How much should you plan retirement activities?

Megan, a friend who retired more recently than I, said that a couple of people had advised her to plan what to do post work. “Did people tell you that?,” she asked.

It’s not advice I would have given to Megan, as active as she is. As I thought about whether retirees need an activity plan, my mind roamed over how various friends approached that new phase.

For some, retirement was an opportunity for new ventures. Giving careful thought to what she wanted before retiring as an insurance broker, Bobbie became one of the most active volunteers in both Chicago Greeter and PAWS. Following a career in nursing, JoAnn worked part time as a tour guide at Driehaus and now volunteers to cook at the Ronald McDonald House, both of which are around the corner from her River North condo.   

Sandie moved from Evanston to Streeterville to be closer to the concerts and plays she enjoys. She’s one of four of my friends who, like me, moved into high-rise buildings before or shortly after retirement. 

My sister Pat, who’s still working at 73, intends to retire in a 55-plus community with activities on site. It’s a good plan for someone who isn’t a joiner. 

Some folks don’t need to plan because they’re already busy. They have even more time for the activities in which they had been involved. For Joan, those include the Bird Sanctuary and the League of Women Voters in Evanston. And time with her grandkids. Kingsley hasn’t slowed down his acting, directing, and writing for Chicago theaters. 

I already had Chicago Greeter, ushering at the Goodman and Steppenwolf theaters, and a book group on my docket when I departed Northwestern University in 2015. To those activities I hoped to add a cause, which, unfortunately, continues to elude me. After trying out Chicago Scholars, the League of Woman Voters, and the Anti-Cruelty Society for a year or two each, I’m about to begin ESL tutoring. “Maybe you’ll have a series of short gigs instead of a long-term commitment,” a friend commented when I fretted that I’m a dilettante. “That could be interesting.” 

Not all retirees I know are as busy as those I’ve mentioned. I’m not sure what some do all day, but they seem content. Only one of my friends thinks she sits in front of the TV too much. Energy levels and activity preferences vary. Some people like to have a full calendar, others prefer responding to the moment. Self-knowledge can guide how much planning suits you. 

If you tend toward detailed planning, it’s good to be flexible. You will change over time; the plan you set at 65 may not work at 70 or 80. In early retirement, my goal was to have one thing to go out for every day. Now getting out a few times a week is enough. Stay-at-home activities can also be planned. If there’s a hobby you’ve fancied, retirement is the time to give it a go.

Thinking about being active in retirement, I recalled a long-ago conversation with a woman who was on the go until bedtime every day. I remarked that I felt like a slug next to her. “Don’t envy me,” she said. “I don’t like being alone.” Schedule what you enjoy, but leave time for solitude and reflection. You ideally do what you do not just to pass the time but to grow. Constant busyness without thought is avoidance, not growth.