When Staying Busy Feels Energizing, Activities That Support Mental Health, and Renting vs. Buying in Retirement

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History (Non-Fiction): Churchill: Walking with Destiny by Andrew Roberts – This sweeping biography examines Winston Churchill’s leadership, political career, and defining role in guiding Britain through World War II.

Memoir: Dreams from My Father by Barack Obama – Barack Obama reflects on family, identity, race, and his search to understand the father he barely knew.

Self-Help: The ONE Thing by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan – This practical guide shows how focusing on your most important priority can produce extraordinary results with less distraction.

Romance: In a Jam by Kate Canterbary – A woman unexpectedly inherits a farm and reconnects with an old friend, setting the stage for a marriage of convenience and unexpected love.

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People often talk about "staying busy" as though it's automatically a good thing. But anyone who has experienced both ends of the busyness spectrum knows there is a big difference between a day that feels engaging and a day that feels exhausting.

While some activities leave you feeling energized even after several hours, others can drain you surprisingly quickly. The difference often has less to do with how much you're doing and more to do with what you're doing—and why.

A day spent helping organize a community event, working in the garden, meeting a friend for lunch, and attending a book club may be quite full. Yet, many people would finish that day feeling satisfied, perhaps even reinvigorated. By contrast, a day spent rushing between appointments, dealing with paperwork, sitting in traffic, and running errands might feel tiring even if it involved less actual physical activity.

The result gets at something fundamental: The time it takes to wear us out is determined more by the quality of that time than its quantity. Many people can do something they love for hours on end yet have to take a break after a short stint doing something they dread.

Many people find that activities feel energizing when they involve

Working on a favorite project or hobby, planning a family gathering, volunteering for a local cause, or researching a topic that fascinates you often produces a sense of momentum: In some way, headway has been made. 

The activity demands effort, but it also gives something back.

Some forms of busyness are driven primarily by necessity: Appointments need to be attended. Forms need to be completed. Household tasks need attention. These responsibilities are part of life, but they don't always yield the same sense of satisfaction as activities chosen freely.

Whereas a packed schedule full of items you enjoy may leave you content and refreshed after a long day, the same schedule packed with chores might leave you drained and harried. 

Even enjoyable activities can become tiring if there's no balance.

Many people find that a satisfying week includes a mixture of social or family time, independent projects, physical activity, quiet time, and practical responsibilities.

Too much of any one thing can begin to feel draining, even when it's something you enjoy.

Instead of asking, "What keeps me busy?" ask yourself, "What leaves me feeling good when I’m finished?" The answer is often revealing.

Some people feel energized after spending an afternoon in the garden. Others feel the same after a lively discussion group, a volunteer shift, a long walk, or a few hours working on a hobby. Those activities are worth preserving in your schedule, as they not only comprise time well spent but also help recharge you for mundane or unpleasant tasks.

An energized life doesn't mean constant motion. Many active people are also good at creating space for recovery.

Notably, such recovery can take many forms:

These quieter moments typically make the active ones more enjoyable.

The goal isn't simply to stay busy. It's to spend time on activities that create interest, connection, satisfaction, and engagement. When that happens, busyness becomes energizing rather than exhausting.

We're looking for seniors who are embracing life with enthusiasm, purpose, and adventure. Whether you're traveling the world, starting a business, volunteering, pursuing a passion, learning new skills, or simply making the most of every day, we'd love to hear your story.

Think that might be you?

Email [email protected] with a photo and a short bio. We may feature you in an upcoming edition of Seniors Magazine.

The discount: Bob Evans

What it gives you: Many locations offer a senior menu with reduced prices for guests age 55+ or 60+, depending on the restaurant

How to claim it: Ask for the senior menu when ordering

Waiting for the Coffee to Stop Dripping
From the life overview of Linda G., 78, Ann Arbor, Michigan. Shared with permission.

For years, I would slide the coffee pot out before the machine had finished brewing.

The little valve would do its best to stop the flow, but not perfectly. A few drops would find their way onto the warming plate every time. I accepted this as a fair exchange for getting my first cup thirty seconds sooner.

After all, the coffee was essentially finished brewing.

