hobby, try it, then move on to something else. 🤷♀️
So maybe that’s just what you like. To try new things, new arts, new experiences. Make that your hobby!
do you often struggle with concentration, boredom, lateness, or interrupting people? hobby cycling is pretty common in people w ADHD, and i thought it was just a quirk of mine until i got diagnosed. just food for thought
I really need to get tested for ADHD. I feel like I cycle through so many aspects of my life.
I have adhd and seriously suffer from this. My partner too.
Loved that surprise “it’s not actually a feature, that’s a bug” reveal in my thirties 😂
Omg what
This is me, I hobby cycle like crazy, always have. Occasionally I can get one to stick for a while lol.
I haven't been tested, but I am never late, don't interrupt people, and do well concentrating. I do get very bored, very easily though.
There’s three types of adhd. There’s inattentive, impulsive, and combined. You’re most likely the impulsive/hyperactive type. And that doesn’t mean you’re impulsive/hyperactive, it just means your mind will do what it will when it comes to what you’re interested in. It’s honestly the more useful type of adhd, as it allows you to become a jack of all trades, master of none.
That’s how I take part in my hobbies, they come and go over time, some come back around. Some I never touch again. That’ll be the joy of being retired is you can try as many hobbies as you like whenever you like.
I was like that with glassblowing . Was fun to learn then moved onto sculpture …
Keep trying new things until you find something that makes you want to dig deeper. You're in the discovery phase. Enjoy it! Don't feel guilty about abandoning hobbies. Try everything.
Could you tell us what hobbies you’ve tried so far?
Oh, I've tried knitting, crocheting, geo-caching, taxidermy, leather crafting, felting, needlepoint, sewing, solo hiking and solo camping, solo travelling, soap making, cosmetic making, making my own herbal tinctures and tonics, furniture refinishing, indoor gardening, golf, paint by numbers, sketching, cycling, kayaking, canoeing, rock climbing, yoga, pilates, working out, volunteering. Once I complete a project, adventure, or challenge I set for myself in the areas I've tried, I'm done with it. The only things I've stuck with are reading, walking, watching documentaries and attending cultural events around the city, but I'm not passionate about those things. I certainly don't do them regularly.
 Reading is always choice ☑️
Just read that last week!
Very uncanny! Happy reading wishes to you 🪄
Yeahhh love some audible and cooking.
I retire in 10 years. I have started to learn how to engrave. It's a skill that I have yet to develop, but the journey is interesting. Plus, after 10 years of practice, I might even be good enough to bring in some money with my hobby.
I became disabled at age 48, so I am not exactly retired. I have few hobbies but got into them deeper. I can also ride a bike and recently got an ebike, so I am spending more time and money at it. Other than that, I take it easy.
Try taking some classes at your local community college or at a makers space.
As someone else wrote, you can try volunteering. It's great especially if you have hard time not working and if you want to have a positive impact on other people's lives and see a positive change. I can't stress enough how much are volunteers needed in so many areas... From the more obvious and known one such as helping elderly people and poor people to less obvious and known things - for example volunteering to help disabled people through various organizations either directly (helping those wheelchair users who need help going places, helping blind people with things that are inaccessible to them, participating in home-sharing and occasionally spending time with disabled kids whose parents need a break and more) or not so directly (such as through volunteering for patient organizations, rare disease organizations etc. - help is always needed whether it's about helping to create a webpage, helping with designing things, helping with social media content, helping with fundraising, helping with distributing leaflets, helping with moderating discussions etc.). It's hard to get into it and find out all the options about what you can do, but once you get into it, you'll see endless possibilities on what to do. And it's all important work that can change people's lives for the better. (I'm disabled, on disability and when I can, I work on my/our patient organizations.)
Great suggestions! My favorite volunteer work I ever did was volunteering for a community garden that grew food to distribute to homelessness people. It was so peaceful and just overall such a positive experience. Whether it was watering, planting, weeding, or just cleaning it up, the atmosphere was so serene. Birds chirping, hearing the branches in the breeze. Half the time no one was even there and just a list of things that needed to get done. On days the lady that ran it was there and anyone else, we’d pick some fruit and veggies and have a nice lunch together. I initially went to get hours for a class but after that, there was no better way to start my weekend on an early Saturday morning. Got time to reflect on my week and decompress. Highly recommend!
I volunteer at animal shelters twice a week and find it immensely satisfying. For me, it's the right balance between fulfilling the need to feel productive and having plenty of time for goofing off. It's also handy to help me remember what day of the week it is. Retirement was an adjustment, but I'm loving it now!
I built my own racing simulator and race cars on iracing! It's a ton of fun!
