So You've Retired? Now the Real Work Begins!

Derek J. Lovett, Time Management Coach

May 1, 2025

It's interesting. We live in a society where the majority of the population is working towards retirement. And yet, I've seen it time and time again. Individuals who once were celebrating their retirement now, not even a couple years later, are seeking solace going back to work. Why is that? The promise was that a break from work was the freedom they were looking for. However, that newfound freedom lacked direction and purpose. At least when they were working they knew what they were going to do everyday. If you have found yourself in retirement (or are planning to retire) this post was written to help you adopt some principles that will help you truly realize the retirement you envisioned for yourself.

WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO SPEND OUR "FREE" TIME

Just like money always finds its way out of our hands if there is no predetermined plan in place for it, time finds its way to slip away from us as well. Ironically enough, this may be more relevant in retirement than in any other stage of our lives. An ever-present reality exists that other people and obligations unbeknownst to us find a way to use our time if (and when) we don't do so first. Needless to say, if we want to usurp that time we must be so much in command of its usage that we don't leave room for those time thieves to slip in. But to even begin gravitating to this level of control, we must first be willing to reach this sobering conclusion: We don't know how to spend our time.

FREEDOM DOESN'T EQUATE TO FULFILLMENT

I often ask the youth I mentor what they would do with their time if they were not at school. Before I ask the question, I already know that 9 out 10 of them won't be able to give me a thorough answer. Furthermore, I know that they won't be able to give me an answer that makes sound "economic" sense. But the reason I ask this question is because I want them to see that it takes work to clarify with conviction what one's day should practically look like. Of course, school is the most economically sensible choice for the majority of them; that is, there is nothing that they could be doing that is more constructive or productive than gaining the knowledge that will help them build a quality lifestyle for themselves. In this same vein, most working professionals are not (yet) savvy enough to be as economically effective for their families apart from their 9-to-5's (whether they like it or not). Ideally, while many retirees were probably in the same boat, they now have financial benefits in retirement that afford them to not have to be savvy. And yet, here lies the dilemma for some: It's not the freedom we are after, it's purpose and fulfillment.

YOU SHOULD HAVE THE STRUCTURE OF WORK...BUT WITHOUT THE WORK

One time when I was conducting a seminar an individual gave me so much pushback because she said that she was retired and that her objective was to wake up and not have to do anything. After the seminar I let her know that I understood her perspective, and then I encouraged her to implement the principles we talked about. Weeks later she came back and told me that "the Lord had told her she needed to plan her time." For whatever reason, in our society we have equated retirement with having a blank slate to get up every day and "go with the wind." And, in some regards, that's exactly what it is. But, for the majority of retirees, that is not the answer to their quest to have a retirement life that, in all honestly, looks and feels a lot like the job they worked for so many years. Retirement is an opportunity to create your ideal lifestyle. For some, this is reflective of the things they longed to do most with their time while they were working. So, if individuals have "more time" in retirement, why do so many struggle to make their desires a reality? Foremost, it's because they haven't truly clarified what that time should look like. They can feel it, but they can't quite see what it looks like on paper.

YOU LOST YOUR STRUCTURE NOT YOUR PURPOSE

Interestingly enough, many of the most financial successful individuals (Warren Buffett, for example) in our society don't have a mindset to retire. They have a mindset to continue to evolve. Because of that they structure their time a certain way. You didn't lose your purpose when you left that job. You just lost your structure. It was a structure that had been created for you for so many years. Now you have to create your own: your own time constraints and your own objectives and goals. But that is truly the silver lining. You now have the opportunity to construct the retirement of your dreams. Doing so, though, will involve you shifting your mindset.

THERE IS A CLEAR PATH TO REGAINING STRUCTURE AND SENSE OF PURPOSE

Right now you may be feeling like retirement has been subpar. But let me encourage you with this: You are at a great starting point. While you may be struggling to find the cohesion with your days and weeks that make you feel productive and fulfilled, remember that you have the time now to create the right conditions. Now you just need a roadmap. And that's where I come in! Before you go another week in retirement be sure to complete our 5 Steps Workbook. It will help you re-establish that structure in your life necessary to help you achieve the lifestyle, purpose, and fulfillment you have always desired and envisioned for retirement!

HAPPY RETIREMENT!

-The Refresh Coach

Get the 5 Steps Workbook!