Retirement can be an exciting time with many people eagerly awaiting the day they can stop working and start to take time for themselves. Yet after retirement as the reality sinks in, retirees can find themselves becoming bored and frustrated with too much free time to fill.

You may begin to yearn for the structure and purpose you had during their working life and find it difficult to satisfactorily fill your day. Days can stretch out before you and with no worthwhile activities to keep you occupied you could, like many retirees, get the retirement blues, or worse, develop depression.

It is normal to experience these feelings as you transition to retirement. Retirement can be a big lifestyle change. But rest assured that with the right help and guidance this period will be a small bump on the road to retirement happiness.

What can you do to avoid the retirement blues?

Avoid the retirement blues by planning ahead!  Below is a list of common changes people make as they transition to retirement. While some may appeal to you, others may not. It’s important to find what works for you.

Be adventurous - take risks and live life on the road

We’ve all heard of the grey nomads, they’re part of a growing trend - retirees who find a life on the road both satisfying and economical . This carefree, nomadic lifestyle can often extend beyond a holiday and become part of everyday life. Every year thousands of retirees head off to visit all the places they never had a chance to see – and often they do it in style. Kitted out with a fully equipped caravan or campervan, they venture across Australia meeting like-minded folk, as they sit back and take in this great land of ours.

For most retirees, when considering retirement one of the first things on our list is to travel. Whether you wish to join the grey nomads and explore Australia, take a short camping trip in your own state or take off on a global adventure, you’ve got plenty of free time to fulfil these dreams, money permitting.

Let’s be honest, there’s nothing quite like a travel experience to clear out the cobwebs and give you a new lease on life.

But when the holiday is over, when you’ve spent your vacation money and you’re back in home territory- what then?

Do things that make you smile

With all this free time you are in the perfect position to tailor your new life to absolutely suit yourself. What do you like to do that makes you happy? What makes you smile? Filling your time with activities that you enjoy is one of the most rewarding parts of retirement.

We’re not simply talking about dusting off the knitting needles or taking up scrapbooking – but by all means do that if that’s what put’s a smile on your dial.

First think.

What is it that you’ve always wanted to do but never had the time?

So you want to be a super chef? Hone your cooking skills in a cooking class. Learn to swing dance like it’s 1955 , become a portrait artist and sign up for a painting class, get rugged and join a bushwalking group, be a daredevil and jump out of a plane (with a parachute, of course), like this retiree  – the sky’s the limit.

Check out your local paper for courses, clubs or groups that appeal to you or make your own group with other like-minded people.

And perhaps your new find hobby or craft will become a surprising money making venture, which leads to my next suggestion…

Start a business – do what you love and make some cash on your own terms.

Once you’ve retired, you’ll find you have a bit of spare time to focus on yourself. You’re doing the things you love and you’re doing them at your own pace. Yet, after retiring, many retirees decide to start a small business. Whether it’s a hobby turns that out to be lucrative little money maker or it’s a deliberate decision stemming from an idea you’ve been germinating for years, starting a business can be a rewarding way to spend your post-work years.

For many, retirement is the perfect time to start the business you’ve always dreamed of. You can work when you want to, schedule your time around other activities and earn some extra income while you’re at it. Just make sure it doesn’t fill all your time or you won’t be able to enjoy all the other perks of retirement.

Mentoring, Coaching and Volunteering – Using Your Skills To Help The Community

I’m sure many people have been told that once retired you ought to do a little volunteer work to keep yourself busy. In fact statistics have shown that volunteering is mostly taken up by retirees who have already volunteered throughout their working life. We must admit that retiring is not for everyone, yet for some, volunteering can be a very fulfilling way to spend your time.

The out-dated idea of retirees volunteering their time and gossiping away in the local musty op-shop is a thing of the past, there are many type of volunteering positions out there and using what you love to do and your own personal skills could be a great way to spend a few days a week.

With plenty of organisations out there desperately seeking people volunteers with the right skills and enthusiasm, now may be the time to seek a volunteer position.

Keep an eye out for community projects, become a coach or mentor, join conservation projects, help out at animal shelters, give some time to a local community radio station or find charity groups that need your help.

Check out these sites Go Volunteer or Volunteering Australia to see what’s needed in your local area.

We’d love to hear your stories and suggestions for beating the retirement blues, let us know your retirement secrets in the comment section below.