Easing Restlessness in Retirement

One very fulfilling outlet can be volunteering, such as helping at the local soup kitchen or working at a donations center.

If you’re unsure what to do, look back to your professional life and see how you can apply those skills as a retiree. Former doctors could use their medical skills to help patients by volunteering for clinics or health initiatives. If you had an educational background, you could tutor young people. Many retirees are on a strict budget, so if you had a finance degree, you could start an educational program for other seniors.

When leaving home is not an option, you can still connect with family and the outside world by using online video platforms to chat on the computer, where you can see the person you’re calling. If you’re eager to meet new people, you can join one of many online senior communities, like Senior Net, which hosts events that are free for members, and Buzz50, where you can join like-minded seniors and talk about life.

2. Exercise

Another way to keep your spirits is to exercise. Not only is exercise good for your physical health, it can also boost your mood and combat depression, anxiety, and stress.

Many workouts are great for seniors, including short strength training routines that work on your core, arms, and legs. You can do them all from home with only a folding chair or even against a wall. You can do these exercises on your own time, and they’ll give you energy when you’re bored.

If you have limited mobility or you want to focus on stretching and finding inner peace, then yoga or meditation might be what you need. Meditation can take many forms, including guided programs you find online. While you listen, sit in a comfortable chair, close your eyes, and follow the prompts. Meditation can also be as simple as finding a sentence or a prayer that you can repeat to yourself when you’re feeling stressed so you can find peace.

And if you join up with an exercise class or group, you can add the benefits of socializing, too.

Related: 5 Outdoor Activities to Boost Senior Health

3. Find engaging hobbies

One of the best ways to combat restlessness in retirement is to find a hobby that you enjoy and use it to fill your time and stimulate your mind. Consider hobbies like gardening, woodworking, photography, birding, or arts and crafts, which give you a creative outlet and are easy to learn using resources online or at the library.

You may want to leave the house but find you’re not confident in your mobility. If that’s the case, there are solutions to get where you’re going, like modifying your vehicle and making it more accessible. You can equip your vehicle with pedal extenders, power lifts for wheelchairs, a raised roof, and more. If the cost is a little high for either modifications or a used vehicle, look into auto insurance and government programs for seniors that may help with the price.

Many hobbies can also get you out of the house to socialize with others. You could join an art class or play a team sport. There are numerous casual classes you could attend, such as cooking, improv, and music classes, where you can learn a great new skill and make new friends at the same time.

Related: How to Choose the Right Hobby After Retirement

4. Get a job

If you want to make a few extra bucks, you could unretire, even part-time, and make money doing something you love, like working as an associate in a fitness store if you like sports or working in a library or bookstore if you love books.

You can explore many avenues for easing restlessness in retirement, finding peace and enjoying your golden years to the fullest, so find something you like and go all in.