How to spend your time in retirement

Talking to your family when you first start planning for your retirement will help make sure there are no surprises when you do retire.

Whether you want input from family members or simply want to advise them of your plan, topics to talk about include:

  • expectations for travel, activities and other plans
  • the impact on family members that need emotional, physical and financial support
  • where you intend to live
  • financial and inheritance plans

How you’ll spend your time

When you retire from work, your social routines can be disrupted.

Volunteering, learning new skills and joining a social group can help you keep active and make social and community connections.

Volunteering in Retirement

Retiring from a regular job doesn’t always mean you stop working completely. 
Volunteering is an opportunity to:

  • contribute to your community
  • meet people
  • learn new skills
  • share your expertise

This can be part time, casual, or even full time.

Learning new skills

You are likely to have more time when you retire to learn a new skill or explore a hobby. 

There are many places that offer courses and opportunities to learn.

Whether you prefer individual or group-based learning, you can find courses offered online or in classrooms and workshops. This can include:

  • sharing knowledge through courses and lectures on different topics right across NSW with the University of the Third Age.
  • your local library, which may offer free courses, activities and events

Social groups and activities

Joining a social group or activity is an easy way to meet new people who share your interests: