Things To Do When Retired And Bored

Things to do when retired and bored: 24 super enjoyable activities to avoid being bored when you reach retirement. Make retirement the best time of your life.

Humans are funny, strange creatures.

They spend most of their adult lives complaining about their jobs. But then when they don’t have to work anymore, they don’t know what to do.

Some people even get bored on their weekends. I don’t get it.

I’ve often heard people say things like:

“I wouldn’t know what to do if I didn’t work.”

Frankly, I think that’s sad.

It leads me to think that humans fit into two categories:

Those who need to be entertained, and those who entertain.

But the problem is those who need to be entertained get lost in retirement.

Because most people spend no time developing personal interests, they end up retiring bored and unfulfilled. It could even lead to a loss of identity.

The good news is that it’s not too late to start refining your personal interests now.

In this post, I will show you 24 super enjoyable things to do when retired and bored:

Let’s dive in.

Things To Do When Retired And Bored – Choose Sustainable Hobbies

One of the main questions you need to ask yourself is the following:

Is my hobby or personal interest sustainable?

In other words, will you be able to safely and healthily carry on your hobby when you retire? 

Also, will your hobby still be fun when you retire?

If the answer is no, then you might have the wrong hobby. The worst case scenario is that you could be shortening your life.

For example, if drinking is your hobby, do you think you will be able to drink as much at 65 as you do now?

The answer is probably not. It could lead to health problems and it probably won’t be as fun anymore.

Instead, you could consider something like golfing, which is a sport you can carry on until you are unable to walk.

Essentially, you want to choose sustainable hobbies that you will be able to do for the rest of your life.

As a side note, exercise is not included on this list because you should be doing that anyways.

Things To Do When Retired And Bored

Personally, I find it incredibly easy to think of things to do besides soul-crushing work.

Here are things to do when retired and bored:

Things To Do When Retired And Bored

1. Blog

Obviously, I’m going to vouch for blogging because I’m a blogger.

It really does deserve retirees’ consideration, though.

It’s the most enjoyable, rewarding endeavour of my lifetime. 

I still can’t believe I figured out a way to spend so much time on it and get paid for it. I’m so grateful!

Blogging is an outlet to share your opinions and ideas.

Once you are out of the controlling workforce and you are allowed to share your own thoughts, you can start a blog.

You can finally begin to understand yourself without someone breathing down your neck.

You can finally begin to organize your own thoughts and figure out what matters to you personally.

Furthermore, you can express yourself however you want.

2. Invest

A lot of people are “investors” because they have a retirement plan through work.

They might make a few plays here and there.

But frankly, the average full-time employee does not have enough time to be a great investor.

Between kids, work, relationships, rest, and relaxation, there’s hardly enough time to research companies.

It’s difficult to allocate capital to the best of your abilities without a lot of time.

However, once you retire, you can make investing your main profession.

Personally, I adore capital allocation. Along with blogging, I want to wake up everyday and move money around into other assets that make more money.

Since I plan to have multiple income streams, I expect to be able to invest daily or weekly.

3. Golf

My late grandfather golfed until he could hardly walk. It was admirable.

He retired at 55 and spent nearly 40 years doing crosswords, watching baseball, and golfing. 

Seeing his life after 55 is a big part of why I am pursuing financial independence. 

He chose hobbies that were sustainable. 

Golf is a great one because it gets you outside, you can golf with friends or by yourself, and you can golf until you can’t walk.

4. Art & Crafts

Most people give up arts and crafts when they start working.

Anything that doesn’t contribute to climbing the corporate ladder becomes “childish.”

Instead of coming home and working on art and crafts, people go to work outings and suck up to their bosses.

They take interest in their bosses’ hobbies instead of their own.

Ten years of that and they cease to know who they are anymore. Then they wonder why they’re stressed.

Let me tell you why—because you gave up the only things in your life that mattered to you. You sold yourself out. And you stopped doing things that were therapeutic. 

Not everything in life is about gaining more income or higher status.

