Struggling with boredom in retirement, any fulfilling hobbies to do at home?

[Member346563]

I’ve been retired 5 years now (I’m 58) from time to time I’ve really struggled with retirement but the last few weeks have been worse than ever. I’m so bored, I’ve tried all sorts of hobbies, sewing/knitting/jigsaws/puzzles/rambling/baking/gym/dance/reading/learning piano but found nothing that really inspires me or I feel passionate about.

financially I’m very comfortable so have no motivation to make money and have zero intention of returning to work.

I do have my beloved dog who I walk twice a day but the commitment of the dog means I can’t leave the house on my own for more than a couple of hours a day.

Any suggestions on hobbies or studies that I can do from home?
please tell me what your passions are.

An Open University degree. I found it so fulfilling. You are still eligible for student finance ( if it’s your first degree ) at 58.

Oh dear OP, you have the life of a practically house bound 90 yr old from the sounds of it. Just like my Mum. I agree that you do seem to be using the excuse of having a dog for not doing anything.
Get out and enjoy the outdoors/nature and take your dog.
Day trips
Walk up a mountain/hill
Cycling with your dog in a trailer
I’m retired and a couple of years older than you. I love being in nature and drinking in the views. I know that one day that I will no longer be able to do what I do now so want to make the most of it. Life can change in an instant, do not put off anything today as tomorrow is definitely not guaranteed.

Maybe invest time in training the dog so its inability to be left for more than a couple of hours stops ruining your life?

Volunteer in a school, a lot will let you take your dog too

Learn new languages. I retired at a young age and I am now learning my 3rd language. I can now speak German and French very well. Russian is much more of a challenge! I find it so rewarding.

Volunteering for NT.
Running with the dog
Volunteer museum guide, somewhere your dog can go too.
Line dancing
Rock choir

@Member346563 Good grief! No wonder you are bored, you are living the life of an octogenarian. Which isn’t even true as the group I’m off to the pub with tonight includes two octogenarians who have a more interesting lives than you.

You are only in middle age, I assume you have your health as well as wealth. Box up the jigsaw for 30 more years and do something exciting!

My colleague has just retired and has gone off to Zambia to do two years of voluntary service overseas. When my mum retired is a social worker she took on a trustee role in a major national charity, another colleague has gone to work in Singapore for a couple of years, a friend took a horticulture course and a few years later designed a garden for a major show (and win a silver!), one of my friends in her 50s is rewilding some land, one of the partners from my husband‘s law firm is stepping down to open a gallery in Ireland, someone else I know is planning to take a later in life gap year and is travelling around Southeast Asia with her new partner.

Maybe nothing like that is right for you but I hope it illustrates that your life does not have to be boring and that there is a huge wealth of opportunities of things you can get your teeth into. Charity roles, helping animals, volunteering in prisons or schools, supporting the local community, conservation projects, religious organisations, sporting challenges.

The people I know in their 50s who no longer need to work really are not filling their time with jigsaws and craft projects. They are doing big, exciting things they have always dreamed of- and making those of us in our forties with teens still at home very envious indeed.

Find a brilliant adventure and eat it all up!

I’m medically retired and use a wheelchair and I also have this problem (to a point),

I also moved area to downsize so did not know anyone.

i joined my local u3a, and honestly just went to everything I could find to get to know people and try activities out,

i play recorder and tenor horn. I sing in a choir. I’m doing Duolingo German and aim to visit a European country each year and do an outdoor swim there and learn some of the language.

i do outdoor swimming (more in summer than winter!) and gardening )also).

winter is harder than summer

learn a language
volunteer at a local school for foodbank
join U3a and start to learn something new and meet new people

I know you said you want to do the activity at home but i think its important to get out of the house you can volunteer for an hour in a school listening to chidren read or do a short shift in a foodbank or some other charity that matters to you.

if your dog is docile and friendly you could look into training as a therapy dog that goes into residential homes. I had a friend who did this and she found it very fulfilling.
There are so many things you can do in retirement I haven't looked back once I love it!

If you are financially comfortable can you pay someone to walk your dog a few times a week to give you a bit more flexibility.

I’d love to be retired, unfortunately it’s still a pipe dream 20 years away. if I had the time and money I would do the following -

Volunteer at an animal shelter (they might let you bring your dog with you) once or twice a week.

Join a nice gym, use the pool and sauna during the day when it’s quiet. Also I would do a Yoga or Pilates class 3 or 4 times a week.

Learn a new language - you can do online language classes weekly. Also there are apps and podcasts.

Or even learn a new instrument.

Do a degree in history - I’d want to attend classes even part time, but it can also be done online.

I’d aim to have one or two things scheduled per day, and in between I would try out new recipes/ plan a trip abroad/ work on my garden/ meet friends for drinks.

