“What do you do?” After your name, it’s often one of the first questions you’re asked when meeting someone new.
Whether the question comes at work or at a friend’s BBQ, you can usually rest assured you’re being asked what you do for work, rather than whether you fashion yourself a batsman, bowler, or more of an all-rounder.
Find structure – and purpose
For some of us, work gives us a sense of purpose. For others, work is simply what we need to do to earn enough to pay the bills. But no matter which side of the spectrum you fall onto, work is, at the very least, something to do after waking up each day; it gives us structure and routine.
So it’s important to think about how you will structure your days in retirement – put simply, what are you going to spend your time doing? Of course, you may still have years of staff travel up your sleeve to enjoy, but do you have a plan for what you want to do when you’re at home?
As Professor Amabile’s study found, the “blissful release” many feel at the start of retirement wears off after a while, so it’s important to find things to do.
Whether it’s volunteering, starting a vegetable garden, or finally sitting down to write that memoir about all your travels during your Qantas career, take some time to explore different opportunities.