Five-Level To-Do List: Activity Framework of a Recent Retiree

Summary

Upon retirement in September 2024 as a Professor VI at Palawan State University, I was suddenly devoid of the administrative, research, and teaching chores usually associated with my academic position. To make myself still productive, I have crafted a five-level framework to guide my daily ‘to-do list’. Level 1 at the bottom is the ‘Do Least’, such as mindless internet surfing. Level 2 is the ‘Do Less’ activities, such as undertaking household chores that I could delegate. Level 3 in the middle is ‘Maintain’ with the example of maintaining the daily average of 8,000 footsteps as part of my health regimen. Level 4 is ‘Do More’ such as learning about less-known topics like financial literacy. Topmost at Level 5 (Do Most) is allocating most of my time to family members and creative writing chores. At age 63, I hope this five-level activity framework will make me a more productive retiree – and guide interested readers as well.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction/Context
  2. Level 1: Do Least (–)
  3. Level 2: Do Less (-)
  4. Level 3: Maintain (+/-)
  5. Level 4: Do More (+)
  6. Level 5: Do Most (++)
  7. Towards a More Productive Retiree

1.     Introduction/Context

Upon retirement in September 2024 as a Professor VI at the Palawan State University in the western Philippines, I found myself with so much time. Suddenly, I no longer had the usual administrative, research, and teaching chores usually associated with my academic position.

Although I still spent some time on chores related to my retirement papers, my first four months until December 2024 had quite been erratic. Feeling retired, I was often awake until the wee hours of the morning, watching YouTube documentaries and mindlessly surfing the internet. I have started to feel like a biblical wanderer – and worse – I have not been able to produce my desired number of creative writing outputs and technical papers.

As my New Year’s resolution, I promised to make myself a more productive individual. Hence, on 1 January 2025, I crafted a five-level framework to guide my daily ‘to-do list’. I graphically present this in the table below.

Level of Activity Description of Activity Arithmetic Equivalent
Level 1 Do Least —
Level 2 Do Less –
Level 3 Maintain +/-
Level 4 Do More +
Level 5 Do Most ++

The first column refers to the level of action or activity. There is a logical progression from Level 1 through Level 5. Hence, the degree of importance is lowest for Level 1 but highest for Level 5. The second column qualitatively describes the action or activity I shall undertake at each level.

The third column visually represents the arithmetic equivalent. Consequently, there are double minus (–) signs for Level 1, as I will do the least sets of activities under this category. For Level 3, there is a combination of both the plus and minus signs (+/-), implying fluctuations in activities, although the bottom line is to maintain them. In the case of Level 5, I associate this with a double plus (++) sign, as I will focus most of my time on the tasks under this category.

This blog aims to describe in sufficient detail the above-cited five-level activity framework. Moreover, I have provided three illustrative examples at each level or category. This has guided my daily to-do list since 1 January 2025.

At 63 years of age and literally in my twilight years, I hope this five-level activity framework will enable me to become a more productive retiree. Or, at the very least, it will make me a happier senior citizen! Moreover, I hope this framework will assist current, if not soon-to-be retirees.

2.     Level 1: Do Least (--)

Level 1 chores are those that I will do the least or undertake at the minimum. These include three chores that I consider as ‘addictive’ – but admittedly, they are damn pleasurable!

One of them is mindless internet surfing. I love watching YouTube documentaries about sports, religions, politics, and ancient civilizations. Such web-based activities, however, often consume too much time but do not produce any tangible outputs.

They also disrupt my biorhythm, particularly my sleeping pattern. At times, before I realized it, the sun had already risen. Why? Because I got so engrossed watching the military exploits of Alexander the Great and the ancient massive infrastructures (such as the Egyptian pyramids and Stonehenge in England) that were supposedly constructed with the help of aliens!

