Retirement is more than a transition in our relationship with money. It is a major shift in our sense of self. The work that has defined our lives for decades begins to fade from view. Everything about life is different after retirement, down to the minute details of the daily routine. I think it is important to ask yourself, who am I without my job, without my career? And more importantly, how will I spend my time? How will I spend my days, weeks, months, seasons, and years once the routine ends? These are vital questions for anyone contemplating retirement. For many, the allure of endless days on the beach or in the garden loses its luster quite fast. The risk of becoming bored is a real and unexpected risk that many retirees face.
https://blairbellecurve.com/the-biggest-life-event-that-no-one-talks-about/
The endless string of triple digit days has finally ended. I’m so thankful that it’s not Too Hot to Blog and the writing is free and effortless once again. I’m still thinking strategy because having A Plan is Not a Strategy – Update 08.03.22. Yet time and time again the question begs an answer. How will I spend my time in retirement?
As long as I continue working the question doesn’t require an answer.
I guess I’ll keep working.
lifeunderwriter.net 
Even though I only work one day per week now, When I stop that in the next two years, I believe that’s going to be a huge event emotionally. My identity is tied up in my profession. I’m still able to use the present tense.
When still using the present tense our identities remain intact. I have been pretty good at shifting roles and identities over the years. But the concept of a retirement with loss of a primary identity doesn’t appeal to me. What do you do with all the time?
Yes, that loss of identity is is kind of scary. One of the main reasons I continue the once a week working.
I have no trouble at all filling the time. I increased the amount of exercise I do. Much lower intensity, but it takes me longer. I walk the same route I used to run in 35 minutes. Now it takes me an hour. And I go to the gym several days a week for an hour. And every morning I swim in the pool for about 30 to 45 minutes.
I’ve made some good friends through Tai Chi class. We get together twice a week to do Tai Chi and then we also socialize and get together for lunches and play dates with our various dogs.
Then I also take a senior exercise class that is a long drive. I actually spend twice as much time in the car as I do exercising. But it is at a beautiful park And the people there are interesting.
Before Covid I used to do a lot of day trips and going to museums and art galleries but and markets and trying new restaurants. Since Covid that has changed. My new project is learning Spanish. I really enjoy it but it is a slog. It is so difficult learning a new language in your 70s. But I keep at it and practice every day.
Then I have my golden retriever who might take out on adventures periodically. He loves it. So we make a morning of it. Then it seems to take most of the rest of the day to be with him and get all the sand out, launder all the towels and clothing, and clean the sand out of the truck.
I read and follow social media. I watch a little television. Much less since I started studying Spanish. and I sleep two hours more a night. I was only sleeping five hours, but having read more about the benefits of sleep, I have increased that to seven hours a night. It is cutting into my leisure, but I think it’s better for my brain in the long run. I rarely nap. I’ve just never been good at sleeping in the middle of the day.
Sounds like you have no problems with finding things to do with your extra time. The loss of your primary identity is still the main issue and is what I struggle with the most. I too can fill in the time with plenty of activities but stopping who you have been for nearly 50 years will be challenging.
It will be challenging for sure. We’ll have to keep each other posted as it happens.
Perfect! I’m in the phase of exploring my incomplete underdeveloped identities.
Are you going to keep working as long as you can?
I’m working on a strategy that starts with full time 40 hour work weeks for the next 3-4 years. After that I’ll fire up my dormant LLC, find contract work part time. So I’ll only lose half of my identity.
That sounds like a great idea. You can choose what you want to do and when you want to do it.