Retirement Goals?

Question:  Why sleep in until 8am when you already slept eight hours by 7am? 

Answer:  Because you can! 

It turns out it's not any easier to get out of bed in the morning in retirement than it was while I was working.  Even though I’m now averaging an extra hour of slumber each night, I still have to force myself to get out of bed by 8am.  (An arbitrary hour that I have deemed almost respectable.)

The other night, a new acquaintance asked me how I liked retirement.

“I love it!” I told her.

“What are you focusing on in your retirement?”  she asked.

“Nothing really, I’m just deciding each day what I’m in the mood for, and seeing where it takes me.”  She looked puzzled.

I guess she thought I didn’t understand the question.  “When you quit your job, did you have any GOALS in mind for yourself?”

I laughed, “Definitely not!  That’s what I just left, the world of goals and to-do lists.”

“But then will you go back to work after some period of time?” She asked.

“Not if I can help it.”

You know how when you meet someone, sometimes your conversation just clicks?  This one wasn’t really working that way.

It just dawned on me, though, that I HAVE been achieving a goal in retirement, almost every day: getting out of bed by 8am!

Related Posts:

Retirement Resolutions

Retirement Resolutions that Didn't Make the Cut

Lazy Person's Guide to Retirement

Comments

[Michele]

Thanks so very much for your blog. My husband and I are also considering early retirement. And I love the honesty and openess in your writing. It helps me to better understand and prepare for our early retirement.

[Retired Syd]

Welcome Michelle! Thanks for reading!

[Double]

I hope to retire in less than 10 years and I have not given much thought as to what I will do but I know that I would like to keep somewhat busy. I am envious of you that you can get out of bed when you want, but I would count that choice as a retirement goal also.

www.doubleourmoney.ca

[Sylvia]

I'm so glad that you've written about getting up time. Because of the demands - and craziness - of my work life, up until now I've had to be up no later than 6 a.m. every work day. The habit of getting up that early has trained my body to this ludicrous hour of the day as a reasonable wake-up time. Not so! So far, since I'm only semi-retired for the summer, I haven't been able to change that internal clock. I wonder what will finally click in and let me sleep until 8 a.m.?

Thanks also for prompting me to be ready with an answer to "what are your goals". I agree, the first goal is to move away from goals and to-do lists. I think my answer will be "my goal is to keep stirring things up without the limitations imposed by work." What do you think?