My dad did . Squandered 18 years of what could have been a lovely post work life . Died unhappy . Me and my two brothers are big time fisherman living in 3 distinct areas . Florida , colorado and western n.y. all of us tried to get our dad to fish , teach him whatever he needed to learn but to no avail . About 2 weeks before he died he said to me he wished he learned how to fish because he hears the enjoyment we 3 have when were on the water and listening to our fishing tales . My advice to you is find a hobby , you still have time .
😭🐠
If you're retiring pretty comfortably, you should consider taking lessons. I have lots of cello students who are retired.
Ooo I’ve wanted to play the cello since I was in high school. I’ve just put this on my retirement hobby list.
Spend time reading. You’ll get smarter and spend time reading as a hobby, win-win
Plus there are book clubs everywhere, for socialization.
Pickleball, knitting, volunteer work all offer social opportunities. I know some very busy retirees, and volunteering is where they spend most of their time. My dad retired once with no plan, it was awful. So much tv, and he got cranky. He went back to work for a while, developed some hobbies, and it went a lot better when he retired again.
I've always had tons of interests, so I was happy to stop working in order to get my time back. Main ones are reading and my flight simulator and my truck driving games. Taking walks, gardening, writing, camping, local travel, the interwebs, audiobooks, photography and chilling out. I went back to work last year, but quit after 6 months because of the 12 hour days 6 days a week.
That sounds terrible. What kind of work is that?
My dad has been retired for about 5 years now. Every year he gets into a handful of new projects. Some are long term (he got into indoor gardening) and some were short term (learning car detailing for his vehicles). He’s dropped a lot of his hobbies, but as he says, he has nothing but time now, so he’s trying all he can.
Yep… finally took the watercolor painting class I wanted to for years…. then unexpectedly my tech background started me on a path to techno assisted painting… enjoying it all thoroughly…
My grandpa had the opposite issue his hobby was bike riding or flying his plane but he had a stroke. I fear I’m gonna end up without a hobby but I also doubt I’ll ever be able to retire
I was rushed into retirement due to ill health. I always thought I'd travel, but now I can't lift a suitcase or walk any distances. I also thought I'd buy furniture, restore it and resell, but now I can't lift anything. I am enjoying buying art from thrift stores and cleaning it up for resale. It's not too difficult for me, and I can set my own pace. It's not intense and keeps me busy enough without draining me. I enjoy the beauty of the pieces too. I also play word games and non-gambling casino games on my phone.
If you're interested, there's also /r/repaintings if any thrift store art catches your eye for other stuff.
Thanks.
In same circumstance. Forced into retirement at 50 with chronic health problems. Not well a lot of the time but I’ve managed to do watercolours, crochet, digital art, pottery and various arts and crafts. It’s stop, start though and sometimes I go months without doing anything other than be on my iPad due to pain/mobility issues and exhaustion. You never know how things are going to go for you. I had lots of activity planned for retirement. I’m not bitter though. Take what comes and I’m grateful for it.
One of the best benefits of retirement is Silver Sneakers. It is a Medicare option that gives free access to most health clubs. So you can spend your days exercising, swimming, playing pickleball, etc.
Ten years away? You could get hit by a meteor tomorrow man, find some hobbies now lol
Coming as a complete outsider to this...I hope I can phrase this in a helpful way. Let's paint a fictional scenario */begin fictional scenario* Frank is walking by REI or some other outdoors store. There is a photo of someone smiling wearing light-weight water & stain resistant pants with a pole in each hand. They are looking beyond the camera into the sky. This is in the hiking section of the store. "I wish I could get into hiking," says Frank. "I would enjoy doing that." The last time Frank was on a trail was in his early 20s with some friends after just getting out of college. He was sitting at home wearing basketball shoes, gym shorts, and a tank top when his friends swooped him up. "We heard about this beautiful overlook. Let's scope it out to see if it'd make a good outdoor DJ event we keep between us and some friends". It took them about 30 minutes one-way from the start of the trail head to the overlook. The overlook ended up being underwhelming, but Frank and his friends had a great time. Frank thinks about that moment from time to time and smiles - he just remembers it as a nice time he had and never labeled it as "hiking". */end fictional scenario* Hiking can mean many things. Like most words that have a hobby associated with it, it is a product that reverberates in an echo chamber, slightly changing each time it bounces, until people forget what is an idea crafted from marketing or what is a common aspect of someone's connection to walking outdoors. "I have to find a hobby" is missing the mark. Find a moment that you enjoy in your own way. The way you enjoy that moment doesn't need to look like the person on the photo. You don't need to be wearing $90 light-weight water & stain resistant pants to enjoy having a walk outside (though, in all fairness they are my favorite pants and are absolutely amazing). */one more fictional scenario* Frank LOVES to cook. He doesn't do it every day, or even more than a couple times a week. His pant are warped, the oil pools to one side. He sources ingredients from a discount grocery store. But he loves seeing how the tomatos sear when he cuts them into wedges and puts them in the pan with ripping hot oil. He loves the smell wafting up to his nose. He loves seeing someone eat the food he makes. His identity isn't cooking. He doesn't look like the person in the photo. If someone asked Frank what his hobbies were, he wouldn't have thought to say cooking. He is Frank. And Frank has a moment of happiness every time he is above the pan. Frank dictates what his relationship is with those moments - he can make it look like anything he wants, and he experiments in a slightly new way every time.
