I asked a group of pre-retirees what their plans were for the first month of their retirement.

“Decompress. Relax. Settle in. Get some sleep. Do whatever I want. Take a Break. Reset my headspace. Not get up until noon. Nothing.”

It sounds liberating after a life of toil to sleep in ‘till noon every day and schedule the rest of the day for absolutely nothing. Up close, though, it’s just a bunch of silly words. These aren’t plans. These are trifles that fill the vacuum from a lack of serious thought.

“BBQ road trip. RV trip to Canada and Alaska. Step up my fitness regimen. Purge and declutter. Paint the house. Plan our snowbird trip. Cycle the coast. Build a camper and go camping.”

Now that’s more like it! These are solid activities that hold the promise of a bright future. Who wouldn’t want to do a BBQ road trip? (apologies to vegetarians). Purging and decluttering offer the gift of space and personal accomplishment. Fitness, home improvements, and travel are outstanding goals.

If we tracked these two groups, which do you think would have a more rewarding head start into their retirement? I think you know.

“My first month was to vegetate. Kind of lasted 3 months. Got to get moving again.”

This is a quote from one of the respondents who, like most retirees, was faced with the difficult task of filling up 40 recently-emptied hours a week. I respect him greatly for recognizing a need for change — that’s the first step. In two short months, he can replace his vegetation with deliberate behaviors and constructive habits.

What’s so important about 66 days?

Doing nothing for a month or two won’t necessarily condemn you to a life of perpetual sloth, but habits crystallize quickly, especially when you’re suddenly thrust into a situation that requires you to fill an extra 8-10 hours a day. Just like toddlers, we’ll wander aimlessly unless our moms (or we, in this case) schedule activities.

Experts say that behaviors become habits in an average of 66 days. Some longer, some shorter, but two months is a terrific start. “Eating a healthy breakfast” can become a habit just as easily as “sleeping in ‘till noon.” The former will have a positive influence on your long-term health and happiness, the latter maybe not so much.

In retirement, you need new habits. Good ones. 

“But doesn’t that require planning? I hate planning.” That’s not a quote from the group I spoke with, but I know you’re thinking it. Planning is a big task that a lot of people don’t like and aren’t good at.

Eating an elephant

“How do you eat an elephant?” the old joke starts. “One bite at a time,” says the wise man.

A comprehensive plan for “the rest of your life” is intimidating and frankly, impossible. So, let’s make it easy and just plan for a month or two. The rest will come later. Together, we’ll take it one bite at a time.

“Most of my friends are still working, but I find a common thread among them: they have little idea what they’ll do when they stop working.”

Retirement plans don’t just show up in the mail like your AARP card, so you’ll need to summon the initiative to plan on your own. Doing this before retirement is ideal, but anytime is better than never. While I’m one of those strange people who enjoy planning, I know that most people don’t. So I’ve made it easy for you — by doing a simple 2-month plan for myself that you can use as a guide. 

And I’ve also made it available for download so all you have to do is replace my ideas with yours. You’ll find the download link at the end of this article.

Here’s what I did in fourteen minutes

First, I listed the categories that I consider important in retirement. Then I wrote down specific activities that I’ll do in my first 66 days. While I was doing that, I jotted down some thoughts that came to mind about longer-term activities that might be fun. Or not. I’ll decide on those later. Right now, I only care about setting the tone for a few weeks.

Remember there will be plenty of room for aimless wandering and vegetating if that’s your desire. But as you stagger around like a drunken sailor, father time steals your future, and one day you’ll run out of that precious commodity.

Make your time count. Invest fourteen minutes in a plan. You’ll find it to be fun and rewarding.

Here’s mine:

Talk about it

Now you have a plan. A simple one and that’s all you need. Do you have a significant other? What are their plans? Do they match or complement yours? 

I’m not much of a small-talker, but this list was the basis for a wonderful conversation with my wife (it may even lead to a nice birthday or Christmas gift). I’ve also shared some of these ideas with friends, and it’s lit up some surprisingly lively discussions. 

Try it. It’s not chiseled in stone, it’s a ragtag collection of ideas that get better when exposed to the light.

Resources

I wrote an article recently about Practicing Retirement. If this article about planning piqued your interest, this other one will too. Take a look and let me know what you think. Practicing and planning are cornerstones of an outstanding retirement.

“Practicing Retirement” — A Crazy Yet Brilliant Idea

If you’d like an editable copy of my list, you can download it from here:

I’ll leave you with the most memorable quote from one of the people I queried. It sums up the attitude of a lot of people who aren’t you and me.

“I don’t care. I’ll figure it out when I get there.”

My reply: “Good luck with that! I hear Walmart is hiring.”