Retired Life Is Boring?

When people ask what I do in retirement, I usually tell them, “Not much of anything.”

It’s the easiest answer. The truthful answer would take several hours, a few cups of coffee, and possibly a PowerPoint presentation.

“Doing nothing” has always had a bad reputation. It sounds lazy and unproductive. It brings to mind someone stretched out on the couch or a recliner all day, watching television and running to the fridge during commercial breaks.

My father and father-in-law both spent much of their retirement watching television. That was their version of doing nothing, and I’m sure they enjoyed it.

Most of the retired people I know here in Panama are not sitting around watching TV all day. They have gardens, hobbies, social groups, travel plans, volunteer projects, and lunch dates. Some are so busy that they wish they had more hours in the day.

So, what do I do?

I like to write. First thing in the morning, somewhere between six and six-thirty, I grab a fresh cup of coffee and sit in my comfy chair. My journal is always there waiting for me, and my cat knows it’s nap time on my lap. Afterward, I might scribble a bit of haiku. I’m also working on a couple of memoirs that may or may not be finished before the last chapter of my life. Writing gives me peace of mind at the beginning of each day.

I also enjoy walking around our small community of Volcán, Panama. The local people are friendly and almost always say good morning as we pass. Some stop and try to talk to me. They smile patiently while I wrestle with my gringo Spanglish. And the translation app on my phone doesn’t always say the right things.

I tell everyone I am learning Spanish on a ten-year plan. There is no need to rush into fluency.

One of my favorite things to do is to visit coffee shops in and around town. Coffee shops here operate on a relaxed schedule. Many do not open until later in the morning. Around 8:30 is considered an early start, which would cause a minor rebellion where I come from.

Panama takes a calmer approach. The coffee will be ready when it is ready. 

I read quite a bit and have learned to enjoy e-books. My wife and I are minimalists, so we own only a handful of paperbacks between us that fit nicely in our 350-square-foot home. Books are wonderful, but they are heavy when you move to another location. An electronic library weighs considerably less and never needs dusting.

I have a couple of side hustles. I create T-shirt designs and sell them online. I spend time learning new techniques, watching trends, and experimenting with ideas. Artificial intelligence has made designing easier, although it has also created endless new ways to spend an afternoon doing what looks suspiciously like nothing.

I enjoy visiting the weekly Community Market where there are wonderful vegetable stands. Many people in the area grow produce without chemicals and sell it at very reasonable prices. I enjoy buying directly from them.

Plant-based cooking has also become an important part of our retirement life. My wife and I take turns cooking dinner. We rarely eat out in the evening. One of us cooks while the other offers valuable support by staying out of the way.

We do enjoy meeting small groups of friends for breakfast or lunch, mostly expats from the United States and Canada. Every Saturday, a Canadian expat organizes a Breakfast Club that attracts around fifteen people. He works hard at trying new places around town. The key to maintaining good friendships is not to discuss religion or politics. 

My wife has also found her own retirement rhythm. She enjoys meditation, walking, gardening, spiritual exploration, plant-based cooking, journaling with a friend, watercolor painting, and several other interests.

It took her a couple of years to settle into retirement. She had worked in sales, and it was difficult to get the sales mindset out of her system. For a while, I think she expected retirement to have monthly sales quotas and performance reviews.

Now, one of my greatest pleasures is simply watching her enjoy herself.

Perhaps that is what doing nothing really means. It does not mean having no interests or spending every day staring at the wall. It means no longer organizing your life around a paycheck, a boss, a schedule, or someone else’s definition of productivity.

It means walking because you feel like walking. Writing because you have something to say. Sitting in a coffee shop without checking the time. Buying vegetables from a local farmer. Cooking dinner with your wife. Meeting friends for breakfast or lunch. Learning Spanish slowly and badly.

Doing nothing can be surprisingly full.

So, when someone asks what I do in retirement, I will probably continue to say, “Not much of anything.”

The complete answer is simply too long.

Life is good. Life is short.

And I am having the time of my life doing almost nothing.