Hobbies for retirement

Rebuild what work used to give you

Work gave you a schedule, a group of people you saw without arranging it, and something to think about on the way in. When it stops, all three go at once. People who settle well into retirement tend to put them back on purpose, and hobbies are the easiest way to do it.

Something at a fixed time each week

• A choir with a weekly rehearsal and a concert to work toward.
• A bridge club, where you play with the same partners for years.
• A weekly ballroom or line dancing class.
• Pickleball open play. In many US towns the courts are full of retirees on weekday mornings.

Senior centers and community colleges are the easiest places to find these. Many states let older residents take or audit public college classes free or at a reduced rate.

A big project you never had time for

• Researching your family history, then writing it up for the grandchildren.
• Restoring an old car, building furniture, or making a quilt for each person in the family.
• Learning the piano or a new language from the beginning, perhaps for a trip you plan to take.
• Travelling slowly: a month in one place, or a season on the road in an RV.

Something that keeps you moving

• Swimming, hiking and walking groups.
• Tai chi, which trains balance.
• Golf and pickleball, which come with company.
• A vegetable garden, which needs you out there most days from spring to fall.

Getting started

• Try several things in the first few months, then keep the one or two you look forward to.
• Leave some of the week empty at first. Plenty of people need a few months to find their pace.
• Sign up with a friend or your partner. It is easier to keep going when someone expects you.