What Does Retired Actually Mean to Me?

I’m starting a website called Diary of a Retiree, so you’d think I’d have a clear definition of retirement.

Apparently, I should have worked that out before naming the website.

The closer I get to being eligible for Social Security, the more I realize that “retired” can describe several very different lives. For some people, it means finishing work on Friday and never earning another paycheck. For others, it means working fewer hours, changing careers, or finally giving an idea some attention.

I’m still figuring out where I fit. But I’m beginning to understand what I want: more say over how I spend my time.

Could I stop working completely?

There’s an appeal to full retirement. No clients waiting for a response. No need to turn an available afternoon into income. A trip could go on the calendar without first figuring out how much work I’d miss.

After decades of working and raising a family, I can understand wanting that.

Whether I could afford to stop completely is a separate question, and one I haven’t answered yet. We have bills, responsibilities, and a budget that requires attention. Reaching a certain birthday won’t make those disappear.

Then there’s the question of whether I’d actually enjoy it.

I like solving problems. I like taking an idea and making something useful out of it. I suspect that even if I stopped working for money, I’d eventually find myself at a computer saying, “You know what would be interesting to build?”

That sounds like me. The trick would be keeping an interesting idea from turning into another full-time job.

Working, but being more selective

Selective work is probably closer to what I picture right now.

Taking on a project because it interests me, fits my skills, and pays enough to justify the time. Having room between commitments. Being able to finish something without immediately needing to replace it with the next thing.

Of course, being selective is easier when you can afford to say no. That’s part of what I need to work toward. I can’t simply declare myself retired and expect the household numbers to cooperate.

But I can start thinking differently about what makes a job worthwhile.

How much time will it really take? Will I be able to step away when it’s finished? Does it leave room for Patti, family, and the things we want to do?

A project might pay well and still ask for more of my life than I want to give it. I’d like to get better at recognizing that before I say yes.

Where programming fits

Programming was my first career, and returning to it feels like a natural part of this next chapter.

I enjoy building software. There’s satisfaction in working through a problem and getting something to function the way you intended. You start with an idea, make a few mistakes, figure things out, and eventually have something someone can use.

I can see that having a place in retirement.

Some projects might earn income. Others might be my own ideas, worked on at my own pace. I’d like room for both.

But programming also makes it very easy to lose track of time. There’s always another feature to add or one more thing to fix. Being able to work from anywhere could be useful for travel, but I don’t want every trip with Patti to include me spending half the day behind a laptop.

If I’m going to keep doing this, I’ll need boundaries. Smaller commitments. Real stopping points. Some ideas left for another day.

Enjoying the work doesn’t mean I have to give it every available hour.

What I’m really after is time freedom

When I imagine retirement, the moments that appeal to me aren’t especially extravagant.

Having breakfast without immediately calculating when I need to get out the door. Taking a weekday to spend with Patti when her schedule allows. Being available for our children and grandchildren. Getting out on the water. Planning a trip and having enough time to enjoy being there.

Travel is a big part of what I hope comes next. We’ll need to make it work within a limited budget, but I’d like to give it a real place in our lives instead of continually pushing it into the future.

I’d also like some ordinary, unclaimed time at home.

After years of fitting life around work, an afternoon that doesn’t need to accomplish anything sounds pretty good. I may need practice letting it stay that way.

My definition, for now

At this point, retirement means reducing how much of my life has to be organized around earning money.

That may include paid work. It will probably include programming. I hope it includes more travel with Patti, more family time, and fewer days when everything else has to wait until the work is done.

I don’t have the exact balance figured out. Some months may require more work than I’d prefer. My ideas may change once I’ve actually lived this way for a while.

For now, I’d like to be able to take on a worthwhile project, enjoy doing it, finish it—and have the freedom to leave the next week open.