When I first retired (5 years ago) i did . Got out of bed at regular time of 7am . Exercised, then begun the day. I did a lot of stuff becuase I felt it was what my exh wanted to do, or felt we “should” do, even if I didn’t particularly want to all the time,
BUT, since then I’ve divorced, moved house, dealt with major building work, created a brand new social life from scratch and dealt with other multiple massive emotional upheavals . I’m a very organised, routine driven person but since living on my own it has made me way more relaxed in my routine.
My only reasons for a semi regular bed time and morning routine is to ensure I get a full nights sleep and not frazzle away day light hours. I’m very aware that lack of sleep/poor sleep is cited for dementia and other stuff, and my sleep is never great- so I do prioritise it, and ensure that I don’t start sleeping late in morning and massively disrupt my natural sleep patterns. But, if I’ve not slept well in night, I will sleep in to ensure I make up the hours.
I have at least 2 social events per week (and some weeks in month it’s up to 4) I “have” to go out for which sort of sets a routine for the week. I joined the U3A which I recommend and have an active social life due to that. I meet up with new friends outside of those formal events for a matter and cuppa, or being “ladies who lunch”🙄
I also actively ensure I see family and extended family regularly - I’ll be visiting or have some family members over at least every 10 days I’d say. Even if for a cuppa.
I do have a couple of hobbies that I send a lot of time on. One of them I do at least once per fortnight (one of these is with social group) . The other I do probably 3-4 times per week at home. I set myself some “projects” for this hobby very 6 months r so, so I’m working towards that- they often have deadlines so that gives me a boot up backside to be productive.
I do book other one off events in advance- workshops, cinema or theatre trips, days out - that way they go into my calendar and ensure I attend - I’m not great at spontaneity so if I don’t book in advance I’ll not go out to thes3 sort of things.
I try to walk most days even if it’s 30 mins or even , on piddling down days, a bit of dancing round my living cos no one is watching now 🤷🏼♀️. Probably once a week I’ll end up walking a lot further for on reason or another.
I do my shopping physically roughly once per week to get out, but don’t do this regularly either- just when cupboards run bare!. I try to cook from scratch at least 4 times per week and then have a couple of batch cooked meals from my freezer (I batch cook a lot), and then go out fo lunch, or takeaway once per week. I do meal plan but always have done . I do have reasonably regular lunch and tea times still, but more because of having IBS.
as I’m on my own I only do major chores once per month. over 2-3 days I do a thorough houseclean (4 hours), most of the washing loads, my month end financial and admin stuff, and any other house chores, fixes I need to do. Then that’s it for the month - I’ll do spot cleaning where and when needed, and put on new bed sheets (I have enough though that I only actually wash them all once per month). I do maybe one or two loads of washing in then between weeks. I can now, despite my list making tendencies, comfortably put off all sorts of “jobs” till this end of month job fest.
I tend to go out more during the week when it’s quieter (except school hols) and stay in more during weekends.
I don’t watch tv in day unless I’m really at odds with myself in terms of mood, or ill. But I listen to radio, pod casts, audible books, a lot. I also limit my time on social media as that really,really, vapourises your life away,
generally I please myself what I do and when. I still battle my list making innate tendency, remind myself frequently “no I do not HAVE to do that”, but for all that do still do have reminders in my phone 🤷🏼♀️🤦♀️🤣🤣🤣