Being over 50 does have its benefits, but it comes with its own set of problems as well. What seemed easy in your 20s and 30s can now seem all but impossible, and there are more than a few aches and twinges in the body as you go about your daily activities.
However, with as many as 20 years of work still in front of you, it’s not quite time to reach for the slippers just yet, and you need to find some way so to keep the mind ticking over, the body moving, and stop yourself from getting stale. This isn’t always easy, as you might be stuck in something of a rut, but you can look at doing some things to kickstart everything else into motion and stay “younger” for longer.
Increase your physical activity
By the time you get to 50 and over, you might think you’ve heard it all when it comes to working out or exercise, and indeed you might have even tried it before. However, what you did when you were 25 is not the best approach when you are double that age, so you need to look at age-specific structured fitness and wellness programs available to find something that is a good fit for you at your age.
This might involve a less strenuous approach than you are used to, but it could get the ball rolling and move you on to bigger and better things once you get started. Physical activity has plenty of extra benefits other than weight loss and can increase flexibility and release endorphins, which can help with your mental health as well
Keep the mind ticking over
By the time middle age creeps up on you, especially if you are in early retirement (or even semi-retirement), it can be easy to stop thinking creatively and tune out. This means you can be pretty much running on autopilot, which is likely to do you no good at all. One possible answer here is to do something that keeps the brain ticking over, whether it be a word, logic, or number puzzle each day.
This doesn’t have to be in a conventional format, like a crossword or sudoku but could involve a video game (like simulator and strategy games) wherein you have a town or city to manage. These can be both distracting and challenging, but are not the only things you could do – here are a few other ideas:
Start a side hustle
You might have had it up to here with work, but doing something for yourself on the side can give you a new lease of life that can positively affect your 9-5. You could start an eCommerce business or start writing articles part-time.
Foster rescue animals
You might not be able to commit to adopting a cat, dog, rabbit, or chicken – but there are plenty of animals that need looking after on the way to their forever home. You could foster one at a time or look after dogs and cats that have always lived together before so that they aren’t separated.
Final thoughts
It can be easy to get physically and mentally stuck in a rut, especially when you get to your 50s when you are not quite as sure of your capabilities as you might have been 20 years ago. By finding the right age-appropriate exercise plan and the ideal stimulus to get the brain or imagination going, you can ensure that you get the most from your middle years.