Retirement in Lockdown … it’s not twilight time, it’s highlight time!

Like me, quite a few of my LinkedIn contacts have either reached (or are approaching) retirement from the fulltime workforce. After the hefty work schedule of a challenging and demanding career, it can be a little like a speeding freight train hitting a brick wall.

?For most of us, it’s a time when we need to pause; to carefully consider just how we go about using this newfound spare time, and how we go about gainfully fulfilling that urge to remain productive.

?A sense of detachment is not uncommon, and boredom can sometimes set in. A feeling of lack of purpose can even invade our mindset; so it does need a bit of thought – and a bit of planning! Fortunately, under normal circumstances, this feeling of lethargy can be easily addressed.

?Yes, at the top end of the budget there are holiday resort extravaganzas, there are sea cruises, there are caravan expeditions, and … even without such expensive travel escapades, closer to home we can usually find golf courses, tennis courts, swimming pools, walking tracks, cinemas, theatres, libraries, pubs, clubs, and a myriad of other affordable sporting, leisure, recreational, and entertainment facilities.

?However, the present lockdown restrictions imposed by (the controversial) reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic in various parts of the world, make it all just a little bit harder. Sure, there are so many so desperately worse off than we are, and perhaps as retirees we have been spared the worst of the suffering, but even so ...

Confined to the house, and despite the convenience of Facetime and Zoom, most of us are resenting the denial of face-to-face access to our families – our kids, our grandkids – and are rueing the loss of freedom in our dwindling twilight years!

So, it’s absolutely vital, not just for the preservation of our own sanity, but the conservation of our partner’s wellbeing, that we immerse ourselves in a time-consuming pastime of some sort. It may even create a highlight; it may even prove to be a legacy!

?Among my former work colleagues, many are attacking this with gusto. From volunteer work - to gardening, to craft hobbies like knitting and sewing, to woodworking and metalwork, to intellectual pursuits like reading, writing, and collecting, to physical exercise routines like walking and cycling - most of us are getting by.

?Some of my friends find solace in music, not just in the listening, but in the performing. To me, music is the ultimate mood-changer – the heartbeat of the soul – and I am unashamedly envious of those who can play an instrument or two. Obviously, I can’t … so the best I can do is to get myself into singalong mode, and in that, I have managed to find my own time-consuming lockdown pastime.

To the detriment of those who must endure the listening, I have taken to home-recording vocal covers of my favourite old songs from my favourite old artists. Self-indulgent yes, but very enjoyable, inexpensive, and very easy to do. All you need is a smartphone, tablet, or computer, and online access to some vocal backing tracks.

?So, if whiling away the time listening to, singing along with, and recording songs, appeals to you, then why not give it a try. If you are at a loose end, this might just be the tonic you need - one of those leisure activities that fills the gap for YOU!

Here is my humble attempt at it, so check out this link below. It might motivate you to do this yourself, or perhaps more likely, encourage you to find something similar that you are passionate about and can get your teeth into - perhaps something just as satisfying, but a little less embarrassing:

https://www.youtube.com/user/keithrowe100