Change of lifestyle maybe ?

[ton]

ever wonder if a change of lifestyle would make you feel better.
i retired in may, and since then i have just felt kind of down all the time.
still riding my bike plenty, but not really enjoying it. just seem to be going through the motions.
spend mondays and tuesdays with my grandkids, love it to bits but then the rest of the time i am down.
been ill for the last month, with a norovirus type thing that lasted a couple of weeks, and it wiped me out. felt half good last week so did a big ride. now i am laid up with a chest infection.
hacking cough, bringing up green and bloody phlegm.
but prior to this, i have just felt down. no energy, restless, not sleeping well. eating like a idiot for not reason.
feel like i need to go on some kind of detox thing even though i dont know why.
just feel like sub standard.
proper getting me down.

anyone else ever go through times like this ?

[Bearbonesnorm]

Might just be adjusting Tony. Work is such a big part of our lives that sometimes it becomes our lives without realising. There's a chance that you now feel as though you're lost or simply drifting with no real purpose or goal. It's not a nice feeling - maybe time to look for another outlet that'll make you feel as though you're achieving something useful or productive.

[ScotRoutes]

i retired in may, and since then i have just felt kind of down all the time.

anyone else ever go through times like this ?

Bin there, dun that!

On my first attempt at retiring, I just couldn't make it work. I remember just moping around, aimlessly. I recall going to the door to open it for the postie one day, then realising I'd not been out of the house for three or four days.

Getting back at a little regular work what what I needed. Thankfully Mark at The Bike Chain wanted a hand with a computer system and that pretty much changed my life.

So - maybe you just need something like that?

Certainly, it's easy to put off doing stuff (outside or inside) when you have lots of free time available. There's either something on the telly or the weather will "be better tomorrow".

[slarge]

Write down 3 things you enjoy doing. (Sex can't be 1 of them!). It might be that talking to people is 1, helping people is another, and spending time with grandkids is another.

Then work out how to mix those into your life. You have the grandkids Mon/Tues. What about the others - Have something to look forward to on Thursday and Saturday, then plan to do it. It sounds a bit like you have a hobby (cycling) that doesn't tick the boxes any more. How about a more social ride (local clubs normally have the retired section who do mid week cake rides)? Or ramblers (feck - did I say that?), Or volunteering somewhere.

Or as a last resort get a delivery driving for Tesco, or Christmas packing job, or a shelf stacking, or gardening, etc etc part time jobs - even just 2 days per week could be a real boost to mood, confidence, etc etc.

(I've got all this coming at the end of January - so it's occupying a lot of my mind at the moment - but I can't wait!)

[fatbikephil]

Find your local conservation volunteers. A bit of woodland management (aka cutting down invasive species and burning them) will do you a power of good. Also usually very social, not particularly hard work and doing something that has genuine benefits to the environment.

[boxelder]

anyone else ever go through times like this ?

It would be a surprise if they didn't/hadn't.........

As above........schedule some stuff to do. When folk retire, or take a year out/break from work/whatever, there's pressure (self inflicted) to do great things every day. Then, when you don't get out and do stuff you give yourself a hard time. You can't decide what you want to/should do and then it's lunchtime etc, etc. It can become a downward spiral - especially at this time of year and/or when you're ill. As Phil said, is there some volunteering you could do - you feel useful and it the work is really appreciated. I did short shifts at the Foodbank during lockdown and going to start some Rivers Trust tree planting type stuff. Having some 'work' scheduled, makes the other days feel like 'days off' and then you're more likely to get out and use them.
15 minutes stretching a day, 30 minutes reading - stuff that you wish you'd had time for when you were working. Explore new things/places by bike. I've done a bit of visiting of churches (well, rural churches/chapels) - I'm not religious, but they are amazing places as people put so much time and effort into them over the centuries. Meet up with folk to do stuff. It doesn't have to be achieving.........
If you need an excuse for a ride in Lakes/Dales, my arm could be twisted.

[Moder-dye]

Change of life style coming up and to be honest I'm sub standard scared!

