The Golden Years – Have a Routine (I)

We have previously mentioned that when an individual retires from their job, one of the things ‘taken away’ from them is the structure and discipline that comes with professional lives, especially for those who have worked 8 am to 5 pm. The absence of a routine can lead to purposelessness, lack of focus and direction […]

We have previously mentioned that when an individual retires from their job, one of the things ‘taken away’ from them is the structure and discipline that comes with professional lives, especially for those who have worked 8 am to 5 pm. The absence of a routine can lead to purposelessness, lack of focus and direction and eventually to boredom and even depression if not taken care of. When we retire, therefore, we need to create a structure within which to live our new lives. This brings us to the need for having a routine in retirement.

What is a routine? A routine is a sequence of activities that we engage in a reasonably regular fashion over a period. So, a daily routine would refer to those regular activities that we conduct on a daily basis. We may also have weekly, monthly and annual routines for the activities that we conduct on a weekly, monthly or annual basis respectively. The activities we engage in which became routine before we retire revolved substantially around our professions even as we struggled and sneaked in other aspects of our lives. When we retire, our routine should be created around what we will be doing, and our aspirations, interests, beliefs, lifestyles, etc.

Benefits of a routine: Our routines at work might have involved waking up at some point in time, commuting to our places of work, and then getting immersed in whatever it is we legitimately do as professionals before finding our way back home. As ‘repetitive and mundane’ as this might seem, it actually creates order and discipline in our lives. Furthermore, irrespective of the exact structure of the routine, it is essentially meant to make us productive and in return, we get self-fulfilment, financial and other benefits. When we retire, creating and maintaining routines will have several benefits some of which would include the following:

• Give our life meaning, purpose, order, predictability and self-discipline
• Enhance our productivity as we make fewer and faster decisions on many matters thereby allowing time for us to think deeper about other issues that so require
• Help us achieve our goals as we get things done through the accomplishment of tasks
• Improve our health if we imbube and establish healthy habits in what we do such as elimination of sedentary lifestyles, eating at the right times, having quality and sufficient sleep cycles, etc.,
• Boost mental health and lower stress levels
• Give us a sense of control of both our lives and environment, thereby enhancing our feeling of safety and comfort
• Make it easy for us to monitor progress through mental and physical visualisations
• Help keep social connections oiled and rolling, etc.

Principles of creating a routine in retirement: To be able to create routines that work well for us, we should be clear of certain principles and wisdoms.

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There is no such thing as a ‘best routine’: While our routines have to revolve around environmental factors, our responsibilities, aspirations, etc. we should, as much as possible, create them to work best for us and not the other way around. Consequently, what might work well for someone might not necessary work best for us.

Understand what brings out the best in you: People operate differently. Some people do certain things and enjoy certain other things best in the mornings while others do and enjoy those same things best in the evenings. Understand what brings out the best in you, how and when, and leverage on those personal factors.

Listen to your doctor! Irrespective of what we want to achieve, there are certain things about our mental and physical health that we should be alert to. Consequently, we should listen to our doctors, do what we are advised to do and keep away from those things we are advised to stay away from.

Be purposeful: Many of us just fill up their days, contented with their ‘busyness’ but with little regard for actual achievements. This is not wise. When we retire, our efficiency and effectiveness levels must be super high. So, fill up your day with what creates the most value for you and others by prioritizing on what are important and meaningful.

Monitor your time: After our health, our time is probably the most important resource we must monitor. Even for a retiree, it is incumbent that you value your time and ensure it is put to good and wise use.

Be consistent with your timing: Routines should be reasonably flexible to accommodate realities of the vagaries of daily life. Regardless though, a way to entrench and turn your routine into a habit and way of life is to ensure that as much as is practically possible, certain activities are carried out consistently at some dedicated time windows. For instance, your daily could be every morning between 6.30am and 7.30am.

Be realistic: Remember that you have twenty-four hours in a day (and night) within which you will need some hours to sleep well, pursue whatever other activities you have planned for your retirement, commute, visit family and friends, take daily walks, etc.  Allocate time to activities into cognizance of practical realities such as traffic situations if you are living in a city. It is better to get fewer things accomplished satisfactorily than always end with up unaccomplished tasks.

Create idle gaps: Allow for idle times between activities. These idle times can be used when certain tasks are not completed within their allotted times. Or you can simply rest and reenergize.

We shall continue next week with a few more principles of creating a routine and then begin to take how to create a routine.