So, by retirement you’ll have wrapped up a forty-year career and will be ready to embrace your newly found freedom. But wait, before you toss out all the routines, let’s chat about how a morning routine can be your best friend in this new chapter of life.
I used to be the person who treated vacations like a sprint. I had to see everything, leaving no room for spontaneity. Frankly, it was exhausting! Here’s a funny story, after arriving at a vacation destination on a red-eye flight, I decided to make the most of my day. I took a bus tour to get the lay of the land, visited a museum, had lunch, and toured a botanical garden. By the time I got to a theatrical production of “Sunset Boulevard” in the evening, I was so tired that I started head bobbing during the show! Lesson learned – sometimes less is more.
Now, I break my vacation days into three chunks – morning, afternoon, and evening – each with a scheduled activity and wiggle room for the unexpected like engaging with new people, discovering things on the path less traveled, and enjoying the unexpected. This approach has been a game-changer, and I plan to carry its principles into my retirement when the time comes.
My plan for retirement is to build a morning routine to get each day off to a great start. Here are a few ideas for setting a positive tone for each day.
- Wake up naturally. Ditch that pesky alarm clock and wake up to natural sunlight. I discovered this by accident years ago when replacing all the windows and slider doors in my townhouse. The window treatments were down for about one week. Waking up gradually to the sun made me more energized and in awe of the day ahead. I loved it so much that I tossed my old clock and replaced it with a sunrise alarm clock.
- Enjoy a breakfast ritual. Make breakfast something you look forward to. Whether it’s grinding coffee beans for that perfect cup of joe, preparing a protein packed yogurt parfait, or leisurely reading the newspaper, find a simple, intentional, brief breakfast ritual that puts your day into play.
- Get moving. I know firsthand that exercise often gets pushed aside when life gets busy, but it’s crucial for wellbeing. Get your body moving early – stretch, walk your dog, go for a run, or do a quick yoga session. Just twenty minutes can boost your energy, mood, and sense of accomplishment.
- Connect with someone. Retirement can change your social network, so make it a habit to reach out to someone every day. Call a family member, invite a friend for coffee or that neighborhood walk, write a letter, chat with a delivery person, or call that garden club about membership. Staying connected is a key to happiness.
Grounding mornings with an enjoyable routine can make a huge difference in terms of leading the next chapter with intention and purpose, social connectivity, and movement – all contributors to wellbeing.
How do you envision your morning routine in retirement? What does it include? Would love to hear your ideas.
Carol Bergeron guides people through major life transitions with a focus on self-reflection, visualization, and collaboration. She helps clients adapt to personal and professional changes, especially when shaping modern retirement lifestyles, which involve emotional, social, lifestyle, and health-related shifts converging all at once.
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