I started this series early in my blog, when I cut my hours and wanted to make sure I used my time wisely.
I’m now looking down the slope to retirement. I might ski this hill for a bit (a bad metaphor, as I hate skiing), but I’ve cut my hours more, and finding purpose when I stop working seems more pressing.
I started this series of posts at the end of October 2018 with lots of big goals, but even at the beginning, knew that I couldn’t follow all those dreams all at once.
Every few months, I try to look at what I have accomplished, and see if I can adjust course to focus my free time in the directions I wish I would go: increasing fitness, building (or maintaining) connections with friends, family and community, engaging with the arts, and, lately, keeping up with financial tasks.
My last update was in May 2025. This is a good time to review how well I have been pursuing those goals, especially given my additional time out of the office.
Exercise
Getting to retirement in bad physical shape doesn’t sound like a great time. I have hopes that once I am in retirement, I can become fitter, but I realize I can’t wait that long to take care of my body. So one of my goals–the one I have probably focused most on–is to get more exercise while I am still working.
I try to get 150 minutes a week of some exercise (see: CDC recommendations) with at least 30 minutes of strength building; when I work in the hospital, I just can’t get that much. Instead, I lower my goal to 90 minutes of exercise, since that’s a realistic stretch.
How did I do?
In the past 14 weeks, I met my goals in 10. I spent a month not-quite meeting my goals; that was the month my best friend died, and I was busy dealing with other things. Anyway, 10/14 is about a 71% pass rate. Not too bad.
The weather has improved a lot from the scorching summer days, and (hopefully) icy cold weather won’t show up for a few more months. I’m planning on a lot of walking and tennis to keep me in shape, but I think I really need to work on my winter game.
Connections
More and more is being written about the importance of connections: with family, with friends, with people in the community. If I’m not careful, I can totally let work take over my life. Since I don’t actually want to be a hermit, I really need to work on spending time with people other than Mr. PiN.
My goals have been to keep up with my weekly social video calls, and socialize in-person at least 1.5 times a month. I had also wanted to attend services more regularly, though I lowered my goals to once a month.
How did I do?
Video visits fell off, as I was out of town several weeks; and the Sunday calls stopped for a few weeks after our friend passed away.
I spent a lot of time with my retired friend, visiting on her porch, meeting her at the nearby bakery, checking out a new ice cream parlor, inviting her to my house (x2). I hosted 2 college friends for dinner, and attended a memorial dinner for my friend. On both trips out of town, I visited family: my mother on the first trip, and Mr. PiN’s family on the other. That comes to 9 events in 3.5 months, so I met my goal, even if I subtract the out of town visiting.
I attended services by video once during this period, which is definitely below my goal, but more than I had done for years.
Going forward, I think I would like to keep the same goals of at least 1-2 in-person social events per month, and trying to attend services once a month as well.
Clear the Clutter
My hope is to start retirement with a (mostly) decluttered home. The thought of having to spend several years shoveling out my house in order to enjoy it is… dispiriting.
My goals for the summer was mostly working on papers and mail.
How did I do? Not too bad, considering that I lowered my expectations for the summer.
I cleared out at least 3 bags of journals and magazines. This made a huge difference in the various piles “decorating” the living room. I also gave away some books I had pulled from my shelves but couldn’t quite abandon in a Little Free Library–I was excited to give them to someone who definitely wanted them.
We did clear out the front closets, prompted by the installation of new carpeting. A number of items were rehomed in the house, but more were slated to be given away.
For the fall, I still would like to clear more of the journals waiting for me in the living room, clear some of the papers and sentimental items from my office, and eventually hang some pictures. If I get around to actually (re) decorating my office, I think I might get some of this finally done. I am not 100% sure this redecoration will happen, but it’s a goal. I haven’t quite forgotten clearing out the corner where I’d like a piano to go, some of the living room work may help move this along.
Local Adventure.
I love to travel, but I feel it’s important to enjoy the smaller pleasures around home. My goal was to go on 1-2 local adventures per month.
Over the past 3-4 months, I visited a carpet store (I don’t know if this really counts as an “adventure”) with my friend, visited a new ER (I’m also not sure I want to count this either), searched someone’s safety deposit box for a will (yet another not-so-great adventure), and visited a new ice cream parlor (finally! Something nice!).
I don’t really know what to say about this collection of experiences, except that I have to find better ways to explore the city.
Reading
I love reading for fun and relaxation. I will certainly keep this up. That’s not what this section is about.
This is my challenge to myself to read the classics, or other books that make me work a bit.
I’ve definitely not had the energy or willingness to read more challenging books during this time. I will say that I have been pleased to see that at least I have been reading more new-to-me books, rather than re-reading old favorites so often.
I will keep this on my list, but I am starting to wonder if this may be a goal I don’t work on until I am retired in truth. We will see.
Creative Activities
I have been writing for a couple years about three goals: blogging, knitting, and working on photo books.
The blogging continues, with gaps. The knitting has been dropped altogether for about a year. Shutterfly coupons have started showing up, so maybe I will finally finish a photo book for the Fall.
Overall, my energy has been down in the past several months, I might let this simmer for a bit, and see if I finally feel moved to do something here.
Financial tasks
As I automate more and more of my financial tasks, there is less to list here.
I had written in May about moving the money from my “secret savings account” to an account earning more interest, which I actually did.
I’m still working on reducing how many accounts I have, because keeping track of all the forms is getting difficult. And if something happens to me, I’d like to make things easier for Mr. PiN. I think it’s time to close my online-only savings account with Discover–I captured a bonus for opening it, it pays OK interest, but otherwise isn’t doing much for me and would be tough for Mr. PiN to access if needed. I can use that money for the 2026 Roth IRAs in January.
This is also a good place to note that this is a good year to donate to my donor advised fund. Next year there will be a floor to my deductions, so I might as well get as much of a tax break as possible for my charitable donations.
In Summary
I’m feeling better about meeting my exercise goals, and clearing papers out of the house. I’d like to keep working on this, but I think focusing more on some of the local activities is in order. Another focus: finding things other than work, blogging, and decluttering to spend my energy on.
I’m hoping I can end the year feeling accomplished in some more of these areas.
What goals, if any, do you have for the next few months? Or the year?