6 ways to stay doggedly social in retirement

By Cathy Hamilton

It’s critically important to avoid social isolation in retirement. In fact, for many, the fear of losing work friends scores high on the list of “reasons not  to retire.”

The good news is it takes only a tiny bit of effort to keep up your social contacts and interactions after you leave the workplace. And, just a little bit more effort to forge new friendships and social activities.

Here are some tips:

1) Before your last day of work, make a plan to meet regularly with your former colleagues. Try a TGIF lunch or happy hour every week or once a month.

2) Get on social media. Learn how to use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or other apps to find out what’s going on in your community and stay in touch with friends.

3) Call one person every day. That’s right. Pick up the phone and actually make a voice call. Change it up so you’re staying connected to different people all the time.

4) Start a book club or dinner-and-a-movie group. It’s easy to organize a club, but even if that seems overwhelming, check out MeetUp.com for a list of clubs to join in your area.

5) Get a dog. Dogs not only provide wonderful companionship, they also need to be walked every day. By getting out with Fido in the neighborhood, you’re bound to meet new people—and pooches!

6) Sign up for the Lawrence Public Library Foundation’s Retirement Boot Camp Newsletter to get news on classes, activities, and pop-up social events throughout the year!