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Creating an Active Retirement
Nurturing Your Hobbies and Interests
By Shannon McKelden
Even with all the possibilities stretching out before retirees, the idea of choosing how to spend your time may feel daunting. "When approaching retirement, be certain that you are psychologically ready for it," Bracken says. "Know what you want to do and don't hesitate to plunge into it. It is important for one's mental well-being to utilize the mind in productive activity. Not to do so will only bring on a feeling of uselessness."
Dr. Schultz's suggestion is that people start broadening their interests early. "Instead of waiting until they have already retired, people should start thinking about activities, goals or dreams that they may engage in once their time isn't concentrated on work," she says. "This process can be exciting, scary, challenging and exhilarating. They can implement initial steps toward those activities before they ever reach the point of doing them 'full time.'"
Burg, who graduated at age 48 with a degree in Recreation and Leisure Studies with a specialization in Volunteer Management, took an elective called "Volunteer Community." The professor talked about retirement. "She said that it could be devastating if the person retiring did not have a plan of what they would do after leaving their job," Burg says. "As a result, I put a piece of paper on my refrigerator and started my list about a year before I was planning on retiring."