My wife's got a job in Angus so we're moving off Shetland and I have no idea what I'm going to be doing at all. I'll be walking away from a good job I've had for 10 years here (outdoor access officer if anyone fancies the move north) and I'm not really in the mood for anything other than being a house husband and de-stressing for a bit. A range of ongoing physical ailments (despite only being 51) has made keeping going tough, so maybe it's what I need, but bloody hell it's daunting!

Plans at the moment (other than cooking and cleaning) will include getting to know our new area (when we have a house to go to!) by foot and bike and swim, and probably look at some volunteer stuff like health walk or ride leader things if they are going on there, maybe some conservation stuff (citizen science recording rather than physical work). I may even restart my blog and up my YouTube game.

Eventually I think at least some part-time work, but I'm lucky in that I don't need to rush into that immediately. I do enjoy work, but I'm struggling health-wise full time.

[jameso]

i retired in may, and since then i have just felt kind of down all the time.

no energy, restless, not sleeping well. eating like a idiot for not reason.

Agree with Stuart, maybe adjusting and it sounds like stress? Might sound odd to suggest that stress comes after retiring (and I'm not saying your current lifestyle is dull), just that apparently boredom causes stress as much as pressure does. Many of us need the right balance between focus and leisure time to enjoy or be good at either.

Find your local conservation volunteers. A bit of woodland management (aka cutting down invasive species and burning them) will do you a power of good. Also usually very social, not particularly hard work and doing something that has genuine benefits to the environment.

Good idea.

[Charliecres]

My thought would be to look into volunteering of some sort, for a sense of purpose and a reason to feel good about yourself.

Also think about things you’ve enjoyed in the past but given up for lack of time or opportunity. Got an artistic streak, enjoy making things, singing or playing an instrument? Creative hobbies can be very satisfying and open up new social opportunities.

The other key thing, I think, is to do some planning ahead so you don’t just fritter away the hours.

I gave up work in July and was worried about facing what you’re going through but for me the truth is that I’ve found so much to occupy me that I’ve not yet got around to sorting out some volunteering. (Conservation volunteers is an excellent idea, BTW. )

Good luck, Ton. I’m sure you’ll sort it out.

[Bearbonesnorm]

Well, I reckon we've decided what's wrong with you Tony If you're stuck for ideas you're welcome to come and help me with a never ending and often expanding list of stuff but I must warn you that the pay's sh1te.

I think character can also play a part. I know that if I don't feel that I've achieved something productive / creative / useful during the day, then it begins to get me down. In truth, I hardly ever stop but I need to try and maintain some degree of separation and balance between what I view as work and pleasure. I can quickly start to focus purely on what I see as 'work' otherwise. On the other hand, my brother's just retired - he has no real interests, hobbies etc but he's the type of person who can feel busy doing nothing and has no great 'need' to achieve beyond the day to day stuff like getting dressed, cooking or pushing the hoover about for 10 minutes.

[Dave Barter]

spend mondays and tuesdays with my grandkids, love it to bits but then the rest of the time i am down.

This seems to be the period when you are happiest. Work out what and do more of it. Maybe working with young people?

[FLV]

Maybe learn to make something, or just learn something?

Open university course?
Local college?
Frame builder course?

Obviously I am suggesting things I think I would like to do, but some level of being busy and enthused about something usually translates to more energy for me.

Again speaking for myself, I always get a lull at this time of year which may factor into it.

I hope you can get going again mate.

[Bearbonesnorm]

Maybe learn to make something, or just learn something?

I taught myself to make bows. I've perhaps reached the point where I could make a living from it but instead, choose to make them as gifts for people who couldn't otherwise afford one. I found there was also satisfaction in going from someone who gave bowyers money, to having them treat you as a peer. Obviously I'm not saying it's for you but it's surprising where being open to different things can ultimately lead - I never thought I'd ever make bows.