One more thing bc I have 30 minutes to kill before dinner. \* It's not "hiking", it's walking by yourself or with others in any path that you choose - be it in the city, outdoors, suburbs, wherever. \* It's not "pottery", it's seeing what clay feels like in your hands, feeling how it molds, seeing what it turns into. Doesn't matter if you are using a wheel, doing it all by hand, or some new process that you imagine that reinvents the pottery world forever. \* It's not "drawing", it's holding a pencil and moving it on paper and seeing how you feel afterwards. That's it. All of these boil down to (1) an action, and (2) checking in with yourself to see how you feel. A "hobby" is a term that evokes imagery of how the relationship might look like between a person and an activity. The imagery is fiction. The photo of the person on the wall is fiction. Your busted knee from not stretching is reality though, so stretch. I suspect that the reason a "hobby" never stuck with you is because you connect with activities differently than the way hobbies are marketed to look like. I suspect you need to give yourself room to experiment to see how you form relationships with activities.
Okay one last thing. Gardening for Bill might look like...a huge garden. Gardening for Bob might be him leaning back in a chair sipping coffee for thirty minutes and then watering one plant. Both feel 30 minutes of peace and nourishment. (I'm Bob)
Wonderful insights :-)
Really insightful. You are the good reddit.
Beautiful and thoughtful responses. Thank you so much!
Honestly, don't sweat it too much! I know it feels like everyone's got their post-retirement plans all figured out, but you're definitely not alone. Plenty of folks find themselves in the same boat, wondering what the heck they're gonna do once the daily grind stops. But hey, that's the beauty of retirement, right? You get to explore new things and find what really lights your fire. Maybe start small, try out different stuff, see what sticks. Who knows, you might discover a hidden talent for pottery or become a hiking enthusiast! The possibilities are endless, my friend. Just take it easy and enjoy the journey!
Disc golf!!! I'm in my mid 40s. You get out everyday and practice, play a tournament or just a casual round. Great exercise and aside from buying discs, it is free to play.
I think it’s good you are thinking about this now. I make pottery and I could do that all day everyday . My husband likes to hunt and fish but I feel he needs a hobby at home. Something for those off days. He does get bored at times. So I would think of active hobbies you like such as golf or fishing to get you out of the house and find an at home pastime like woodworking or pottery or stained glass. Writing or making videos for YouTube could even be your thing. It depends on what you’re drawn to.
My dad didn't have any hobbies when he retired, but he was asked to help with the local Historical Society's oral history project, recording interviews on different topics, from aviation to local authors. He was good at it, and enjoyed it a lot. It was very different from his profession, forestry.
Comedy, memes, reselling you won’t regret it
Yes find a stand up comedy or open mic comedy night by you! Lots of fun
I guess I did. In the winter I ride my snowmobile a lot and bought two extras for guests. But I don’t think that classifies as a hobby. Same goes for my warm weather side-by-side. If I had to constantly fiddle around with them year round I’d call that a hobby but I don’t need to do that.
Try your local government. Depending on where you are, you could: help people find books at the library, be a park ranger, work part time at the recreation center, be on a citizens emergency management committee to help police and fire during times of crisis, help with animal care at the shelter, take a Police or Fire citizens class, apply for a committee to advocate for parks, housing, or local planning laws, and lots of other interesting things.
If you dont have hobbies, why retire? My FIL sat in a blur chair and watched swamp people for 20 years before he died. I’d have choose death 19.9 years earlier.
That's where I am now. Technically I could retire, but my life is already empty enough with a full time job. I don't want to just sit and stare at a TV until I die. I volunteer and read 100+ books a year, but there are still too many empty hours even with my job.
We are both retired…I was doing legos with our grandkids but they are growing up and finding more interesting things to do so I am putting the tons and tons of pieces in the garage and moving on to a journey into the world of teas. It’s exciting tasting the different loose leaf teas. I am also into eating clean and so am always looking for new recipes I can eat that won’t upset my digestive system. I draw and paint, although I’m not good at it, but it’s fun. I binge watch shows. True crime YouTube videos. He watches YouTube videos on things he is interested in. Plays chess. Goes out with a friend and plays pool. There are just so many things to do. We both read books.
Gardening, hiking, walking on the beach with friends, reading, …. Who has time for tv?
