This year has been, without a doubt, a milestone for me. It’s the year I transitioned into the next phase of my life.
People often refer to retirement as one’s "second innings" or "second phase", but I believe it should be counted as the fourth phase. The first three being pre-school, the long years of formal education, and finally, a demanding career.
WELL-MEANING ADVICE
Over the past eight months, I have been asked one question more than any other: “How are you spending your time?”
I have also received plenty of well-meaning advice to "keep busy", with friendly warnings that having nothing to do can be more than just boring; it can be detrimental to one’s health and well-being.
In fact, several people have suggested various work opportunities specifically to keep me occupied.
TIME FOR MYSELF
But the truth is, I don’t want to return to formal work. I have been eagerly looking forward to this retirement phase for a long time, primarily for two reasons.
One, my sleep cycle. Because my work schedule typically ran from 6 pm to 2 am, my internal clock was completely out of sync with the rest of the world. When I was younger, my body could cope easily. However, that hasn’t been the case over the last few years. Undoubtedly, that erratic pattern of sleep has impacted my health, and I am now hoping to reverse some of the damage.
Two, I want time for myself to pursue the things I love: simple, ordinary pleasures like reading books, watching movies, taking relaxed walks, doing basic exercises, watching sports, solving word and number puzzles, brushing up on my French lessons, travelling, and catching up with old friends.
WORK AT HOME
So, to answer the question of how I am spending my time: I am very much occupied, in a healthy and productive way. I am finally doing all the things I never had the time for during my working life.
The irony is that there is so much on my plate that I still find myself having to prioritise! The difference, however, is that the pace is now entirely up to me.
During the last eight months, I’ve managed a fair bit of travel, visiting Pune, Aurangabad, Shirdi, Thane, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Vizhinjam, Kovalam, Noida, Gurugram, and Jaipur. I haven’t even found the time to blog about them all yet. In fact, there are quite a few posts sitting in my "Drafts" folder! I shall get to them in due course.
THE CHALLENGE
Of course, there is a flip side to this relaxed routine: the temptation to slip into "lazy mode". Without a boss fixing schedules or deadlines, I have to motivate myself every single day. It isn't always easy, but it is certainly doable.
FESTIVE TIME
There are a few things lined up for the coming year, but for now, I am fully soaking in the festive air.
Wish you a Merry Christmas and a delightful New Year!
Every person I know who has retired has told me they don't know how they ever worked, they are so busy in retirement. I hope you're enjoying your time.
ReplyDeleteYes, Liz, making the best use of all the time I have now! Thank you!
DeleteWhen my dad retired he took to researching our family tree, when he had lung cancer and chemo he took to reading, he didn't read more then a couple of books during the first 66yrs of his life but during the last 10yrs he was always reading
ReplyDeleteResearching my family tree is one thing in my mind. Maybe I will get to it someday! Yes, reading is such a good habit. It not only opens our mind to the world but also engages our brain in a very healthy way. Thank you!
DeleteI have never regretted retirement, not even for a minute. It’s perhaps the best time of my life.
ReplyDeleteSo far so good for me. My aim is to make the best use of all the time I have now. Thank you, David.
DeleteI'm one of those people Liz A described, but I do realise I allow things to expand to fill time, perhaps better phrased as not rushing. Unless I really needed advice, any suggestions about what to do in my retirement would be very unwelcome. As a former rotating shift worker, I know what you mean about time normality.
ReplyDeleteYou are very right, Andrew. I too realised that work tends to expand to fill the time. You put it very nicely - "not rushing"! Thank you, Andrew!
DeleteLuckily in your case, there seems to be to be no need to work for money. Not all have this privilege but have to seek work to supplement the reduced income. Many tend to spiritual development which has always been in the backburner during career years. There is no mention about it unless you are into it already.
ReplyDeleteHave happy times devoting a part of your time to the society wherever you can.
Thank you so much for your comment, KP. You are absolutely right: having the freedom from financial pressures in retirement is indeed a privilege, and I’m deeply grateful for it.
DeleteRetirement has become a journey of rediscovering priorities for me. I am already doing my bit to give back to the community in whatever small ways I can.
As for spiritual growth, while I do pray and visit the temple, I believe that true spiritualism is in our words and actions. So I try my best to live by that as far as possible.
Hari OM
ReplyDeleteAgain I find myself thinking 'here is an echo of me'! We have such similar thoughts, and, I suspect, interests, with an openness to continue learning when it presents, without the urgency of need. We are fortunate indeed. I agree, too, that we need a motivation in each day, else it fritters away and before we know it, the year is gone! (It manages to move fast enough without us helping it along...) Wishing you all the joy of this day - which reverberates through Love Universal - and on into 2026. Fondly, Yamini xx
Hello Yamini - It's wonderful to find an 'echo' in you! I treat it as a blessing to connect with someone who has similar thoughts and interests. We also share sentients about the joy of learning and the need for daily motivation. Thank you so much for your beautiful wishes. Wishing you a joyful day and a brilliant year ahead!
