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I'm retired so I fill my days doing whatever I want. But I'm always interested in what other people would do if they had more free time.

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[–] ExtremeDullard@lemmy.sdf.org 14 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

I can tell you exactly what I do, because 25 years ago, I chose to forgo promotions at work and prioritize free time and quality of life over money:

I spend time with my family.
I do the things I want while I'm still young (or rather, while I was still young πŸ™‚).
Generally leading a good life free of stress and drama.

You were given only one life. You have a finite set of hours on this dirtball, and the countdown is running. Every extra hour you give to your employer in exchange for money is an hour you don't spend with your loved ones, and you can't buy it back. Retirement age is too late to enjoy your life.

Nobody goes to their graves thinking they should have worked more.

[–] admin@lemmy-mormonsatan-u23030.vm.elestio.app 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I can tell you exactly what I do, because 25 years ago, I chose to forgo promotions at work and prioritize free time and quality of life over money:

My hero! I just recently retired at 55 for same reason.

[–] ExtremeDullard@lemmy.sdf.org 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I'm the same age and I've been retired for 25 years πŸ™‚

I have a job I really enjoy that I do a few hours a day, for the money sure, but also for fun. And then I enjoy a lot of extra hours doing the things I want.

It's like retirement but with a few hours of fun stuff I gotta do every day, sure, but it's still fun. When I retire for real, I just won't do the few hours of fun no more.

[–] admin@lemmy-mormonsatan-u23030.vm.elestio.app 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

I’m the same age and I’ve been retired for 25 years

I would have if I could have. But I had to wait until I hit the "20-years in" mark to be able to get my pension. It's the lowest pension because I'm out early, but like you, I wanna enjoy stuff while I'm still fit and healthy.

My gf is 35, so she kinda sorta tried to talk me out of it. She's fine with our age difference, but I think she got caught up in "OMG you're getting a pension!" haha

After she noticed how much I mess around and do whatever I want now, she sorta changed her attitude. But I'll be honest, she seems to be a little passive-aggressive. Maybe jealous of it?

Even tho she makes more money than I do, she seems a little bit resentful, so I dialed back the "Oh I just read this really good book all day" comments.

Not sure if our relationship will make it. But I don't care. I have no regrets about retiring early. And now I get to fuck around on Lemmy all day too! haha

[–] Bishma@discuss.tchncs.de 9 points 1 month ago

Contribute more to FOSS. Maybe start my own open source project.

Definitely more 3d model design.

[–] supersquirrel@sopuli.xyz 5 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Nothing, can be very glorious! I make sure to load that into my day every day.

[–] compostgoblin@slrpnk.net 4 points 1 month ago

Spend lots of time gardening, reading, writing, and painting. Unfortunately, it seems like I’m going to have to spend the next forty years as a wage slave before I can enjoy that life

[–] stelelor@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 month ago

Sleep, exercise, catch up on chores (cleaning, organizing). I'm tired of being tired, achy, and messy.

[–] ada@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 points 1 month ago

More photography

[–] Jourei@lemm.ee 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I think about this a lot, I have no actual clue what I would do. I wish I had a proper hobby to put my time in. Right this moment I could take some form of second job, I'm hungry for moneyyy (to pay off mortgage)

Yes, pay off that mortgage. To be honest, the only reason I'm able to be retired at 55 is because I paid off my mortgage. If I hadn't done that, then my pension wouldn't really be enough to pay bills. But since now I have no bills, it works out.

Debt-free is the only way to be truly free in my opinion. Good on ya, mate!

[–] Shape4985@lemmy.ml 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Read more instead of audiobook on a commute or work through my backlog of unfinished games

[–] admin@lemmy-mormonsatan-u23030.vm.elestio.app 1 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Yep, I prefer reading to audiobook for sure

[–] Shape4985@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 month ago

Me too but the convinence of an audiobook while driving and cleaning is pretty cool too. Books i want to absorb more ill read. Sometimes ill read a book then listen to the audiobook after.

[–] ocean@lemmy.selfhostcat.com 3 points 1 month ago (2 children)

This is honestly a scary question. My work and hobbies blend together. Outside of them I have zero idea what I would want to do. Sometimes that makes me feel really empty.

