I will retire in Nov of this year. Currently I am just happy to sit down and read my quilting emails. I have a stressful job and I don't want to do anything after work or on the weekends.
So I am worried about what I will do when I retire. Did you set yourself a schedule so you got other things done.
I always think about quilting but seem to get little of it done. I will quilt like crazy and then I don't for a while. I have a short arm and frame down stairs that I really haven't used much.
I am only 56 so I can't become a blob once I quit working. any suggestions! I am really happy about retiring. I started working at age 17 so I am looking forward to retirement.
Now I have become nervous about what I will do.

Some days I don't do a whole lot... others I am a busy bee LOL
Maybe a schedule would be more comfortable for you, or try winging it for a while :D:D:D

LOL, i am so busy since dh and i quit working that i don't know how i found the time to work.

I have been retired for 2 years. There is never enough time in the day to get what I want done. I can't imagine being bored. Retirement is what you make of it. Quilting is My passion and I'm so happy to have the time to enjoy it:)

How is that women can retire. Do you still have to cook and clean house and keep the laundry done, as well as run errands and bring home the groceries, then start all over again. I never held a job outside my home, raised 4 children and kept busy all the time. Well guess what? Now at 77 I am still doing all the things I did before. Only exception is not having to drive kids to school/events.

and to top it all off....I do not get a Pension and SS is a joke for someone who never held a job.

I am sure there are lot of us...in this boat!

June in Cincinnati

I thought I would be bored when I retired. Now I am in sort of a "routine" vs. a schedule. Three mornings a week I go to the gym. One morning a week I have a very fun and very easy part time job. The rest of the time is filled by whatever strikes my fancy. Sometimes I have lunch with friends, most times not. Sometimes I run errands, sometimes not. Sometimes I feel like cooking, but not always. Hubby is happy with anything I put in front of him. I can tell you that Sundays have a whole new meaning, knowing that there is no job to go to on Monday. have fun with it and see where it takes you. You might be surprised.

I retired @ 47 with DH who was 53. At that time my FIL moved in with us full time. My advise to you would be first, get fully rested! Most Americans are sleep deprived. Getting a full night of sleep will make everything go a little smoother.

Second, have a list of things you want to try. There have been a few 'new to me' techniques posted here - quilting with crayons & sharpie markers come to mind. Anyway make that list while you are still working. It will help.

Third, plan some fun. Go out for coffee with friends. Plan day trips. Don't get locked in your house. You will still need some human contact. They just won't be able to tell you to work weekends or stay late!

Fourth, leave some time for new adventures. DH became involved in local politics. I'm in a craft group & I teach a ladies Sunday School class. None of these things were in our retirement plans but they have been a great source of fulfillment. Also, plenty of places need volunteers! Now you will have the time.

Fifth, watch your outgoing cash. I don't mean be tight but unless you have mega bucks, plan your expenses. Do however, include some cash for pure fun!

Congratulations. Enjoy a new phase of life. Don't retire to nothing (or all day TV) but redefine life!

You will love retirement. You will be on permanent paid vacation and can do whatever you please. It may be weird at first, and you may go through a feeling of loss and confusion, but it will end quickly. Be sure to find some volunteer things to do, if you find yourself feeling overwhelmed with what to do. I make teddy bears for the dementia patients at the hospital, and I help out the elderly in my building. Just allow yourself to be healthy and happy. You will love it.

When we retired, I ensured that my DH realised that I had also retired, as we had both worked long hours. We then did housework together. He did the gardening (only a small garden). I did the cooking, he did the clearing up after. When there was a big shop needed we did it together. We both had our hobbies, his was wood turning so he spent plenty of time in his workshop, while I followed my hobbies.

I think that it took me about a year to get over the anxious feeling that I should be getting ready for work. I love being retired. The only thing I miss is the paycheck. Hubby retired and we really miss his check!! With the econeomy the way it is, our money doesn't stretch as far as I would like it to sometimes...especially when the utilities keep going up, but we will get through this one way or the other.
I, too, have always said that I don't know how I ever had the time for a job. I'm as busy as I want to be and I am never bored. You'll love retirement!!