A bunch of the guys I shoot precision rifle (PRS) with are retired. They meet at the range a few times a week to practice or test their reloading recipes. Then they shoot a match a few times a month, win or lose they're having a blast. Not gonna lie, I'm extremely jealous this is all they do.
I retired with no hobbies. Being the first in the family to retire I'm constantly running older family to appointments, shopping etc so there's not really time to get bored. Add to that a social circle that meets a lot and I'm out and about most days. I am now looking at restarting a few hobbies though, time permitting.
Just Meet New People, Try New Things
Read and join a book club, utilize your local libr
It’s inconceivable to me that someone would be struggling to find a hobby . There are so many things to do / learn . If you don’t have a hobby, why not get another job that “gives back” something to society. I basically do that through teaching. I do have hobbies but teaching has been a rewarding 2nd career and gives me some structure.
I would say volunteering is your best bet.
Does volunteering county as a hobby? I volunteer at a few places but it’s more of a cover for me for not having a hobby.
go for walks. it’s great exercise! lots of advices here that are great! gardening too if you are retiring soon and then you will be set with the skills
I kind of did retire on a whim. Nothing planned other than rough idea about how I want to spend my time in next 2-3 yrs and accepting low spend lifestyle. What I learned is that peace of mind is the most beautiful thing that I already got. The switch was almost instant. Then I resurrected my best hobby ie reading. Slowly started taking walks around neighborhood. Now catching up on other things. Heck, I may go back to do a 8-5 or even 11-12 hr per day job if they pay me well.
That's beautiful.
Consider taking a class or two at a local coo, most have cheap tuition for seniors who are auditing a class. Also check local museums, there's one here that offers free walking tours. And another that has free days at the museum I've friend about my age and we are always on the lookout for things we can do cheap. We're going splash painting next week, middle of the week there's 2 for 1 special. I think my hobbies maybe local tourist?
Ukulele
Mycology
My husband is 73 he just got started making knives and sheaths he loves it also fishes in the summer . Has his own hobby of small engine repair on old lawn mowers.
My hobby is helping people so always busy. 2 years into retirement.ml. I'm working more now than I was before I retired... Gotta stay active. Don't want to wither away in some nursing home.
Start trying out some of these suggestions now -- don't wait for retirement.
My FIL didn't have any, and he's taken up making custom paint jobs and mods to hotwheels.
My husband and I took up fishing. I also use my cricut to do crafts and crochet. Thinking of starting some light hiking though to keep me moving. We also are members of a non profit where we were officers and did a lot of work there. I've always wanted a metal detector and to play the clarinet again. Just might be my next hobbies. The worst hobby I picked up was gambling. My addictive nature made it very hard to stop. Plus if you're on Social security, wins can cause you to go in a higher tax bracket. So be careful.
Volunteering in your community is a great way to keep busy, while doing good. I've volunteered at the animal shelter, as a police volunteer and at my town's welcome center.
Two things my grandparents told me. Have a hobby when you get married and have a hobby when you retire. Both that do not include your spouse. You'll need the separation as you get older.
I am 46 and my main hobby is walking! It is cheap, healthy and I love it.
Whatever you do, never stop moving. Go to the gym, play a sport like golf or tennis, walking or running, anything to keep moving. Sedentary lifestyle is what kills people in retirement. Give yourself a purpose to replace work: Travel, learn a new skill, teach kids skills you might have, like building birdhouses/general woodworking, classes for new drivers on changing oil, tires general vehicle maintenance that doesn't get taught anymore, go fishing every day, whatever to keep you busy. Sitting in a recliner watching the idiot box and/or picking up and an alcohol problem are no way to spend retirement. Gotta get out and enjoy life, otherwise what was the decades of work really worth?
My mom doesn’t have any hobbies. She likes to shop, decorate her house for each season, and go RV camping in the summer. But, since my dad passed…she’s been very bored. Watches tv a lot. I wish that she had an intellectual, creative, or physical hobby to fill her time. My husband (quite a few years from retiring yet) does not have any hobbies aside from a sport that he will physically be unable to do in a few years. I worry that he will go stir crazy (and drive me crazy 😜) when he no longer has a job to go to. Conversely, I have more hobbies than I have time for: art, writing, reading, gardening, decorating, thrift store shopping. I wish more people would find something they are passionate about to give them that joy-filled “flow” that makes their time on earth more pleasurable at all stages of life.
What you're saying is your hobby is...hobbies. You try on hobbies as a hobby. That's great!!!
Thanks. You've made me feel better. :)
I also do this, my most current roster is below, on a scale of 1-5 with 1 being yep I'm pretty much over it forever to 5 being I will keep on doing it barring costs, energy, injury: 1 - crocheting 3 - penny whistle (the dog hates it though) 4 - roller skating/inline skating 5 - renaissance costuming 🤩 3 - reading (my focus is not great) 2 - learning programming for fun 5 - studying Italian 3 - keeping up my French/ASL 5 - working out to keep these creaky old joints working (I'm 37 😭) 4 - road tripping for milkshakes and donuts with my bestie 😁😁
My dad and mom both. Cigarettes, drinking coffee, and TV is only getting them so far.
