Retirement - do you have a routine?

[Thethreewitches123]

I've recently retired and I currently have a bucket list of activities I want to try. I'm enjoying working my way through them but the difficulty I've found is that they don't bring me into regular contact with other people. So whilst I am perhaps deepening a connection with myself, I am not making any outward connections.

I enjoy spending time alone but I've realised the interests I have don't have groups who meet up on a regular basis i.e. weekly. I've noticed a lot of sports clubs such as running/cycling do meet more regularly but this is not where my interests lie. This makes developing friendships tricky. I have a couple of friends but they are a bit younger than me and not yet retired. My husband has very different interests to me - sport related and has a regular network of people to meet up with.

Whilst I am glad to have escaped the pressure of work, I am now thinking of taking up some sort of voluntary work which might bring me into more regular contact with others. It needs to be the right sort of voluntary work i.e. not somewhere I'm sat alone.

Has anyone experienced the same issues? Did you find taking on voluntary work provided a bit more structure/routine to the week? Anything else I could think about in this respect?

I joined a walking group - people chat as they walk so it's not too intense, and you can quite easily move on from someone you don't gel with.

I'm also a member of a community writing group - that's great because people can share quite deeply through their writing and you therefore get to know people quite well.

Thanks for your response venusandmars I have had a look at these suggestions - the wallking group meets regularly, the writing group does not (which is a shame because I can see how you could get to know people quite well this way). I have lots of hobbies but no regular meeting groups currently.

I retired at Easter. One of the groups I have joined is U3A. It might be worth looking up your local branch and see what groups are available to join, there is usually a wide range of differing activities.

Reading in interest. I'm flexi retiring from NHS at end of feb so still working 1 or 2 days a week but will definitely have more time on my hands !

My retirement experience has not been perfect but I do enjoy a drop in sewing group and the silversmithing course I have recently started. I find the conversation takes off while the groups are stitching or filing away and there are people of all ages and social backgrounds. It helps being creative when there are others around to bounce ideas off. I have joined U3A but I feel a little bit too young for them, not just age wise but general outlook. DH plays scrabble and Chess with U3A groups and enjoys having formidable opposition.

I retired about a year ago.
I read with a couple of children in primary school twice a week (half an hour each per session) through the Bookmark charity. I do it face to face but it is also available online.

I go to a knit/crochet group two evenings a month which is more social (daytime meets weekly also available).
Am a charity trustee with monthly meeting and practical activity once or twice a month (predated retirement)

Volunteer with foodcycle a couple of times a month- often enough to see other volunteers regularly and recognise guests.
None of them are a big commitment individually but they structure my week/month.