3 Simple Steps To Become a Creature of Good Habits
Sure, we’re all creatures of habit. Here’s the question, though: once you’ve retired, is trying to form new habits even worth it? Aren’t habits just useful tools for the hustle and bustle of the nine-to-five–things to help us make sure we don’t miss a meeting or forget a report? When you wave goodbye to the working world, don’t you also bid adieu to habits?
Here’s a fun twist, though–habits are sneaky! You’re going to form them, whether you intend to or not. The real choice is this: are you going to be the architect of your habits or let them spring up like unruly weeds? It’s time to flip the script and make your habits your sidekicks that will work tirelessly for your happiness and health.
In this article, I’ll share 3 simple steps to ensure you’re creating good habits in your retirement life that will have a positive effect on your physical and mental well-being.
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Understanding Habits and Riding the Waves of Routine In Retirement
What is a habit? Let’s break it down. A habit is essentially a behavior that we’ve repeated so often that it has become nearly automatic. The brain, efficiency expert that it is, forms habits to save time and effort. It’s like your mind’s autopilot mode, steering you through the sea of choices you make daily without even realizing it. Here’s the kicker, though: our brains aren’t fussy about the kind of habits they form. They can just as easily get you jogging daily at dawn as they can have you munching chips every evening.
During our full-time working years, our habits and routines may revolve largely around our job requirements. Need to catch the 7:30 AM train to make it to work on time? Congratulations, you’ve got a morning routine! Have a standing Tuesday lunch meeting? Voila! You’ve formed a habit of eating at a particular time. The structure of a workday naturally scaffolds our habits, often without us giving them a second thought.
But once the retirement party confetti has settled, things change. You’re no longer beholden to the alarm clock’s tyrannical rule or find yourself scarfing lunch in between meetings. This newfound freedom can be exhilarating, but it also means the scaffolding that once supported your habits isn’t there anymore. Our love for routines doesn’t retire when we do. We’re still the same creatures of habit, only now the landscape has changed.
So, what do we do with this vast expanse of unstructured time? We tap into our natural tendency to form habits and routines, and we choreograph the steps to our liking. The key is to be intentional about the habits we’re creating in our retirement.
Think about what you want your typical day in retirement to look like. Start with existing routines and see where you can add a dash of positivity. Maybe swap that morning scroll through social media with a stroll in the park or trade afternoon TV time for a hobby you’ve been meaning to pick up.
The beauty of this is that we get to use our habit-forming tendencies to our advantage. We can design our retirement days so we’re not just passing the time but are actively enriching our lives. By consciously cultivating beneficial habits we can make retirement a fulfilling and invigorating chapter of our life story. After all, retirement is not the end of the road but the beginning of a free-spirited, open highway!
A Little Game That Makes My Point
During my 30-year stint as a commuter on the Manhattan railway, I played a fascinating game of “spot the repetition.” Every day, like clockwork, I would see the same people standing religiously on the same spots of the platform, anticipating the arrival of our steel chariot. And oh boy, when someone else snagged their customary seat (typically some unsuspecting day-tripper), you could practically see their world tilt on its axis!
The plot thickened on my journey from the station to work. It was like watching a daily, real-life rerun. The same individuals, more punctual than a Swiss watch, would cross paths with me at the exact same spots, their trajectories as predictable as the sunrise. The punchline? These weren’t just my fellow train catchers; these were East Side apartment dwellers who had synchronized their home departures to the T!
Among this cast of routine-loving characters, a couple stand out in my memory. First, there was the man with the forever-defeated comb-over, a testament to his stubborn battle against the gods of wind. I often mused whether he’d finally wave the white flag and just opt for bald. Then there was the woman robed in white, head to toe, rain or shine. A walking fashion statement in monochrome!
Beyond these remarkable individuals was a sea of others, their habits just as meticulously scripted, blending seamlessly into the everyday hustle. This daily parade served as a vivid reminder of just how hooked we all are on our routines. So, whether it’s a subway platform or a sidewalk, it seems we’re all dancing to the beat of our own habitual drumline!
3 Steps To Help You Become a Creature of Good Habits in Retirement
When we were working full-time, many of us had a system to ensure we hit the ground running each morning. Most likely, it involved setting an alarm and sticking to a well-rehearsed routine. Guess what? Retirement doesn’t mean bidding goodbye to these systems, rather it’s about remixing them to suit our new rhythm of life. Let’s break down how you can morph into a maestro of good habits in three fun steps!
1. Start Small: Embarking on your journey of creating new habits doesn’t mean you need to swing for the fences right off the bat. Start small, and remember that every big change begins with a single step! Begin by jotting down a few modest steps you can take to incorporate good habits into your newfound routine. Check out “8 Great Habits to Help Boost Your Routine” to get your creative juices flowing. It might be as simple as choosing to walk to the local store instead of driving or dedicating 15 minutes each morning to meditation.
2. Prioritize Your Core Values: This is your time to shine, to live life by your rules, and your habits should be in harmony with that. Take a moment to reflect on what’s truly important to you. Your new habits should resonate with your core values and personal ambitions. The article “Retirement Your Way” provides excellent insights to help you align your habits with your unique definition of a fulfilling retirement.
3. Live with Intention: Creating a list of potential new habits is a great start, but they’ll simply remain scribbles on a page until you breathe life into them. That’s where intention comes into play. To turn these good intentions into a reality, you need a plan. My Guide to Block Planning is an effective tool to help you bridge the gap between intention and action. It’s time to move from being a passenger to the driver’s seat of your life!
Embracing these steps will help you make the transition from habit bystander to habit superhero. It’s all about morphing routines that once felt obligatory into intentional habits that serve you and your well-being. After all, retirement is your time to take center stage, and these steps will ensure you’re living out an encore performance each day. Enjoy the show!
Your Turn
Have you built some great habits in retirement or is this something challenging for you and why? Let me know in the comments!