[–] Notyou@sopuli.xyz 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

This hit a little too close for me. I felt this way when I was in the military. It's important to remember to slow down for your own sake. Civilization is getting faster but I think the individuals need to take pauses to regroup and gather their thoughts.

I tend to go on walks in the woods or beach or some other nature backdrop. Find out what works for you, but sometimes just taking time to pause and look around is enough for your brain to workout problems behind the scenes.

Sorry you feel empty sometimes. I do too. I think that feeling is a natural response to the world we are living in. That's why I need time to slow down.

[–] ocean@lemmy.selfhostcat.com 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Thanks for sharing your similar feelings and what you do. Walking in nature doesn’t make me feel not empty but it certainly is a more enjoyable way to feel that way! I agree with slowing down. I use too much tech

[–] admin@lemmy-mormonsatan-u23030.vm.elestio.app 1 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Actually that doesn't seem empty to me at all. That's great that you were able to blend the two! And it's always easy to pick up another hobby.

[–] ocean@lemmy.selfhostcat.com 2 points 1 month ago

That’s true :) Sometimes I just feel outside of my few hobbies, work, and family there is nothing else meaningful to do. Your question influenced me to think further! I don’t mean this in a depressed sense, just nothingness.

[–] Corno@lemm.ee 3 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

Create a game. I'm already over the first obstacle which is knowing how to program. Being the only girl in my IT class, I'd create these little unfinished games as a hobby, save them to a flash drive and show them off to my IT teacher, who was very impressed and encouraged me to go into the game development industry. I've been wanting to create a full fledged game ever since! πŸ˜ƒ

[–] 211@sopuli.xyz 3 points 1 month ago

There's a lot of free things happening in my town. Okay-to-excellent concerts, art event openings, always something at the library, (bring/pay for materials only) FabLabs, screenings of weird old/foreign movies. I'd take more advantage of them, hopefully with friends and family. If no friends and family to embarrass, become politically active. Rest and read more.

[–] Alice 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I'd travel more. I could never afford to leave the country of course but I'd like to see neighboring states or even just see more places in my own state. I want to know what it's like to exist in the world before it's gone.

I have done more traveling, but not out of the country. I have no desire to leave the country. We have plenty of beautiful things here in the US. But I live in such a beautiful state, I have the best views just outside my windows.

[–] shinigamiookamiryuu@lemm.ee 2 points 1 month ago

I'd work more, since I have so little money that free time without additional income would dry up my money fast.

Naps and be under the water more.

[–] boonhet@lemm.ee 2 points 4 weeks ago

I'd get a motorcycle and a semi-nice camera (don't wanna lose a flagship model when touching asphalt or something).

I also like gaming but I'm currently spending some 300 hours a month in front of one screen or another between job, freelancing and gaming. If I get to work less, I'll also sacrifice some gaming time to get a bunch more outside time.

[–] JokeDeity@lemm.ee 2 points 1 month ago

Designate it to be my sleeping time and use the rest for my hobbies.

[–] nimble@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 1 month ago

Look for a better job cuz mine is not great but it's something

[–] dicksteele@lemm.ee 2 points 1 month ago

Drink bourbon in a nice garden and listen to the radio. I’d probably write a lot more also

[–] viking@infosec.pub 1 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

Sounds amazing. I work from home and manage my time as I see fit, working hours range from 2-12 depending on current load, so I'm totally on board with maximizing free time if I get my stuff sorted efficiently.

Guess if I cut it further, I would try to get more into gardening.

I tried gardening before, but I'm pretty terrible at it. But I only retired recently, so this spring, maybe I will give it another go.

[–] adarza@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 month ago (2 children)

so, what? half the work hours but at double the rate of pay so it comes out the same?

probably read more. cuz that's free. i can't afford to do much else.

[–] admin@lemmy-mormonsatan-u23030.vm.elestio.app 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Not quite what I meant. I just mean what if you had more free time, but not more cash. Sort of what you wanna do for free that you can't do now because of time restraints.

I'll edit to rephrase the question.

[–] Ze_Rosie_Ro@lemmy.cafe 0 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I considered it more as you’re not working, you have a fixed income in this situation. Like a retired person.

[–] Didros 1 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Get high and vibe. It's my favorite thing, but it's an expensive illegal hobby sadly.

Not expensive or illegal where I live. Stay strong, brother.