Early retirees: creative ways to keep busy

(NC) If you retired early and are on the lookout for inspiring things to do, here are some activities you may not have considered yet:

Take a gap year. Commonly reserved for young adults after graduating high school or post-secondary, a gap year is a great experience at any age. Nowadays, they’re popular with retirees who use the first year of their retirement to travel or take time for themselves. Some spend it seeing the world, while others use it to build a website or pursue a passion like learning a new language.

Plan for the future. Think about how you want your life to look in the future, and factor in concerns often experienced by older seniors, such as mobility issues. Is it time to renovate your house to make it more accessible? Do you want to move to a smaller space now while you’re still in top shape? This could also be a good time to scope out retirement homes or care facilities for the future.

Try a camp for adults. Just like gap years, camp is becoming popular with retirees who want to relax in a different environment by trying new activities. Companies are realizing that adults of all ages are missing the focus, friendship and relaxation camp brings, and are stepping up to meet this need. Get in on the trend by participating in a day or overnight camp, such as music camp, luxury summer camp or even zombie survival camp, if you’re feeling brave!

Get a rewarding job. Once you’ve taken some time to relax and decompress from the working world, you may feel the urge to return. A temporary or part-time job is a great solution, so consider flexible positions like freelancer or census worker. Starting in January 2021, the federal government is accepting applications for enumerators and crew leaders to collect data from communities across Canada, with start dates in April 2021. Find more information at census.gc.ca/jobs.