Or so I told myself.

One morning, for no particular reason, I waited.

The machine gurgled through its last few moments, released the final drops into the pot, and then fell silent. Only then did I pour my cup.

The coffee tasted exactly the same.

The only difference was that I hadn't created a mess I'd need to wipe up later.

I've thought about that more than seems reasonable.

How often do we accept a small inconvenience because we're convinced we're saving time, when all we're really doing is moving the inconvenience into the future?

We rush to leave before we've gathered everything.

We interrupt someone because we're afraid we'll forget our thought.

We hurry through the last step of a job, then spend longer correcting what haste created.

The coffee maker doesn't care whether I wait.

Neither does the coffee.

But every morning, the clean warming plate reminds me that a little patience at the end of a process is often the cheapest bargain of the day.

***

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Drive & Listen
This unusual online experience puts you in the passenger seat for a drive through cities around the world, complete with street sounds and local radio. You can cruise through places such as Tokyo, Paris, New York, and Istanbul without an itinerary or plane ticket. It’s a wonderfully simple bit of virtual travel when you feel like seeing somewhere different.

Poetry Foundation – Poem of the Day
A single poem can be just the right amount of reading for a quiet moment, and the Poetry Foundation offers a different selection each day. The choices range across eras, styles, and voices, making it an easy way to encounter writers you might never pick up otherwise. There’s no commitment to a whole book—just one poem and a few minutes to sit with it.

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A bird feeder can turn an ordinary window, porch, or backyard into a front-row seat to nature. Once birds discover a reliable food source, you may begin recognizing regular visitors—and noticing behaviors you previously overlooked.

Black-oil sunflower seed is an excellent all-purpose choice because many common backyard birds eat it. Nyjer seed is especially attractive to finches, while suet can bring woodpeckers, nuthatches, and chickadees.

The Cornell Lab's guide to feeding birds explains which foods attract different species. Avoid filling feeders with bread or table scraps; appropriate seed, suet, and naturally occurring foods are better choices.

Feeders aren't the only way to attract birds. Native flowers, shrubs, and trees can provide seeds, berries, insects, shelter, and nesting areas throughout the year. Enter your ZIP code into Audubon's native plant database to find bird-friendly plants suited to your region.

If you use feeders, keep them clean and periodically remove old or damp food. If you notice sick birds gathering around them, temporarily taking the feeders down can help reduce opportunities for disease to spread.

Part of the fun begins when you can put names to the birds outside your window. The free Merlin Bird ID app can help identify birds from photographs, descriptions, and even their songs and calls.

Keep a small notebook near your favorite viewing spot and record the species you see and when they appear. Over time, you may notice seasonal patterns, new arrivals, and familiar birds returning.

For an extra challenge, consider joining Project FeederWatch, a citizen-science project from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology that invites participants to count the birds visiting their feeding areas.

Bird observation can begin with something as simple as filling a feeder and looking out the window. Before long, that morning cardinal or visiting goldfinch may become a familiar—and eagerly anticipated—part of your day.

Digital signatures make it possible to sign important documents electronically instead of printing, signing, scanning, and sending them back. You may encounter them when handling insurance forms, tax documents, contracts, financial paperwork, or other official business online.

Depending on the system being used, a digital signature can do more than place an image of your handwritten signature on a page. Secure electronic-signature systems can record information such as when a document was signed and help verify whether it was changed afterward.

You may receive a document through a signing service that asks you to review the paperwork, click designated signature fields, and confirm your signature. Once completed, you can usually download a copy for your records.

Treat an electronic signature as seriously as one made with pen and ink. Read the entire document and confirm the names, dates, dollar amounts, and other important terms before signing.

If a signing request arrives unexpectedly, don't use the link immediately. Contact the person or organization through a phone number or website you already trust and confirm that they sent it. Scammers can create convincing fake document-signing emails, so verifying an unexpected request is an important precaution.

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Unmissable American gem: Helena, Montana is a scenic state capital known for its beautifully preserved historic architecture, fascinating Gold Rush heritage, and mountain surroundings that make it an appealing destination for history and nature lovers.

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Today’s clue: Backyard racket sport

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