So, if you are looking for things to do when retied and bored, take up the arts and crafts you did before your soul was sucked out of you.

If you like to paint, take up painting again.

Draw if you like to draw.

Build things if you used to enjoy woodworking.

Hell, start creating NFT (Non-Fungible Token) art if you wish.

5. Photography

It’s hard to take good photos if you are in the same boring office everyday.

But once you are retired, you could go for daily walks and take photos.

You could even take classes on photography, if you wanted to learn more.

6. Charitable Work/ Volunteer

Most employers run charitable donation campaigns for marketing purposes and tax write-offs. 

Most employees get behind it to market themselves, to network, and to climb the corporate ladder.

But if they really cared about a cause, they would make it their career.

That’s why volunteering is one of the most perfect things to do when retired and bored.

Volunteering or doing charitable work is a great way to spend your retirement because it is fulfilling. 

By maintaining a responsibility and committing to something that helps others, you are upholding a new identity.

You will finally be able to spend a meaningful amount of time on something instead of just virtue signalling. 

7. Small Business

If you enjoy working, starting a small business is an excellent way to keep yourself from being bored in retirement. 

It’s the perfect opportunity to run a flexible small business, because you presumably have the money and time.

For example, you could become a consultant based on your career experience. That way you can keep your identity.

Alternatively, you could become a freelancer or maybe a tax advisor.

Try to think of a flexible small businesses that you could run on your own. Frame the business around your own career experience or a passion to begin a new journey at the pace you want.

8. Gardening

Gardening is the perfect retirement hobby, because you literally get to see the fruits of your labor.

During the spring and summer seasons, you could spend your time growing an immaculate garden.

Whether you garden to have an aesthetically-pleasing backyard or to grow your own vegetables, it is rewarding to see your hard work amount to something (unlike some things I know).

9. Travel/Road Trips

Most people aspire to travel when they retire.

Once they no longer work, they’re no longer forced to squeeze their travel dreams into a few short weeks of vacation per year. They are allowed to go places more often with their free time.

They finally have enough time to properly plan and relax before going back to their normal routines.

Of course, travelling is expensive. 

So, if travelling is your retirement dream, you must build up a sizeable investment portfolio.

But if you can afford it, travelling is one of the most fun things to do when retired and bored.

10. Become A Collector

I used to collect hockey cards and coins when I was kid.

Nowadays, kids are collecting NFTs.

Although I’m not an NTF-art collector myself, it does show that collecting things will always be a thing.

The reason why being a collector is a great retirement activity is that you can collect whatever you want free of judgement.

11. Take Courses

Some people need intellectual stimulation but they’re not entrepreneurial.

Since they lack a desire to start their own business, they are often afraid of retirement.

The thing is—you never have to stop learning.

You can take courses and go back to school when you retire.

In fact, you might enjoy it more than you did when you were a student.

Because you can take it seriously and study information that you want to learn for the sake of learning.

For example, I find philosophy to be fascinating. However, studying philosophy doesn’t necessarily lead to a lucrative career. 

But if you’ve already finished working, you can learn for the sake of learning.

It’s also a great way to keep your mind fresh.

12. Read

Another way to keep your mind fresh is through reading.

If you are a reader, there’s never enough time to read all the books you want.

But you can try to if you’re retired.

If you still crave a social connection or if you don’t know what books to read, join a book club.

13. Cook And Bake

Our fast-paced society has become increasingly reliant on fast food and delivery.

Frankly, I’m surprised at how poorly most people cook.

As if following a recipe or being even remotely creative is challenging. 

Anyways, if you want to extend your life, and if you want more things to do when retired and bored, learn how to cook and bake.

14. Hike Or Walk

Take up hiking to get outdoors and stay in shape when you are retired.

It’s a low-cost activity that you can do daily. 

As someone who does not own a car, I really enjoy walking and have never looked at it as a task.

I’m always surprised when co-workers don’t even want to walk across the road to get something.

Furthermore, hiking is something you can do for most of your life.

Unlike biking or something that might be too hard on brittle bones, hiking and walking are things you can do for a lifetime.

