A very basic google search tells me that, on average, us humans spend around 90% of our time indoors. Wow. This figure seems to be widely reported, and stems from The National Human Activity Pattern Survey (NHAPS). It reports that people spend 87% of their time in enclosed buildings, and 6% in vehicles. What are lot of our lifetime we spend in an enclosed space.
Continue reading “The Link Between Nature and Retirement Wellbeing”
If you were anything like me, going to school was a chore. Something I had to do because my parents said so, and in fact, probably even more importantly, the law said so too. For me personally, I didn’t enjoy learning, didn’t thrive particularly, and, looking back, I feel I wasted, well, far too much time. I don’t say this negatively – it’s just how I was at the time – but I meandered through school doing average things and getting average grades.
Continue reading “Why Lifelong Learning Can Keep You Thriving”
I think there’s a problem when we talk about the word ‘purpose’. I believe a common misconception is that when we talk about “finding purpose” it needs to be some far-off big goal, such as climbing Everest (or climbing Everest backwards – actually, no, that would be silly!), writing a bestselling novel, or training for a marathon. All of these are fine of course (except walking up Everest backwards) but in reality purpose can be something which is much more everyday – yet very powerful as we get older. And the link between having purpose and staying healthier in later life is stronger (and perhaps more surprising) than many assume.
Continue reading “The Surprising Link between Purpose & Health in Later Life”
Retirement. It’s meant to be a time of freedom, of thinking “I’ve earned this you know” and more time for you doing the things in life that you love. And often, it can be that way. But it can also bring surprising emotional challenges.
Continue reading “When Saturday Feels Like a Week: Wellbeing in Retirement – Real Talk & Real Solutions”
So, you’ve handed back the laptop, waved goodbye to office politics, and happily deleted that alarm clock app that put a fear of dread up you every working morning. Your retirement has officially begun – woo hoo! I mean, after all, you may have waited 30-40 years for this moment, so a woo hoo is definitely called for here. But here’s the thing nobody really prepares you for: those first 30 days of retirement can start to make you feel a little…well, odd.
Continue reading “The First 30 Days of Retirement: What nobody tells you.”
If you’ve never been a gym person (like me), never been a runner (like me), never been particularly sporty (like me) then you are very much not alone. There’s me for a starter! Many of us have spent decades working, raising families, keeping on top of all household chores, basically living life; therefore, it’s easy to see why there may not be too much time left for fitness. But now for some good news: in retirement, you don’t need to buy Lycra shorts or a rowing machine to reap the benefits of movement. You can simply open the front door, take a few steps, and start walking.
Continue reading “Why A Short Walk Is the Perfect First Exercise for Retirees”