While still in the workforce enduring my typical 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. professional career, a respected colleague shared a nugget of advice that became the bedrock of my life, he said…”you should never run from something; instead, you should run to something”. The advice became a mantra used to guide my professional and personal life.

The same advice is relevant when considering retirement:

You shouldn’t just retire from something, but to something

Retirement can be a confusing, even a stressful time, as retirees create a new way of life for themselves. Thus, it becomes imperative that retirees know what they want to do with themselves and their lives. No one can provide the answer and there is not a secret formula or recipe to a happy and fulfilling retirement.

Furthermore, it is surprising how many retirees don’t have a clue who they are or what they want to do.

Experts say that creating a new schedule helps. There is an transition period to understand and a new retiree must devote time to determine a new routine and daily schedule. Without some sort of regularity in a retiree’s day, it will be easy for a retiree to waste away their day and more importantly not do the things that make them happy.

Experts advise retirees should spend the first three to six months without any firm commitments and instead make a list of activities and goals they would like to achieve in retirement. After doing the things they enjoy like playing golf, writing blog posts, meeting friends for lunch or coffee, trading stock options, working out almost every day, traveling, reconnecting with friends working in the yard and volunteering, retirees might fine that they have created a new routine for their days.

Bottom-line, it is imperative for retirees to figure out how to spend their time in retirement. It behooves them to live with a schedule that makes them productive, fulfilled and happy.