Key Takeaways
- Even in retirement, you might feel joyless and miss work.
- To combat a joyless retirement, identify what you are missing.
- Consider joining organizations or taking leadership roles to fill social voids.
- Enroll in a class for mental stimulation and create a new routine.
- Use your retirement to maximize life’s offerings and find happiness.
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
All your life, you couldn’t wait for the day you retired.
You were excited to escape work.
No more useless meetings filling your days.
You wouldn’t have to deal with office politics.
You would no longer need to stay late to meet unrealistic deadlines.
Well, you’re retired now. But somehow, that joyful feeling is nowhere to be found.
Instead, you’re joyless.
You can’t believe it, but you find yourself missing work.
If you’re experiencing a joyless retirement, change what you are doing.
You control your life.
First, figure out what you are missing.
It could be interactions with colleagues and clients.
It could be the importance your role had at your company.
It could be the mental stimulation from your work.
It could be the daily routine you followed.
Once you’ve figured out what you are actually missing, then fill that void.
If you’re missing the interactions, find organizations to join.
If you’d like to keep current in your industry, find a professional organization to join
If you want to meet like-minded individuals, find a club to join
If you’re missing the importance of your role, then find a leadership position with a nonprofit organization.
Become a Board member at your church/temple or homeowners’ association
Lead a project or group for a nonprofit organization
Coach a youth sport
Enrolling in a class will fill the void for mental stimulation.
Look at courses offered at a local college
Explore online courses
If you’re missing a routine, then create one.
Get up at a certain time every day
Schedule specific activities for the week
There’s no excuse for a joyless retirement.
If you find yourself unhappy or bored in retirement, then make changes.
Use retirement as your time to maximize all that life has to offer.
(Update to original post from September 5, 2024)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Niv Persaud, CFP®, is the Founder of Transition Planning & Guidance, LLC (TransitionPG®). She believes life is more than accumulating money – it’s about living the lifestyle you envision and can afford. Niv incorporates all aspects of life when discussing money. She developed the 5 P’s of Life (Personal Relationships, Personal Finance, Profession, Peace of Mind, and Physical Health) to help clients define what they want from life. Once she understands their vision, she helps them achieve their lifestyle or adjust their expectations based on their finances. Niv actively gives back to the community through her volunteer efforts. She believes in living life to the fullest by cherishing friendships, exploring the world, and laughing often—even at herself. Her favorite quote is by Erma Bombeck, “When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left and could say ‘I used everything you gave me.’” Click HERE to read where she’s been quoted in the media.
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