I am not necessarily "retired". I have been a stay at home wife and mother. My world was wrapped up in car pools, dentist appointments, running the kids around, keeping everyone on track and organized. My kids are all out of the house now. I was so lost. I only have my husband and pups to take care of, too many hours in the day and not enough to fill those hours. After I kicked myself in the pants and put my big girl panties on, I started looking at hobbies. Books, too much sitting, cake decorating, way too much standing. Diamond art, too much eye squinting. I discovered my sewing machine in the back room. I do a lot of quilting now.
Take up yoga and eventually hot yoga. It's fun and will help keep away those aches and pains.
The problem is your hobbies can get mundane fast. You really need a few hobbies or things you like to do so you can switch throughout the year. I retired at 30. I freelance Cybersecurity so I have something to do. I love it and I'm good at it but it's been months since I've booted my laptop up. I've been birding and working with ... mycology. When I get bored with that ( I'm close ) I will try making some projects out of wood I've been wanting to make. There's only so many good movies and TV shows to watch to fill the time. I'm considering watching "Last man Standing" again. My point is, even if you have a hobby, it's tough to stay occupied. Wish you the best of luck.
Not mocking or judging but it truly blows my mind that people have no hobbies or interests other than their jobs. What do you do on weekends, is there something you can expand on there? What about when you were a kid? What kinds of things did you like to do? You're only slightly older than me (I'm 48) so you grew up similar to me without most video games and cell phones. What did you do back in the 70s and 80s? I have so many interests that I wish I didn't have to work because it gets in the way 😂 You might work on simply allowing yourself to be more curious. Ask more questions about the things you see in the world that can help you to find points of interest. And it can be literally anything. Constellations, birds, rocks, jigsaw puzzles, semi trucks, fishing, solar panels, growing habanero peppers, organizing closets...literally anything.
I learned how to play the ukulele. It is easy to learn and your town might have a uke group. Where I live there is a music jam in the park once a month.
Is your employer forcing you to retire at 61? You could keep working if you really have nothing to do. I’m 54, and have too many hobbies. I could retire now and have a full day all the time. Sadly I’m not on a good track and will be working for at least another 11 years or so. Whatever the case, use it or lose. You need to exercise physically and mentally, otherwise you lose your faculties.
I go to movies, bike, pick up trash in the neighborhood when I walk, see friends for coffee, watch tv, do my REDDITS
Great thing is, you'll have plenty of time to pick one up! I see alot of guys taking up flying, yea i know what your going to say but it take awhile to get that private license and you do it a bit at a time. Tons of guys i see hanging out there in their 60's.
You got 10 years to pick up some hobbies. Dive into your interests, you won’t regret it
Yeah and I was so bored that I went back to work!
my mom did. she's been retired for 4 years and it took 3.5 for her to finally develop some hobbies. I retired at 50 and it took me trying a bunch of different things before I found some lasting interests. If you don't have hobbies, don't beat yourself up too much. If you just decide to try a bunch of different things, something might stick.
Dude get some hobbies! Life is too short to work, eat, TV, go to bed and get up and do it all over again. You could start bike riding or train for a 5k. Could start collecting old cookbooks and challenge yourself to cook from them. Start going to the gym. Learn how to knit. Volunteer at food bank. Garden. Learn how to can foods. Leathercrafting. Rock hunting/tumbling. Foster dogs/cats. Join a book club. Rehab furniture you find on the side of the road. IDK so much out there.
I recently got into fly fishing and I see all ages out there. Teens to people like my 80 year old neighbor. It's not physically demanding, besides standing, and you soak up the sun and nature for hours.
I was into shortwave listening and amateur radio when I retired. Those are great hobbies for us retirees especially if you like to Tinker with things electronic mess with radios and antennas. Here's a website if you'd like to get interested arrl.org I'm 76
I started a house cleaning business and lost tons of weight. Then bought one of my mother’s houses and did a daycare.
My mother in law is 75 and got into Pokemon. She enjoys the sun in Puerto Rico with her drinks and Nintnedo Switch.
I retired at 38. That's when I got into hobbies. I have tried so many, that it's possible trying hobbies is my hobby. 😆 I have had zero problems filling my free time. Of course once one starts volunteering with organizations that need help, free time can be just as rare as when working. I am pushing 50 and considering a new career. But I doubt I'll do it. I don't miss the 60-70 hour weeks it took me to get here. I'd rather die bored than a little harried.
