“I’m Bored… So What?”

I’m about two and a half months into retirement, and I can say—without hesitation—I don’t miss much about work.

Actually, there is one thing I do miss.  I now think about it because it is that time of the year that a lot of officers love.  Nice weather.  No freezing cold temperatures and no unbearable heat.

Slowly patrolling through quiet subdivisions late at night, windows down, in perfect weather. Everyone’s asleep, the radio’s off, and all you hear is the gentle tick-tick of lawn sprinklers sweeping across the lawns. Peaceful. Your undershirt isn’t drenched in sweat and no fighting the car heater to find the perfect temperature. Just the perfect cool night air and silence.

After nights like the one described I would walk into the station for off-duty with my hair sticking straight up from the wind, and my good friend would laugh and ask, “What the hell happened to your hair?”

Despite that one specific thing I miss, I have zero regrets about retiring. I haven’t jetted off on that bucket list vacation just yet, but I’m enjoying the best perk of all: doing what I want, when I want—and not giving much thought to the career I hung up.

That said… I’ve caught myself scrolling on my phone, sighing out loud:

“I’m bored.”

And boom—there it is. The dreaded boredom. The one thing everyone warned me about.

“Dude, you’re gonna get bored and go nuts.”

“You’re too young to retire! You’ll be bored and back to work in no time.”

“My dad retired early and died young because he just wasted away on the couch and didn’t work.”

So yeah, when that feeling creeps in, I wonder… were they right? Am I really going to need another job just to feel fulfilled?

But here’s the thing—I promised myself retirement wouldn’t mean just taking another job. I committed to one year with no formal employment.  

I was not oblivious that retirement would have unexpected challenges, such as boredom.  But I was not expecting boredom would make me think I may need to punch a clock to feel happy and content. 

There is something that just feels wrong about that. How depressing it made me feel to think that happiness and contentment might only be found through employment.

But there I was, falling into the black hole of reels and YouTube shorts. Getting sucked into a video, waiting to see what happens—only to be scared to death by a baseball flying straight at the screen. These videos make me laugh but piss me off just the same.

I was bored and definitely thought maybe I did need to get another job… and it’s only been a couple of months.

I forced myself to put the phone down. Of course, the damn thing was still within arm’s reach. My willpower was on life support.

I stared out the window.

The house was empty—everyone either at work or school. My dog was deep into her long morning nap, living her best life. And there I was, bored with no resolution and an anxious feeling in my gut, wondering if a job would really fix this.

I’m still new to this retirement thing, so I felt it was too early to go down that road. But I was disappointed that I was even thinking about it.

The urge to pick the phone back up and start swiping again grew intense. But it wasn’t curing my boredom a few minutes ago, so I stood up, walked outside, and found myself standing alone in the backyard. No distractions. No purpose. Just… bored.

And then it hit me:

I’m bored… so what?

When I was working, I was bored all the damn time. Wake up, eat, clean something, argue with one of my teenaged kids, then go work the night shift. Rinse. Repeat. Every. Single. Day.

Now that was boring.

And on top of that boredom, I missed holidays, birthdays, athletic games, and family dinners. It was

somewhat of an instant revelation to me that no job will resolve my boredom.

Boredom is just part of life. It’s not a red flag and it is not a crisis.  It is temporary.

Sometimes, all you need to do is simply stand in your backyard and embrace the boredom and relish in the awesomeness of knowing you do not have to go to work.

Disclaimer

The content on Badge to Travel reflects my personal opinions and experiences as a retired police officer. The views expressed in my posts are my own and do not represent the opinions or policies of any past or present employer, law enforcement agency, or governmental entity.

The information shared here is for general informational and entertainment purposes only. It should not be considered legal, professional, or official law enforcement advice. Any reliance you place on the information found on this blog is strictly at your own risk.

I strive for accuracy, but I make no representations or warranties regarding the completeness, reliability, or accuracy of any information shared. I am not responsible for any errors, omissions, or outcomes related to the use of this site.

Additionally, any comments made by readers do not necessarily reflect my views, and I reserve the right to moderate or remove comments that are inappropriate, offensive, or unlawful.

By accessing and reading this blog, you acknowledge and agree that I am not liable for any consequences resulting from the use of information presented here. If you require legal or professional advice, please consult a qualified professional.

Enjoy the blog, and thanks for stopping by!