DeleteWhat a pleasure, as always reading your blog. And as a 12 hour rotating shift worker before I retired, I know full well what you mean. When I retired, I felt like a race horse in the close stable running and running, fruitlessly. I simply wasn't used to not occupying every minute of every day with work or chores that needed to be done at and for home on the few off days. I learned to manage all that beautifully and actually missed it one retired. BUT...I got used to not having to rise at 0315 or on midnights, at 1515 in the afternoon. And it was pleasant. Sleeping 5 hours was a luxury! I do bot wish to work formally. Pradeep...concinued joy in your retirement and many wonderful travels and projects to come!
ReplyDeleteMost sincerely,
Carole
sorry for the missed typos!!
ReplyDeleteHi Carole - Thank you so much for the kind words! A 12-hour rotating shift can be really stressful. I can imagine how relaxing retirement must be for you. Here’s to enjoying our time exactly how we choose. Cheers to a wonderful 2026!
DeleteEnjoy the retirement days and happy holidays.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your time. I wish you good, peace and joy 😊 Warm greetings from a retired lady living in Montreal, Canada ❤️ 😊 🇨🇦 Happy Holidays.
ReplyDeleteHello Linda - Thank you so much for dropping by and for your warm greetings. I shall hop over to your blog and read your posts. Wish you too a Merry Christmas season and a wonderful 2026.
DeleteI'm glad to find a kindred spirit. When people ask me why I don't continue teaching, I tell them that 40 years of it was good enough. I want my own time now. Read, write, travel, meditate, and learn - learn till the last breath.
ReplyDeleteWish you a very rewarding retirement.
Hi Tomi - Thank you so much. I am also glad to find someone who thinks exactly like me! 'Learn till the last breath' - that's precisely what I too want to do.
DeleteWay to be! Best wishes in all your endeavours!
ReplyDeleteThank you :-)
DeleteRetirement is a phase and like any other phase, we have a choice. I see how happy your choices make you and that’s what is important. So glad you stopped by my blog and I got to read this post. See you around, Pradeep!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Parul :-)
DeleteI'm very happy for you Pradeep, I can't wait to get retired too! Enjoy your free time, relax and take care, I'm looking forward to read your adventures through the world!
ReplyDeleteJoyeuses fêtes mon ami et profite bien de cette quatrième phase de ta vie ! Amitiés.
Merci beaucoup, Frédérique.
DeleteSo well put, and touchwood, thats really well spent. I recall visiting your blog sometime beginning of the year, when u were 2 months away of retirement (or may be just retired, cant remember exact).That post also spoke of how well u were looking forward to it.. Travelogues sitting in drafts folder ( i can relate to it, infact in my Deoghar posts- i deliberately add a line or two about past trips). Good to have lot of things on plate, it keeps the momentum going...
ReplyDeleteYes, Viyoma, you are right. Just after retirement, in my post, I had written how I was looking forward to spending time. I am very grateful that a lot of that is indeed falling into place. Thank you.
DeleteBlessings to you and yours, my dear. Enjoy your freedom!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Darla :-)
DeleteI think you nailed it, you have to keep busy in retirement, but not so busy that it becomes a burden. Enjoy.
ReplyDeleteYes, I have to be only toes to keep myself self-motivated. Thank you.
DeleteYou are doing well with the 'retirement' concept ~ Wishing you a Happy and Healthy New Year ~ hugs,
ReplyDeletean artist reflects
Hi Carole - Thank you. Wish you too a Happy New Year!
DeleteHow lovely that you’re finally able to do things you enjoy, Pradeep, and I hope your sleep cycle has improved too. I’ll look forward to your travel posts. Maybe there’s a travel book in you too? All my very best to you and your family for 2026, and let’s keep in blogging!
ReplyDeleteHi Val - My plan is to travel as long as I am able to travel. Hopefully, I will be able to do that. Thank you so much for your greetings. Wishing you and family a Happy New Year! -- Pradeep
DeleteMerry Christmas to you too. I am happily retired; it is a privilege to be retired. I did 8 years of volunteering visiting at a retirement home. We can fill our time as we please. If you add a blogger follow "button" I would follow your blog.
ReplyDeleteHi Terra - Thank you for your greetings. Wish you and family too a delightful 2026! I am checking with a couple of non-profit on opportunities for me to volunteer with them. Let me see how that works out.
DeleteI have added the "Follow" button to my blog. It's there on top of the right panel.
Looking forward to reading your posts as well.
Enjoy your retirement! Sounds like you have been making the most of your free time. I am looking forward to retiring next year. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jackie.
DeleteHappy New Year, Pradeep. So happy for you. I'm not sure why some people consider retirement to be a curse. We know of a person who told us that he didn't know what to do with his time, so sat in front of the TV all watching stuff! Wishing you lots of time to do what you love in 2026!
ReplyDeleteAll the best for a great life ahead.
ReplyDeleteDo take care of your sleep cycle and get it on track.
Do plan to visit Odisha too :)
Wishing you a wonderful 2026.
Thats wonderful! You deserve this phase. Enjoy yourself and take your time to decide what you want to do. I hope you enjoyed your Pune stay. Best wishes for 2026!
ReplyDelete