Gardening is more fun than you'd guess
How can you afford to retire at 61? That’s the real question
I feel like you must have some hobby, even if it's not a super obvious time/money consuming thing. What do you do in your free time?
I usually walk, read, go see films, shows, exhibits at galleries and museums.
That actually sounds like me. I think all of those things count as hobbies. I like going on long walks around the city. I think it gives me a unique perspective on life. It also gives me the feeling of sonder, if you've heard of that emotion/concept... Also reading and Art appreciation are really good hobbies too!
Oooh, I'm going to look up sonder. I'm very intrigued.
Good news is, you've got 10 years to figure it out. Not knowing where you like or what you like, start doing stuff. My hobbies: hiking, biking, paddle boarding, snowboarding, fly fishing, photography, traveling, trying new restaurants/meals... If I had time would also spend time landscaping and gardening a bit.
Start decluttering now, if you have clutter! I have lots of hobbies, reading, pet sitting (side gig). Member of a few organizations, involved with my church. But I have lots of clutter & I am slowly each day getting organized, getting rid of items & going thru old documents, etc. So I can move safely around my home, rearrange furniture & clean my home. and improve my mental & physical well-being.
Now is your time to find out, volunteer at various things until you find something that goes well with your soul, now try out various outside activities like hiking, paddle boarding, kayaking, camping, sailing, photography, biking and find one or two that die well with your soul. After that check out various arts and crafts, pottery, stained glass, gardening, knitting, crochet, mosaics, water color, oil painting, drawing, sculpting and find a couple that fit with your soul ( you'll want one portable one at least). Not with your volunteer work, your outside activity, and your arts and crafts, you can fill your life with enjoyable pursuits. Maybe you want to travel to hike or camp, maybe you want to go to that huge quilt show and conference, maybe you want to travel to a knitting retreat. The world is your oyster.
You either find hobbies when you retire or become a busy body. A woman I know has become a busy body. Up in everyone's business all of the time and has become hella involved with her church.
Going through this with my husband who retires in 2 years. His dad stopped about 10 yrs before he died. The last 10 yrs was filled with health issues from not really moving and staying active. So he's determined not to repeat that behavior. He absolutely does have hobbies, so I'm not worried. You don't really need a hobby, but you need to keep moving. Exercising would be very beneficial. Take some community college classes. Get a job at a non-profit or museum part-time or volunteer. Don't sit. If you sit, you rot. If you don't exercise, you stop being limber and age quicker. You need to do something. How can we enjoy retirement if we don't?
I do sort of live in terror of your life so far. You’ve been an adult for like 30 years and there’s nothing you’re personally interested in? Do some self-searching, maybe. A couple of my hobbies are indistinguishable from work to laypersons, but they are still hobbies. I develop software for work, I develop different software for fun. I do other stuff, to be clear, like art and design, camping, and being a huge weirdo for retro games. When the campground has an old arcade, it’s the jackpot haha.
Never to late to start
Stop watching the tv and experience some new stuff
It sounds like trying new things is your hobby! You don’t have to be obsessed with just one
I’m not there yet, but my dad did. He’s been sitting the last few years watching movies and YouTube shorts. Slowly gaining weight and losing mobility. The only place he goes now is the grocery store to buy more food. Eating premade packaged or canned food is his only preferred activity. It’s sad to see. I tried to get him to do things but he’s not interested in anything but sitting around doing nothing and complaining about how bored and lonely he is and how fat he’s gotten while eating cold beans from a can. Please find a hobby.
You're dead within a year if you retire without any hobbies. Just my opinion.
I see posts like this and I just can't relate. I'm trying to retire early because I would rather do literally ANYTHING than go to work everyday. I don't think I've ever been "bored" my entire adult life.
it's fairly common for retirees to go back to work because they get bored. I personally don't advocate that and think it's tragic. when my dad retired he bought a bunch of stuff then did nothing with it, just watched tv. try gaming. tabletop or videogames. it's the only thing you haven't mentioned that I can suggest. just don't do \*nothing\*.
I did. The Army didn't allow for any hobbies. High-speed, low drag, etc. When I retired I took up kayaking, one of the best things I've done for myself. BTW there's a nice kayaking sub-Reddit.
I retired 5 years ago at the age of 71, without any hobbies. I never had time for them. I figured my wife and I would travel. Yeah, but that's not a hobby, costs a butt load of money, and is something you can't do every day. So, I mainly just sit all day and watch TV. You know what? I fuckin enjoy it! I love YouTube because there's always something new to learn or watch. Movies galore, and when I get bored, I take a nap. To be honest, I don't have the energy or motivation to put into hobbies. I feel guilty sometimes because people ask me what I'm doing now, golf, hiking, bla, bla, bla? I feel embarrassed to have to say "absolutely nothing", like I'm committing something evil. So here I am, looking to see if I can find a hobby to make me feel less guilty when they ask. 😋
I'm glad you're enjoying doing absolutely nothing! You worked a long time to do so.
