Avoiding Workaholic Tendencies in Retirement

 

While practicing table tennis with a lady from my club the other day, I realized that I had made my schedule far too grueling.  She agreed, and admitted that she had done the same thing, at eighty.  She is still working.  I was getting up at 4:30 a.m. to drive extremely long distances to train.  An hour private lesson was stacked private in front of a stressful two hour group lessons.  I felt exhausted, and rarely had a day off…the grind I had choreographed continued.

I realized that I was recreating the workaholic lifestyle I led as a dancer.  I always had to be in incredible shape, and on top of my game.  Now Iwas pushing myself too hard, neglecting my household chores, and overworking, this time as a senior athlete.  It’s easy to slip into this behavior if you have that kind of personality.  This was not how I envisioned as my retirement.  What about travel, hobbies, and nature?

I changed my schedule, cut back on some driving and commitments, and decided to enjoy more leisure at the cabin.  What a relief to cook delicious meals, pick up my knitting, and sweat it out in the sauna.  It takes mental focus to not become over scheduled.  Sometimes we have to compare our actions with our vision.

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