It’s been a year since retirement; what has changed, and what has stayed the same? In this post, I revisit my March 2026 observations. Here is the original post.
1. Do I really want a “job” or a set item?
Updated answer: No. I have enjoyed the last year without any job. I have given myself many jobs, including working on my important roles of Spouse, Father, Artist, and Health John. Focusing on these roles has given me more satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment than I would ever get with another job.
2. No urgency — or focus
Urgency is still a challenge. I find myself procrastinating or putting things off because I have more unstructured time. But I can tell you, I still get my most important activities done. I am figuring out what is critical, truly critical, and what I was fooling myself into thinking was critical. I have also gotten much better at focusing on a few key items: my Weekly and Daily Key Three and a few focused projects for each quarter.
3. Hard time with schedule
I’m still operating on a Monday–Friday schedule, even after a year of retirement. I’ve grouped activities but still do most of them on the old calendar schedule. It still works for me, so I haven’t seen the need to change it. My wife’s schedule is still weekday-based, so things we do together still revolve around the same calendar.
4. Too much of my identity was tied to my job/title
I now realize how much of my identity and value was tied up in my job. I had the responsibility, authority, and team, and in a day, it was all gone. That half of my life is gone, and the other half, being a husband, father, equal partner, and friend, is now my full-time role. This hasn’t changed, and I am much more comfortable being a retiree. And I realized no one really cares what I did for a job.
5. I need to figure out my new norm
What is my new norm? I have established a schedule and routine. It is different from my work schedule, but it's still a schedule. I like routines and schedules. (And spreadsheets!) That is who I am and how I naturally organize and enjoy my life. Different routines and schedules, but routines and schedules. Sunday nights are much more enjoyable and anxiety-free now.
6. This is my life now
I was worried that my life would be just about staring down the next 25-30 years, wondering what's next. I was completely wrong. Now it is: when can we fit this in; when can we travel there…. We have so much on our bucket list that we spend our time prioritizing and scheduling when we can do it. The next phase of our lives will be awesome and full of experiences.
7. Be Intentional About What You Start or Stop Doing
You can’t do the same things when you’re 60 that you could at 25. We are intentional about spending time and money on experiences rather than things. We always lean towards experiences. This intentionality has been awesome.
I also focus more on what I can do and want to do, rather than what I can’t. I’ve stopped playing tennis but have gotten back into golf. We have tickets to our local NHL team and enjoy games and nights away.
I’m going to be intentional about what I do and take time to think when I’m considering giving something up. I still make sure I don’t fall into the sunk cost fallacy. Just because I’ve spent a significant amount of money or time on something doesn't mean I want to spend more of my future time and money on it. Don’t do that either.
Observations from a Retiree after 1 year
Just experiences I’ve had over the past months. I keep refining my answers to these questions and, most importantly, enjoying my non-working time.
As you are thinking about retiring or have retired, please share what has worked for you in the comments below.