Successful retirees emphasize the importance of having at least one hobby.

One of the greatest benefits of a hobby is the pleasure of working at something without having any obligation to do so.  Many people enjoy hobbies that produce something.  It can be very satisfying to learn and refine one’s ability to make something, even if that something exists for only a short time – as with cooking meals or arranging flowers.  Engaging in craftmanship and artistry can be greatly rewarding.

Meeting the mental and physical challenges associated with many hobbies can be quite beneficial as well. For example, it takes mental skill to calculate the amount of fabric needed for a quilt or to adjust a woodworking pattern.  Bird watchers must analyze the flora to find the birds they seek, as well as trek far and wide.

There are many hobby options.  Here are some:

• Painting or drawing
• Knitting or other needlecrafts
• Restoring cars, furniture, etc.
• Making wine or beer
• Running a doll ‘hospital’
• Photography
• Gardening
• Model building

As with choosing an exercise activity, be sure to make the effort to see if you do indeed enjoy a particular hobby before making any expensive purchases.  In addition, don’t expect a hobby to interest you forever.  If your interest wanes, try to find a new hobby.

In retirement, one should create a balanced leisure lifestyle; one which includes at least one regular activity in each category: Entertainment, Education, Travel, Exercise, Social activities, Hobbies.  For more, read Chapter 6: Developing a Balanced Leisure Lifestyle. Retirement: The Ultimate Life Journey.

——

Photo of hobbyist’s car.  Met in Stanley Park, Vancouver, B.C.