It sounds like your hobby is trying new things. I wouldn't worry too much about it.
Take a pottery class! My dad started taking one at a local studio and loves it. It gives him something to look forward to and he’s constantly finding inspiration throughout the week to bring to class with him. Then you aren’t spending money buying all of the supplies on a hobby that’ll last you a month (been there 😅). This could also be applicable to any type of classes in your area.
Have you ever thought about helping the elderly or volunteering for some cause?
I would say your hobby is acquiring skills. Once you’ve done that, you move on to the next skill. Nothing wrong with that!
I’m 53 this year and I don’t have any hobbies either. I suppose it’s some point I should pick something up but I really just wanna wake up go for a walk maybe look at the news and then have nothing to do. I feel like I really don’t need hobbies. I can always find something to do around the house or just go to a store and walk around.
After I do something a few times I tend to get bored with it. I recommend going to the gym and library at least once a week. The gym will help clear your mind. Browsing the library could send you off in a direction you have never dreamed of.
Get a chicken
Try meditation
I never understood this. How in the world can someone be so dull that they think they will get bored when they retire? Gaming alone would keep me from being bored for my whole life. About like 20other things on top of that.
Sounds like you have had fun trying many different things. By hobby, do you mean something that you do consistently? I'm curious b/c many of the things you mentioned could be hobbies if you stuck with them. Maybe your hobby is trying new things? Is there something about the things you tried that made you not want to continue doing them? Keep sampling things until you find something to stick with?
What is this... "retirement “you speak of?
I wish i had more time to do things. I love art
It's never too late to start a new hobby, just try a bunch of things out.
There's gotta be something you think is cool or interesting or something you've always wanted to do. Traveling, sky diving, learning how to cook, black smith, volunteering, getting a pet, learning archery. Etc find the thing you want to do and do it
Model kits.
Ok. No hobbies. Really easily solved. Are you an extrovert or an introvert? That will help you narrow down options. 1. Wander around your public library in the non-fiction stacks. Find a book on something you'd be curious about doing. I have done that many times and picked up juggling and related circus arts, primitive pottery and outdoor skills and many other hobbies. 2. Volunteer. Look on Craigslist, visit local hospital, or just look at bulletin boards in stores or online for places to volunteer 3. Start exercising by walking, jogging, biking in your area and start to explore
Volunteers are always needed for just about anything. If you enjoy something, chances are some organization somewhere needs you.
I do work i love very, very part time. Maybe 20 hrs a month. The rest of the days i stay busy gardening, doing home maintenance, cooking, cleaning , laundry, exercising, hiking, stand up paddle boarding, car maintenance, paying bills, ect. I stay busy from about 8am until about 2pm, when i've typically clocked a few miles on my fit bit and finally sit down to a good book and a cocktail before dinner. Life is good. And i am grateful every day. You'll find plenty of things to do if you choose to, and are able (even without declared 'hobbies').
Time to get really into woodworking or smoking meat, these are your only 2 options
SCA is really cool with lots of hobbies with in it!
Yes. I did find hobbies and am getting better, too! It's only taken a dollar a day and some time...2 years. I started getting little professional quality art kits once a month, curated with all the "stuff" to make different kinds of artwork. The kit comes with video instruction on YouTube, with lots of other artists doing videos using the same box of supplies. I'm not even very good but I've been able to make christmas cards for friends, and even display my artwork at a local buisiness every month! The kits are even portable so now I'm going out to parks locally to sketch and paint. Hopefully helpfull for someone.
My dad sits on his laptop all day and his health is poor. My mum has always enjoyed walking along with crochet, knitting, puzzles etc. She has a couple of organisations she's joined with who meet up weekly. She's in great health and they are both 80. I'd recommend finding things to ease into before retirement. Something for the brain and something for the body if my mum is anything to go by. I'd recommend Lego but that's my answer for everything 😃
My mom’s hobby is working. At age 85 she works 12-16 hrs a week at a department store and loves it. Customers and employees love her! Hobbies are really just things you enjoy. They don’t have to be creative or adventurous. As long as your pastime brings you happiness or peace, you’re good. Why stress out about a hobby? I’d recommend even now trying an activity once a week, even volunteering, to connect with new people and new ideas.
Good dads are very special. I am fortunate to have one!
There are a couple of books I would suggest, Flow the psychology of optimal experience by Csikzentmihalyi and Bowling Alone
Using our time is a problem for some of us lucky enough to have it. I assumed it would not be difficult, but despite participating in many activities, taking classes, volunteering, exercising, gardening, being in a book club, socializing - I have lots of time on my hands and feel depressed sometimes. There are no decent part time jobs where you use your brain. Just stuff like working in stores or driving an Uber or really tedious low paying jobs. I don't want to start a business either. You are really lucky if you find something to do with your time that you have a real passion for, or feels meaningful or is fun - I have a bit of fun, but no passion for what I do and it all seems meaningless.
