This blog covers six different lifestyle areas. The exercises are designed to help you find your ‘balanced leisure lifestyle’.
The Overall Goal
Your overall goal is to have at least one regular activity in each area. Here is a checklist to help you reach this goal the first time:
- Entertainment: Things you do for fun
- Education: Things you do to stretch your thinking, skills, and abilities
- Travel: Whether it’s to far-off lands or the next province or state
- Exercise: Regular physical activity
- Social activities: Things you do with family, friends, and acquaintances
- Hobbies: Making things or developing a special expertise
• Don’t worry about completing this project in the order it’s presented. Jump right into the element that most interests you, or consider tackling the one that’s currently the weakest. Do whatever inspires you to get started on this part of planning a successful retirement.
WORKSHEETS
Entertainment (i.e. Theatre, movies, sporting events, museums, festivals, etc.)
Action Items: (Start a subscription to the paper so I get the entertainment section. Check into memberships or discounts at the Metropolitan Museum of Art).
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Education(i.e. Learn a new language, complete a degree, be a tour guide, etc.)
Action Items: (Get the University Club lecture schedule. Choose some lectures we both want to attend. Check out the memoir writing class)
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Travel (i.e. ‘dream big’ trips, day trips, visits to famous places)
People are often tempted to leave this element out of their life. Don’t do it! Whether your travels are big or small—no matter how you would define those—have some travel in your life.
Action Items: (Set a budget, research Road Scholar trips, plan trip to Greece for 2021)
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Exercise (i.e. Join a health club, go dancing or take a class, daily walks)
Action Items: (Check with my doctor on suitable options, find at least one exercise I can do two/three times a week)
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Social Activities (i.e. Participating in plays, joining a service club, regular volunteering activities)
Action Items: (See if Community Playhouse needs help with set-building, accept Suzanne’s offer to be her guest at women’s group)
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Hobbies (i.e. Birdwatching, researching family history, fostering cats or dogs)
Action Items: (Take the grandkids to the little train in Tilden Regional Park, visit the local hobby shop)
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