15. Swim

Another activity you can take up in retirement is swimming.

It will get your blood flowing and it’s the kind of workout you can do for most of your life.

Whether it’s at a beach, local pool, or your own pool, a dip in the water is something to look forward to each day.

16. Get a Cottage or Boat

Like travelling, owning a cottage or boat is expensive.

But if you don’t enjoy flying as much and enjoy quicker getaways, this is an excellent option.

Furthermore, a cottage could end up being a great investment.

You can rent it out through Air BnB, or you could eventually sell it if you get tired of it.

Until then, you can go camping and not have to sleep in a tent in your old age.

17. Bird Watch

Another thing my grandfather did during his retirement was bird watching.

I remember he had this book to determine all the different kinds of birds he saw.

Another blogger I know, A Purple Life, recently retired and has been sharing her bird-watching experience. 

It seems a lot better than being stuck in an office, if you asked me.

18. Learn A New Language

Communication and language are so vital to the human species. 

Someone once told me that their personality actually changed when they learned a new language.

Moreover, learning a different language is a fantastic way to learn about other cultures, and it’s a tool for travelling. 

And because of language apps like Duolingo, it’s never been easier.

You could also take courses if you are more seriously interested.

19. Get A Pet

When you have a busy schedule, it’s challenging to properly train and take care of a pet.

But when you are retired, you have all the time in the world to take care of it.

Simply put, a pet can add a lot of joy to a retired person’s life, or anyone’s life for that matter.

It’s just better and easier to take care of when you are retired.

20. Learn To Play An Instrument

I’ve always thought I would learn to play the piano once I reach financial independence. 

It produces such a soothing, relaxing sound. 

I’ve held off because pianos are expensive, lessons are expensive, and I don’t have enough time.

I also don’t have a way to make money from it, so I focus on blogging and investing as my two main hobbies for the time being.

But once I have even more time, it is certainly something I would consider.

21. Write

One of the best things to do when retired and bored is to write.

Writing is a phenomenal way to keep your mind sharp and organize your thoughts.

Over time, I believe writing makes people smarter.

If you write daily for years, you will become more self-aware and you have a better understanding of what’s relevant and what’s not.

This is because you are forced to organize your thoughts each time you write.

You have to break down your writing into paragraphs or sections.

If you keep it up for long enough, you will look back at your old writing in disgust.

In addition to improving your cognitive ability, you get to share your story.

If your dream has been to write a book, retirement is the time to do it.

I mean, what do you have to lose? 

You finally have the time and you have a lifetime of stories to share. 

22. Interior Design 

Although your most attractive years may be behind you, that doesn’t mean your love of design has to go too.

In fact, retirement is the time to use your design skills on bigger things.

It’s time to design the dream home you’ve always wanted.

As long as you can comfortably afford it, you should go all out with decorating your home and making it exactly how you want.

You could even consider moving somewhere you’ve always wanted to be.

After all, your job no longer dictates where you live.

23. Mentor

A long successful career could lead to a wealth of knowledge.

If you still have an active mind, and an interest in helping others, retirement could be the perfect time to become a mentor.

There are plenty of clueless, inexperienced young folks out there that could use your wisdom.

24. Become A Snowbird 

I don’t know about you, but I am not a fan of cold, winter weather.

I enjoy the fall and early winter up until December 25th. 

But after that, I would prefer to escape the winter and be somewhere warm.

If you save enough money during your career, you just might be able to afford to become a snowbird.

Then, you will never have to experience the cold winter again. You can spend the winter enjoying the beach and taking care of that property. 

In the summer, you can head back to your normal routine.

Even if you do nothing else, the yearly switch up would prevent you from being bored in retirement.

Things To Do When Retired And Bored – Final Thoughts

Life is too short and too amazing to be bored in retirement.

So, if you are looking for things to do when retired and bored, consider the 24 activities I mentioned in this post.

Do you have any other activities you plan to do when you retire?

I’d love to hear about them in the comments below.

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