Schedules – How Rigid Should They Be?

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This is a constant issue at my house, even though my husband is retired. I would like to know if anyone out there still keeps a tight schedule even after retirement. I know if you are working all day, you have to get to work on time, etc., or if you have a particular appointment that day, you have to be on time for it. Otherwise, how important is a schedule?


It seems I can never keep one, or am not that good at it. In my mind, unless there is something going on, what difference does it make to do things at a particular time? I think once retired, you can make your own schedule and things can be more flexible, but I am beginning to think I am in the minority of thinkers.

A couple of years ago I met a police officer who said he hosted a party at retirement to smash his alarm clock to smithereens. I had never heard about anyone going that far, but I loved that story and thought ‘what a great idea’.

I do freelance so I do set the alarm to get up early everyday, but you can bet the alarm clock would get lost if I were totally retired like my husband. After keeping schedules all your life, wouldn’t it be nice to have a more relaxed existence?

Why do you have to be up by such-in-such time daily? Will the schedule police come around to issue a reprimand? This clock watching gets to be all too much for me. An ideal way of life would be to sleep when you’re sleepy and eat when you’re hungry. I can still accomplish as much on any given day regardless of what schedule I keep. Am I alone here?