So how am I going to fill my days?

You have a choice of two paths to follow.

First, if you plan to truly retire from paid work, this question can be your number one concern and one that is not planned for at all in advance or given much thought. Remember what I said, you have to fill 2,000 hours per year with something meaningful and satisfying. The same amount of time you spent working each year.

You might consider working on a part-time basis either for your old employer or for someone in the same line of work you were engaged in.

You might consider volunteer work at a charity or at your religious institution.

Turn your hobby into a new vocation.

You may find your time taken up with caring for aging parents or taking care of your grandchildren as your children may be in a family situation that needs your assistance. You may be in the sandwich generation:  parents on one side, kids and grandkids on the other, you in the middle.

 At the present time 60% of people over 60 years of age still have a parent alive.

The second path is to continue paid work. You may now finally have the time to publish that best seller in you, or open up a consulting practice in an under-served area. In this scenario there probably will not be enough hours in the day….

 From a wife’s perspective - I don’t want him around all day.

What do I do, how can I cope?

Remember your wife or significant other had your home all to herself for a long time. You came home at a decent hour and then you spent time together. Now you are in her space. She may not like it. She may send you on errands she previously did herself. She is doing this for two reasons. Firstly, the errands must be done but more importantly to get you out of her space and away from her.

Too much togetherness can be unhealthy. Your spouse had her life very well organized before you decided to stick around all the time and be underfoot.

Be sensitive as this is as much an adjustment for her as it is for you.