People have lots of recommendations for how to handle my newly-entered retirement phase. I found the best way to start retirement was to initially ignore all recommendations and go to Florida (Atlantic and Gulf coasts) for ten days. Barb and I took care of that, visited with lots of friends–and easily resisted all urges to buy a home down there.

The retirement recommendations have varied from “you’ve gotta plan exactly how you are going to spend your retirement time well before you retire” (I obviously disagree and didn’t do that) to “don’t make ANY decisions for the first six months” (yikes–that’s like living in purgatory or at least limbo.)

The one suggestion that makes sense to me and which I will think I will take to heart is to always leave at least one thing for the next day. When I was working, days with nothing on my to-do list felt heaven-sent, but for a retiree, I guess they can feel like a black hole sucking away the need to get showered, get shaved, get dressed.

Putting things off for a day or two won’t come easy to me. I have always been the type of person who tries to do everything on schedule, even if it is a schedule that matters to no one except me. My school years, often juggling classes, social activities, and part-time jobs, were very regimented. That’s how I managed my tenures at Holy Family Hospital and the Uropartners Lab too–a time for everything, and that time was usually RIGHT NOW. Never put off for tomorrow, yada yada yada.

So now I am going to learn to take it easy–if there are three things I want to do around the house today, I can learn to leave the least crucial task (I hope nothing will be THAT crucial) for tomorrow. Just like this blog. I was going to write it yesterday but I let it slide. No pain and no remorse.

I think I am going to like this retirement life!