Is Your Retirement a Waste of Time?
‘What I’m most looking forward to about retirement is having more time.’ If I had a pound for every time I heard this heartfelt refrain I’d be a wealthy woman!
But when you think about it, there’s no such thing as ‘more time’! Whether we’re retired or not, we all have the same 24 hours in a day.
The important difference is that when we retire we gain more choice over how we spend those 24 hours.
And this is often where things can start to go a bit pear-shaped!
Time is our most precious asset
Financial security is often touted as the ultimate retirement goal, but in reality, time is our most precious asset.
But unlike money, our time is a finite resource that cannot be replenished or saved for later use. Once it’s gone, it’s gone!
So, here’s the big question: What do you plan to DO with your precious, limited time in retirement?
And it’s this seemingly simple question that can often prove surprisingly challenging. Perhaps it’s because it’s a gentle, or maybe not so gentle reminder of our mortality – ‘time running out’ is a realisation that can be both empowering and sobering!
But retirement is a HUGE opportunity—an opportunity to design a new life made up of deliberate, intentional choices about how you want to spend your time.
People have very different reactions to this opportunity but for most, it’s a unique blend of freedom and overwhelm!
Some dive headfirst into filling every minute with activity, only to quickly realise they’ve made an exhausting rod for their own back! It’s not about endless doing, but a wonderful chance to finally focus on the things that bring you joy, fulfilment, and purpose. Others, however, fall victim to procrastination and time-wasting activities like excessive TV watching or mindless scrolling on social media.
The truth is, if something is important to us, we have to prioritise it and make time for it.
Maybe you feel like you're 'wasting' time
Maybe you recognise that you haven’t fully addressed what you want to do with your time in retirement, or maybe you’re struggling to find your piece of the opportunities retirement offers. Deep down, you might know that this can only be solved by some intentional thought on your part. This is where coaching can be a game-changer in retirement, providing personalised guidance and support to help individuals make the most of their time.
The whole idea of “wasting time” is of course completely relative. For instance, I know I’d be bored out of my mind in under an hour if I had to sit on a beach and do nothing for a week —but that’s plenty of other people’s definition of paradise. The key to a fulfilling retirement is spending your time doing what matters most TO YOU.
It's YOUR time - how do YOU want to spend it?
It’s your time….
- To explore who you are now and what gives you joy.
- To realign and reconnect to the things that are significant to you.
- To re-examine aspects of your life and let go of those that no longer feel right.
- To take ownership of what really matters to you: your needs, your dreams, and your priorities for what’s next.
Grab a pen and start jotting down your “It’s my time to…” ideas. Use them as your guide as you dive into this fresh chapter. Here’s some to get your creative juices flowing:
- It’s my time to…. spend more moments with family and friends.
- It’s my time to… dive into volunteering or giving back to the community.
- It’s my time to… travel to the places I’ve always talked about.
- It’s my time to… learn something new or work on my personal growth.
- It’s my time to… find ways to relax and unwind.
From passing the time to embracing the time - it's yours to choose
Passing time… wasting time… killing time—these phrases all reflect our complex relationship with time itself. After decades of structure and schedules, it’s little wonder the sudden abundance of free time in retirement can feel overwhelming. We might talk about “passing time” as if we’re just trying to get through the day, waiting for something more meaningful to happen. “Wasting time” starts to feel more pressing, with the realisation that this is our time to focus on what truly matters. And “killing time” suggests a struggle with boredom, where minutes are seen as obstacles rather than opportunities.
I like the phrase ‘spending time’ because it’s a reminder that we have a non-renewable resource at our disposal – a precious chance to reshape our lives around what brings us joy, fulfillment, and purpose.
As you reflect on your retirement, consider this: are you ‘passing time,’ ‘wasting time,’ or ‘killing time’? Or are you ‘spending time’ intentionally and meaningfully?
Are You Retirement Ready? (..and we’re not talking money!)
DOWNLOAD THE checklist and find out!
