I’ll spend the better part of a regular working day here, putting up siding, painting, caulking, or whatever tasks my experience in houses will safely allow. Sneak in a run, maybe some kettlebell action at the gym, or a rare, cheap lunch (or coffee) with a former co-worker.Ĩ:20 AM: I’m off to a Habitat For Humanity work site. *Alternative day-time activities will include, when not volunteering: Working on our rental properties (maintenance and improvements), working on this blog, and working on our house projects. I know it doesn’t involve going back to bed or knitting. Thank you, city neighborhood!Ĩ:15 AM: I know, I know, I had this figured out back in 2016 while writing some blog posts about what I’m supposed to be doing. Can’t beat a nice little five-block scamper to campus. That’s right, lunch-lady, a brown bag only for these two!Ĩ:00 AM: Walk the kids to school. While I’m at it, I’ll check in with the twins to see if they’re up and around, getting ready for another day of first grade.ħ:30 AM: By this age, the twins should be pretty self-sufficient in getting their breakfast going. My Daily Schedule in Early Retirement, Take 1ĥ:00 AM: Wake-up time (YaNow back to that dream where I retired early and…Ħ:45 AM: Let’s get some coffee and breakfast going. Knowing that I need to keep my anticipation in check, and appreciate life in the present, I can afford to look ahead and shape my first day of early retirement. The time train is moving a bit too fast now, and these achy 40-something knees are annoying on 5k runs! And still, I kept looking ahead to graduation and taking on a profession I knew little about.Īs I approached middle age, I started wanting time to slow down. In college, I enjoyed my time away from home, the new friends, all-you-can-eat dorm food, and mid-day naps (among other things). As a kid, I couldn’t wait for my birthday, for Christmas, and for school to be out for summer. I suppose it’s natural as we age, to reverse our earlier longings for time to pass to reach some way-out-there-goal. We need to put energy into the relationships and joys of today. But it’s hard to smell the roses when your nose is stuck in a cell phone or computer screen all day (fully warranted self-indictment!)Įven before we start to think about and shape a post-retirement life, we need to take stock of the present. ![]() ![]() We all know we ought to slow down and appreciate the little things in life, no matter what our journey happens to be. Now, based on that notion, I’m left wondering if the same is true of early retirement. That “anticipation window” is what powers a boost in happiness or contentment. ![]() There wasn’t any thought put into the hour-by-hour day in the life of Cubert, the retiree…Ī recent research study suggested that the most enjoyment we get from travel occurs during the lead-up to the trip, not the trip itself. I suppose there were random visions of doting on grandkids and tending a garden or traveling overseas. Still, with an eye on both the present and future, there’s nothing wrong with daydreaming about your first day of retirement.īefore setting an early retirement goal for myself, I hadn’t put much thought into what I’d do with my freedom at the “normal” retirement age of 60-something. ![]() If early retirement is your goal, it’s easy to get caught up in the anticipation of escaping a dreaded day job.
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