Before being retired, we were excited for no more schedules, more free time, and more opportunity to do what we wanted when we wanted. Man, we quickly realized that retirement did not guarantee any of that! Sure, we don’t have to get up for the grind of the work week, but we still have to know what day it is, what time it is, and how to best juggle our time so we still get everything done that needs doing. Our life in retirement is busy, if not busier, than life pre-retirement ever was.
We’ve learned that being retired means our time is ours, but keeping a schedule is just as important as it ever was. Our schedule is much looser than it was, but it’s still extremely important. We realized our pre-retirement schedule was essentially our work schedule, our kids schedules, and then just trying to stay on top of daily/weekly/monthly obligations while still trying to get a decent amount of sleep. Once we didn’t have our job dictating our days, we spent a few weeks with nothing but fun times scheduled and didn’t give much thought to other responsibilities we needed to tend to. Our laundry began to pile up. The dog hair was collecting under the couch. Our lawn looked worse than ever. We quickly took stock and decided that as important as it was for us to relax and have fun, we still had to follow a schedule that would help us manage our time and responsibilities better.
Everyone does this a little differently, but here’s an example of what your weekly schedule might look like:
- Monday: Vacuum, strip the beds/wash linens & towels, clean bathrooms
- Tuesday: Dust, do a load of laundry, do one hour of outside/yard work
- Wednesday: Vacuum, mop hard floors, take recycling in, clean refrigerator, get groceries
- Thursday: Meet for regular coffee group, pay bills, do one hour of outside/yard work
- Friday: Vacuum, brush dogs, take out garbage
- Saturday: FREE DAY from chores
- Sunday: Free DAY from chores
Can you see how having a loose schedule like this can help you truly enjoy your free time in retirement? Designating times/days to get the chores done means a few things:
- The chores will get done.
- You’ll enjoy your time much more because you’ll know chores are getting done
- Your time really is your own, and knowing the chores are getting done opens up a lot more free time to fully enjoy your retirement.
Knowing what your days/weeks/months look like at a glance actually feels like you have more time for fun. Plan and schedule your chores, get at ‘em, and then play without the nagging feeling you forgot something and leave the guilt at home, because you can when you’ve got the dirty work scheduled in.
We also like to keep a shared Google calendar and an old-fashioned hanging calendar for our social obligations, appointments, etc… We know it’s easy to forget all of the fun activities planned for retirees, but when it’s in our calendars, we never miss the best stuff, like a day reelin’ in the big ones or an afternoon barbecue with the neighbors.
The H.A.R.D. apparel line, HARD-Wears, made its debut in Daytona Beach, FL. And for the classy, beautiful women, the ones you dream about, a Dame’s apparel line is also in the works. But we are about more than just looking good. H.A.R.D. is a mindset, an attitude. A lifestyle that asks, reflects and answers HARD questions…
The creation of Half Ass Retired Dude was initially geared towards the Baby Boomer generation – the 78 million people born from 1946 to 1964. These are people in early retirement or those who will be retiring in the near future. However, as we began to ask these questions of ourselves, we realized we shouldn’t just target people our age. H.A.R.D. does not advocate quitting your job, but it encourages you to evaluate what you want and need. In most cases it just asks you to look at life differently. This is also something you shouldn’t do alone. Before making any hasty decisions, seek some advice, get a mentor, pray. A wise person always seeks counsel. Learn more about H.A.R.D. at https://www.hard-wears.com.Contact us at https://www.hard-wears.com/contact/.
