If anyone asks you whether you will just idle away your time once you retire early in your 40s simply send them over to this list. Who knows maybe they’ll be inspired too!
I’ve optimised this list for personal happiness and focused on things you should be doing sooner than later before old age catches up and you realise you have less time & energy left to do the things that matter to you the most.
Top 10 things you can do in Early Retirement
You can pick one, two or all of them it is up to you now:-) as nothing is stopping you from living your dream life!!!
1. Spend more time with yourself
Pursue a hobby, learn to meditate, cook for your family, catch up on your sleep. Basically Figure out life at your own pace without having an obligation to work.
2. Spend more time with family
Especially if you have aging parents and young kids.
3. Work on your health and fitness
Almost all of us at some point or the other have compromised on our health while building our career. I did it. I pulled long hours at work, ate unhealthily and did not exercise. You can take this time to slowly work on building a healthy lifestyle by incorporating healthy eating habits and doing some form of exercise or sports regularly for ex: Yoga, Meditation, Swimming, Running etc.
4. Travel leisurely
Did you have a dream to travel slowly, absorbing a place by living like a local. Scratch that itch now by living in different places for a few months/years.
5 Work for passion
Almost all our adult life we worked mainly to pay bills. Now is the time you are free to pick any project for the passion of it. Earn money by only doing interesting work and refusing to do the aspects you did not like in your previous jobs.
6.Start your own business
If you always felt like being your own boss, try your hand at starting a lifestyle business to earn income doing something you like.
7.Volunteer your time at a non-profit
If lack of time was stopping you from helping a cause, go for it now! Volunteer your time at a non-profit of your choice or your kid’s parent-teacher association or the election campaign of someone you respect or mentor youngsters.
8 Go back to College to change your career
Maybe you always felt that you were working in the wrong field. Take this opportunity to go back to college to switch careers. You can even learn online these days to make a career change.
9 Go deeper in your spiritual or religious activities
A busy work schedule means less time to devote to soul-satisfying activities. With a more flexible schedule you can set aside more time for your spiritual & religious needs.
10. Take care of your finances
Work with a financial planner to ensure your investment goals, will, insurance etc are all on track. Help your old parents with their finances, health & retirement as needed.
Are you getting some more interesting ideas? Share them with us in the comments.
[…] For everyone else Early retirement could mean so many things. Here are Top 10 things you can do in Early Retirement […]
Great summary of things to do – I do all of the things you have listed in fact. In addition I also quite enjoy mentoring others to success and inspire others to go onto their own financial independence journey, especially young people where financial inspiration has the biggest bang for buck.
Thanks Financial Gladiator! Ya, mentoring young people can be most satisfying.