Many people struggle with their retirement years growing bored with not having a purpose or structure to their lives. Many retirees are unhappy with endless days of leisure and not enough to occupy all of the time they have available to them. Of course, retirees can work again, part-time, full time, start a business or volunteer. But if these are not of interest to you I have created a 30 day challenge. Let me know if it works for you.
- Get up early. Think about your day and what you want to accomplish. If you can plan your week or month even better. Some people prefer to do this the night before. Keep a calendar or schedule of appointments and refer to it daily and weekly.
- Set your goals and write them down. If you don’t have any, think of a list of 100 things that will bring more joy to your life and write them down. Start planning how you can incorporate these things into your life.
- Exercise 30-40 minutes every day. Try different activities and work all of you muscle groups. It is of upmost importance to build strength as we age. What kind of weight bearing exercises can you do to help you build muscle. You do not need a lot of expensive exercise equipment to do this. Simple strength training can be accomplished with little or no equipment. If you need ideas check the internet. Think about specific areas of your body you want to improve and put more emphasis on those. Having an accountability partner is helpful here or you can enroll in classes or join a gym or fitness center. Walking is great exercise almost anyone can do. Start small and build in more time and increase repetitions or weight as you gain more strength and improve your fitness. Keep a log of your progress, take your measurements and weigh yourself before you begin, and repeat every few weeks. This healthy habit may make you feel so good you will want to continue, and I hope you do.
- Spend one hour a day learning about something new. Think about topics of interest to you, things you have always wanted to learn more about. Technology is always changing try to keep up with advancements. Learn a new language, take classes either online or in person. Many classes are offered free to seniors in person and on-line. Learn a new skill, expand your horizons, learn about other cultures and countries.
- Spend one hour a day reading either for pleasure or learning.
- Plan healthy meals and shop for fresh fruit and vegetables or grow your own to make nutritious meals. Make trying new foods an adventure or learn to cook something new. Make eating good nutritious food a priority for your health. Many diseases can be prevented by changing the way we eat.
- Schedule social time, social isolation is detrimental to your health. The pandemic is finally fading, still use precautions and assess your own risk level, but schedule time with friends or family. Get involved in your local community, join a group. If you do not feel comfortable with in-person social interaction, connect with people on-line. Speak to people on the phone or with video chat.
- Schedule work at home or at a place of work or volunteer organization. Many people use this time to organize their life, downsize and simplify living to have more time to spend on the things that matter most to you. Perhaps you want to start a new project or hobby, plan time in your life for what you are passionate about. This does not include watching television or wasting time on social media.
- Schedule time to meditate. Learn to relax and clear your mind. Meditation is good for your health and helps you de-stress.
- Schedule time for sleep. Getting good sleep is imperative for good health. Set up a regular schedule for the best results. Many people have trouble sleeping, if this is you learn about good sleep hygiene practices or talk to your doctor.
- Record your results, compare your start date to your finish date results. Celebrate your progress and let me know your successes.
