Ideas to Keep You Busy After Retirement

Millions of baby boomers are either retiring or reaching retirement age. The majority of them will not be satisfied with simply mowing the lawn or sitting on the front porch. The fact is 74% of these retirees plan to start a second career. Age is not a factor; many individuals in their sixties, seventies, and eighties have started successful second careers. Retires fall into two categories, those that are financially comfortable, and those that have to work to supplement their retirement.

Charity Volunteers

Nonprofit organizations are almost always looking for support, often in the form of volunteers who are willing to put a few hours in to help. Support children's literacy, the arts and sciences, or apply your skills to helping with the recycling efforts in your community. Select an organization that corresponds with your unique interests and passions. Use the skills you’ve developed during the past decades, or branch out and use your time to explore dreams you never had the chance to investigate.

Become a Life-Cycle Celebrant

Thinking of starting a business? Then you may want to consider becoming a life-cycle celebrant. Use your time, your talents, and your experience to help other people document the significant events in their lives. Help craft scrapbooks (virtual or actual) that highlight these occasions: births, weddings, travel, and memoires that reflect the special events in your clients’ lives. Create digital albums, or record experiences in writing. Life-Cycle documentation is an interesting and potentially lucrative new trend.

An Online Business

Setting up an ecommerce website for your Life-Cycle Celebrant, or another online business, requires some time and effort - but the payoff is well worth the effort. If you love crafting, selling antiques, or want to develop a business from a hobby, an ecommerce site may be the perfect solution. As with any business, there are many important factors to consider. An ecommerce site usually requires an SSL certificate. Find out how SSL certificates work and learn about other great tools to help build your ecommerce site. Where can I buy SSL certificates? From Thawte!

Renew your Education

Retirement opens many new doors. This could be the perfect time to return to school. You could finish your Masters at a local college; learn a skill online, volunteer in a neighborhood school, or tutor youth and adults in your community. Don’t rule out learning a new language. Language acquisition is one of the best ways to ward of Alzheimer’s.

Mentor Others

Your retirement years are the perfect time to give back. When you mentor, you are able to volunteer or capitalize on the skills that you have spent a lifetime honing. Many executive consultants and coaches charge anywhere from $150 - $500 USD/hour. An additional bonus is that you can work according to your own schedule, giving you time to spend with your family and travel.

“The limit is not in the sky. The limit is in the mind.” - Cv Pillay

There are countless ideas to keep you busy when you retire: plant a garden, learn to play an instrument, write a book, cook, or sail. You’re the only one who can decide of what is right for you. Chances are you’ve spent most of your life meeting the needs of others. Now is the perfect time to enjoy the rewards and to reap what you have sown!