Retirees need daily schedules.
It can seem counterintuitive. One of the things people say they look forward to most in retirement is having more free time and, quite frankly, the freedom to do nothing, at least for a while, if they so choose.
But giving structure to one’s days might be one of the most important things a retired person can do, some retirement specialists say.
After decades of constant demands on our time from work and family, “Retirees can go crazy when they are unmoored from schedules and structures,” says psychologist Ken Dychtwald, founder of Age Wave, a consulting firm specializing in aging-related issues. Adding a loose structure to each day, allotting certain types of activities to mornings or afternoons, “gives you focus and patterns to work from. It takes a lot of uncertainty out of one’s mind.”
Dr. Dychtwald suggests thinking of each day in retirement as a delicious meal that you prepare for yourself. “People need to think about which ingredients will mix in to make it a good day,” he says.
