- Hobbies during retirement can give you a sense of purpose, improve your mental and physical health, and help you stay sharp.
- After retirement, nurses should consider developing a hobby within the healthcare field, like blogging or mentoring new graduate nurses. Or they can work part time as a consultant, first-aid instructor, or high school teacher.
- Retired nurses may also enjoy a long list of activities outside the healthcare field where they can expand their social network and reduce the risk of getting lonely or bored.
Functional medicine health consultant, Dana Gallik, FNP-C, CFMP, compares the human brain to Newton's laws of motion. During your working years, your brain is constantly stimulated but during retirement, this stimulus is gone. This might allow your brain to rest a little bit more than you want.
Hobbies can give you a sense of purpose, improve your mental and physical health, and keep your mind active. Let's explore the benefits of having a hobby, especially during retirement, and 15 hobby ideas for retired nurses recommended by our contributors.
The Benefits of Hobbies for Retired Nurses
Clara Sutton is the human resources manager of Healthier Trajectory. She believes there are many reasons retired nurses should take up a hobby. While staying mentally and physically healthy is a primary concern, hobbies can also help you stay connected to the nursing community.
One of the most common reasons a person becomes a nurse is their desire to help others and have a direct and measurable impact on people's lives. Athena Kan is the CEO and cofounder of Dreambound and a former researcher at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. She reminds us that hobbies are an opportunity to continue to help people, give back, and stay sharp.
Nurses can also use their hobbies to keep up with new developments in the healthcare field and maintain a sense of identity when their hobby aligns with their passion and purpose.
15 Hobby Ideas for Retired Nurses
If you're exploring things to do as a retired nurse, consider the following 15 ideas as a starting point. The number of hobbies you could explore is only limited by your imagination.
Preparing for Retirement?
The earlier you start planning for retirement, the more you can save and invest so you have the money in your retirement years to enjoy your hobbies. Seek professional help from a financial advisor. Review and, if needed, adjust your plan every couple of years.
As you approach retirement, it's also important to prepare for the free time you'll have each day. Most people go from working full time to retiring which can be too drastic of a change.
Think about moving to part-time status for 2-3 years so you're able to fill the extra hours and can move seamlessly into full-time retirement. However you decide to prepare for your retirement years, they are inevitable. But, they don't have to be boring, lonely, or frustrating.
Consider the types of hobbies that interest you and learn more about them so you are ready to engage your body and brain when you've reached your last day of work at your full-time job.
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