[Karl]

Just a little different perspective. I had a very stressful automation design job which I enjoyed until the last 12 months due to a change in management. It got so stressful at the end that I had anxiety before the highland trail, whilst on the ride then once I bailed. I was sallow breathing, but not out of breath. Me and my wife had a chat and she told me to set a date to leave. 12 weeks later I left (17th September), went on a biking holiday around glentress and struggled to remove the stress all week, actually struggling to ride. Prior to leaving I visited the doctors as my resting heart rate was over 100 after a ride, and has not come down since. They suggested that it could be stress. On my return from holiday I went back to the doctors, I had an ECG and bloods taken. The stress was actually Hyperthyroidism (over active thyroid), I'm on medication and hopefully I'll get back to some kind of riding soon. At the moment I struggle to do simple jobs around the house without being out of breath and sweating a lot.

I suppose what I'm saying is if you can't put your finger on it Ton maybe see the doctor and get a check up.

[johnnystorm]

Can you get your grandkids out on the bike with you? I find local rides much more entertaining with my daughter and the "boring old routes" I've done to death are all new to her!

I bought a Thorn Kiddyback tandem a year or so ago and it's been brilliant for getting her interested.

[belugabob]

I think character can also play a part. I know that if I don't feel that I've achieved something productive / creative / useful during the day, then it begins to get me down.

This would be it, for me - I've always worked in a very creative job but have been having more and more periods of feeling like I've not achieved/created anything, and that is definitely sub-standard.

Keeping a positive attitude towards it, and am managing to get back in the groove (as opposed to stuck in a rut)

Am now conscious that retirement (currently 7 years away, but who knows how that may change) will be a challenge from a keeping constructively occupied point of view.

Within the bounds of your available funds, I'd definitely be looking at volunteering/hobbies/planning adventures.

[whitestone]

Because we are so embedded in it, it's not easy to realise just how much of a structure to your life is provided by work. I read somewhere that between 2/3rds and 3/4s of all the million pound plus lottery winners go back to or continue to work. It's that much of a crutch.

As others have said, try and find something "different" to your leisure interests that can provide an ebb and flow to your week.

[ton]

sorry for posting this fella's. and if it seems like a moan.i was feeling a bit down last night, still am. must be a virus i reckon. resting pulse is running at 117bpm today. mid 60's normally.
think i may contact the doctor.

[belugabob]

sorry for posting this fella's. and if it seems like a moan.i was feeling a bit down last night, still am. must be a virus i reckon. resting pulse is running at 117bpm today. mid 60's normally.
think i may contact the doctor.

Definitely, do that...

[Cheeky Monkey]

sorry for posting this fella's. and if it seems like a moan.i was feeling a bit down last night, still am. must be a virus i reckon. resting pulse is running at 117bpm today. mid 60's normally.
think i may contact the doctor.

It's been an interesting thread. Nowt wrong with looking at some of the scabby bits of life either

[belugabob]

Maybe learn to make something, or just learn something?

I taught myself to make bows. ...

My slow brain took a while to realize that you didn't mean

[Bearbonesnorm]

Sorry ...

[ScotRoutes]

Maybe learn to make something, or just learn something?

I taught myself to make bows. ...

My slow brain took a while to realize that you didn't mean

Yeah - he's moving on to sterns next and then the essential bit in the middle.

[macinblack]

HelloTony,

I retired 32 months ago now and whilst I've never felt down about it, it did take at least a year to get into a groove where I stopped thinking about what I was going to do with myself and accepting I wasn't going to look for any more work. It might take you a similar amount of time to click, not particularly into a routine but a change of emphasis rather than lifestyle. I have a number of things I do and my main distraction is a Youtube channel which is awful and no one looks at. I don't care though. It gets me faffing about with technology and trying new things, which is the interesting part. Plenty of good advice has been given above, all I'd say is give it a little more time for the Moon to pass into Uranus.

[belugabob]

Maybe learn to make something, or just learn something?

I taught myself to make bows. ...

My slow brain took a while to realize that you didn't mean

Yeah - he's moving on to sterns next and then the essential bit in the middle.