It’s basically my dream life. Sadly stupid work gets in the way.

Have you tried Lego at all?
I started a winter village display for December about 8 years ago and it has grown and grown. One main new set gets released each year on this theme.
A lot of women seem to like building the Lego flowers and plants and then displaying them instead of the real thing.
https://www.lego.com/en-gb/categories/adults-welcome/every-set-in-lego-winter-village-collection

I was also going to suggest Lego. I like the botanical ones and some of the places like the Trevi Fountain.

If I had a lot of space, time and £650 I had no use for, I'd be preordering La Sagrada Familia

What about an acting class? Classes for adults are often in closed groups so they feel 'safer'.

My husband started classes with the aim of building confidence and it's been wonderful for him.

Do you have grown up kids? Just imagine going back to cooking 12 meals every day, or doing laundry for 4 people, or 6am starts for thousands of days in a row, even on winter mornings. Set an alarm to scream at you for half an hour randomly 4 times a day. Soon you’ll crave boredom!

Why can't you leave your dog for longer than two hours? I have a labrador who is fine with four/five hours. That means I can go to my yoga class then have coffee/lunch with friends. I also go to Tai Chi one afternoon a week, and to a craft group. I need to get out of the house and socialise.
I go to the library every week.
At home I do crafts as well - scrapbooking all the photos I have accumulated and doing embroidery.
I am waiting for my second hip replacement, then I will be back to long picnic walks with my labrador.

Painting. It's very satisfying. Even if you don't feel you are especially artistic, you can have fun or follow online tutorials to build your skills. You can choose your media to fit your requirements - water colours low space/low mess, acrylics moderate space/moderate mess, oils if you have the luxury of a space to leave everything or don't mind time consuming cleaning and packing away.

I agree with PPs, try your local u3a - mine has a lot of musical groups, languages, philosophy, loads of book groups.

I love the freedom to go to the cinema and theatre during the day, I'm a member of the National Gallery, and I also go to other exhibitions (I live near London, so lots of possibilities). I'm in a choir, and am thinking about a creative writing group. I also workout regularly, and walk (rather than drive) as much as possible. It's a great life (for me)!

As an amateur musician I would say if you’re interested in playing music (which I assume you are, based on the attempt at piano, but I’m guessing lacked the self-discipline to put in the effort at home by yourself - which most of us do) I would perhaps consider trying an instrument you can play in a band because then it’s social too.

There are often beginner bands around where you can learn an instrument from complete scratch in a group. Then there will be a more advanced group you can move onto playing in when you’re ready. Additional private lessons would help you progress quicker and can be done online if easier. Online lessons can work surprisingly well.

You really need to stop using the dog as an excuse though. You should be able to leave the dog for 4 hours and if you can’t, invest in training to work on that or if the dog’s particular requirements really mean that it cannot work then sort out a dog walker / sitter / daycare so that your life isn’t ruled by being home for the dog. I assume if you’ve retired so early that funds aren’t an issue! And if funds are an issue then I would be looking at working part time to give yourself something constructive to do and earn a little spending money to use to enjoy the rest of your week.

Are you interested in any issues or projects? Could volunteer or get involved in campaigning.

Buy a motor home, get the dog their pet passport and go travelling.

Also sounds as though you've the money for doggy daycare in order to spend more time doing things outside home.

You are a year older than me, if work 30h pw, have a husband and nearly 18yo.
I volunteer, I go to Pilates and another class every week. I go out with my Mum, friends, DH, DS, work colleagues.
Get out more OP you are too young to fester at home playing games. Get a dog minder or take it with you.

Honestly, it doesn’t sound like you need hobbies. You need a more fulfilling life. I currently don’t work (due to cancer). I am never bored. I spend time with my children. I potter about the house. I cook and garden and look after my animals. I spend time with Dh. I do have hobbies - hiking, wild swimming, horses, gardening. But my hobbies aren’t why I’m not bored. My full, happy, fulfilling life is why I’m not bored. It sounds like you need to fill your life with people and something you’re passionate about. It may or may not involve a hobby. I have a dog, and 16 chickens, and a horse, and 2 young children, none of those stop me having days out or going travelling.

This is a good site for volunteer opportunities Just put your area into the search box 37 opportunities in Wimbledon - Get Volunteering

Silversmithing, very creative and fun though the investment for materials and tools is quite big at the beginning.

Papercraft, any, die cut machines, quilling, I love stamping.

Gardening? I kill cactuses so not for me, but maybe for you

If you like going out on walks, watch or read some beginner botany / hoverfly / bee identification courses. Take pics on phone or camera, learn how to use inaturalist or irecord, join a 'friends of [x site]' group or volunteer with wildlife trust / national trust and learn how to lay hedges or scythe a meadow etc. - can be very satisfying to transform a place with other people. Dogs often welcome.