Did you know the average US retiree watches 48 hours of TV every week?
That’s despite older adults having more time to have fun – seven-and-a-half hours a day compared to 35- to 44-year-olds, who only have around four hours according to a 2016 study.
Why? Ken Dychtwald, CEO of Age Wave, a consulting firm on age-related issues, says he suspects most of us just don’t know how to fill that time.
We’ve spent the last few decades working, paying off mortgages and looking after children and parents. Fun is not ‘productive’ and so we put it to one side.
Making time for play
However studies have found older adults who make time for ‘play’ are more relaxed and optimistic and better able to cope with psychological stress.
So how can you put more fun back into your life?
The experts say you should ask yourself these questions:
- What makes you happy?
- What makes you laugh?
- What activities did you do in your youth?
Of course some of us don’t have as much free time. We are supporting ageing parents or partners or caring for young grandchildren, and may not have as much time for our own pursuits.
But finding a group where you do something you enjoy, whether it’s a book club or even a walking football team, can be a way to have fun and fight loneliness – a serious problem for many people – too.
Food for thought?
https://www.wsj.com/articles/an-overlooked-skill-in-aging-how-to-have-fun-1527937260
https://www.agedcare101.com.au/contributors/annie-donaldson
https://www.agedcare101.com.au/contributors/jill-donaldson-care