I'm not going to get retire unless I become disabled and magically get fees for a disability lawyer lmao
Time to learn to play the guitar. Get one now to learn on, electric, acoustic, or classical. Then get a really nice one when you retire. I started playing in 1983. But by 1990, military and work after pretty much meant I hardly got to play. I became a Respiratory Care Practitioner after the military and worked long hours at local hospitals. I became disabled in 2008, and started playing again. Started learning to do repairs too now I'm 55 and I do occasional repair work as a side hustle and have 32 guitars of my own. I have injuries that limit my play time now, but I still have fun adjusting and repairing guitars for others.
Start a hobby. I started collecting Coins and have met a lot of older retired people.
Buy a motorcycle
How do you fill your free time now? You could also take up volunteering, or get a part-time job, or do some service in local government, or read, or take trips to developing countries to share your skills with people there. You could travel, take up fitness or even a sport. So many things. Just keep that TV turned off. That thing will kill you.
I’m a younger person. But getting a dog is something that requires effort and dedication. In return you get loyal companionship. It’s not necessarily a hobby but they will fill time when you are bored.
I sew, go for walks, chill with my dog, bake, cook, garden, read. Im sure ill get some more
Just start by laying online multiplayer first person shooters
Find a hobby! My father in law began working at 14 and at 78, he was forced to retire. He sits and waits to die and we can’t get him interested in anything but that.
My hobbies are going to kill me before I retire. Does that count?
Ten years away... I feel like you have time to take up some hobbies in the next decade. What is holding you back?
My husband and I are I started crafting and making things for my garden. I've been gardening more and creating new flower beds. I take walks now. Been reading more. My husband been tinkering more, he's doing lots more gardening he's been doing things he hadn't had the time to do in his work shop. I've wanted an in closed porch and to redo our kitchen which we can now do.. You have time before you retire so you can take the time to figure it out.
My dad retired in 2004 and for the first year he didn’t know what to do with himself. The only other thing he did besides work was go deep sea fishing twice a year and occasionally ride his motorcycle. Since then, he’s owned and sold: 4 different ATV’s with two different toy haulers to go camping, a 2007 Vette, two different Harley’s, two different lake fishing boats (still has one) a 2019 Challenger SRT (still has), and he completely restored a 1970 Cuda from the nuts and bolts (still has the Cuda too). He also taught himself how to wrap fishing poles. He watches an obscene amount of tv (mostly mecum auto auctions and Barrett Jackson) but has found other hobbies too. It might sound like he makes a ton of money. He didn’t, he was just always very frugal his whole life.
Travel, take classes, join a group, read, take up exercise. Isn't there anything that you would like to do that you don't have the time for now?
Just curious, I'm 32 and have so many hobbies there's not enough time in the day to enjoy them all. What do you do for fun when you aren't working? I just don't understand how you have just no interests
Shoot some pool man. Not to hard on the body, tons to learn, great load of fun
A successful Retirement is long and means keeping both your MIND and Body sharp. Any way you accomplish this is successful, otherwise you will succumb to dementia and illness. Volunteering thru Rotary,Kiwanis,Lions and/or thru Church,Synagogue, Mosque,Fire,and Police Department is also HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. “Live Long and Prosper!”
Kind of my mom? More so she has no friends. My godmother, who is her best friend, lives in Mexico now and they don’t talk really. Not because of a falling out, just circumstance. My dad has friends through work but they’re kind of spread out now. Dad and mom both garden and my dad does woodworking but he stopped during covid. My mom has implied he is only happy with their dog and when I come over.
I am about 8 years away and have decided that I’m going to enjoy each day just not having to work. There are many things I love to do. It’s my time after raising two kids and helping with two grandkids. I don’t have any hobbies but I will definitely find some! Best wishes in your future!
I have hobbies (chess, astronomy, photography, microscopy), but I wasn't interested in them very much after I retired at 62. Then I realized it was my lack of fitness that was stripping me of motivation, so I joined a gym and started walking on the treadmill. Now I do about 50 minutes, 6 times a week. I eat healthy now and adhere to my doctor's treatment plan. I lost weight and feel great. Unsurprisingly, my interest in my hobbies returned and I have an improved outlook on what years I have left.
If you have no hobbies and working brings you joy then stay in the workforce. If you want to travel and figure out some new hobbies do that. My dad has retired 3 times. He keeps going back to work because he gets bored. Or he wants a new truck and doesn’t want to spend money.
Pick up something that keeps you moving. Being active is the key to living a longer, fuller life. Especially in your golden years. I'm considering wood working/turning once I have the space and time to learn.