Dave Hughes of Retire Fabulously: 50 Things You Can Do During the Pandemic
The following is reprinted with permission from RetireFabulously.com
By Dave Hughes
RetireFabulously.com
The most popular article on RetireFabulously.com has been the mega-list of 100 Things You Can Do After You Retire. After all, there’s no reason to be bored after you retire.
Unfortunately, during the COVID-19 pandemic, some of those activities aren’t feasible because they involve interacting with groups of people in potentially unsafe situations.
But don’t despair! The glass is still half full. Half of the things on that list are still doable during these stay-at-home, socially distanced times.
Regardless of whether you’re already retired or you’re working from home, out of work, or out of school, you can choose a few activities from this list to make good use of your time in fulfilling, enjoyable ways.
- Learn a new instrument, or rediscover an instrument you used to play
- Go for long walks
- Ride your bicycle
- Play card games
- Play board games
- Sew or knit clothing
- Write a memoir or autobiography
- Take up photography
- Learn a new language
- Create crafts
- Join a book club – or start one
- Join an investment club – or start one
- Write a novel
- Start a website or blog
- Join a discussion group – or start one
- Research and document your family tree
- Research and document the history of your town
- Try new recipes and develop your cooking skills
- Call or write to your friends on a regular basis
- Invent a new game
- Write poetry
- Restore old furniture
- Redecorate your home
- Listen to everything in your music collection and create playlists
- Compose music – or write funny lyrics to existing music
- Go fishing
- Compile a collection of jokes or funny stories
- Record a CD
- Plant a garden
- Learn mixology
- Make your own beer or wine
- Compile a collection of your favorite quotes or bits of wisdom
- Work crossword puzzles
- Plan day trips to nearby places, and take photos and write about them
- Learn some magic tricks
- Invent things
- Start a new charity
- Start a business
- Be a pet sitter or a dog walker
- Take bird-watching trips (within driving distance)
- Start an internet radio station
- Create a comic strip
- Go camping
- Learn how to sew, or how to sew new things
- Learn more about investing
- Learn, or get better at, woodworking
- Reconnect with a hobby from earlier in your life
- Learn calligraphy
- Update Wikipedia with things you know about
- Write a play
Some of these ideas will require adaptation for current stay-at-home, social distanced conditions. For example, the book club, investment club, or discussion group will have to take place via video chat (Zoom, Facetime, Skype, etc.). Taking lessons can also be done via video chat.
You may also enjoy reading How to Make the Best of Retirement in the Pandemic.
©2020 Dave Hughes. All rights reserved.
Dave Hughes is the creator of RetireFabulously.com, a retirement lifestyle website that is committed to helping you envision, plan for, and enjoy the best retirement possible. He is the author of three books, Design Your Dream Retirement, Smooth Sailing into Retirement, and The Quest for Retirement Utopia.