Secondly, I immensely enjoy social gambling with a select group of friends. Although these involve money bets – these are more fun games to catch up with each other in a competitive recreational setting where you want to win entertainingly. In particular, I enjoy playing either Chinese mahjong (Figure 1) or tong its (the Filipino version of American poker). (If my memory serves me right, I once read the claim of Warren Buffet – the world-renowned American investor and philanthropist – that he would be happy to spend time in jail while playing cards with his intimate friends!)

Figure 1. Setting of tiles during a recreational mahjong session with friends. (Note: photo shared by a player who remains anonymous)

At times, I also play online slot machine games. Again, I would not eliminate them but would still engage with them, albeit less frequently. Recreational gambling once or twice a month seems to be reasonable.

The third chore I do the least now is regretting about the past. I have made some crucial mistakes and/or wrong decisions that make me regretful. As a pessimist and a natural introvert, I tend to dwell on them.

At times, these regretful moments tend to drag me down into a negative psychological abyss. Since I can no longer go back in time to correct or rectify them, I try not to dwell on them too often. But boy, being less regretful is a damn difficult habit to acquire!

3.     Level 2: Do Less (-)

I now do less of household chores that I could delegate or outsource to a paid errand. It’s not because I’m lazy – it’s because the time I can save can be used to undertake more productive endeavors. Rather than spending the whole day washing the dishes, cleaning the house, and ironing my clothes, I just pay a house helper (Figure 2) for her services, which cost about PhP580 (US$10). Then, I use the 10 hours I have saved to write my blogs (including this one!) and other creative writing articles.

Figure 2. Engaging the paid services of a house help to undertake cooking, cleaning and dishwashing in Puerto Princesa City, Philippines. (Photo copyright © 2025 by Michael D Pido)

Secondly, I now minimize acceding to external requests or committing to time-consuming errands. I have realized lately that I give too many yesses to various requested chores simply because some people have gotten the habit of asking me to do some stuff for them. An example is reviewing the draft manuscripts of master theses or doctoral dissertations. The review process often takes at least half a day – at the minimum – to accomplish a reasonable review.

The third chore that I do less now is eating at buffet restaurants (Figure 3) with family members and friends. While the social part of dining out is quite enjoyable, binge eating adds unwanted calories, resulting in additional body weight. Although I would still have my share of occasional ‘cheat meals’ – I try to keep this smorgasbord eating to the minimum. One cheat meal every week sounds reasonable.

Figure 3. Breakfast buffet at Princesa Garden Island Resort and Spa in Puerto Princesa City, Philippines, 1 February 2025. (Photo copyright © 2025 by Michael D Pido)

4.     Level 3: Maintain (+-)

There are three key activities that I try to maintain daily. The first is to express my daily gratitude in writing through my journal for the many blessings I still receive. Upon waking up, I silently pray and thank the Almighty for the gift of life – that I am still alive at the age of 63 – for not many Filipinos have reached this stage. Part of this daily gratitude is also giving thanks to my family members and incredible sets of friends and associates.

Heath-wise, I try to maintain a daily average of 8,000 footsteps. That means I walk for about two hours (Figure 4), often spread out throughout the day. This chore is to complement my food reduction in calorie intake. More than half of my creative writing ideas frequently come to mind while walking.

Figure 4. The author walks at Ramon V Mitra Jr Sports Complex in Puerto Princesa City, Philippines. (Photo copyright © 2025 by Michael D Pido)

Thirdly, I request a few friends and colleagues to view my selected blogs or visit my blogging website daily. Unless you specifically ask people, they are unlikely to visit your website or read your blogs voluntarily. More viewers – particularly my readers from over 70 countries – will help promote my website. I plan to transform my website later into an income-generating project. Admittedly, this activity is utilitarian in focus.

5.     Level 4: Do More (+)

Aside from my daily walks, I try to ‘do more’ chores that make me physically active. I enjoy the occasional manual handwashing of clothes as these strengthen my arms and upper body parts. Physical activities include parking the car in the farthest area possible to force myself to walk longer distances. Hence, I also undertake more diversified light exercises such as playing basketball (Figure 5) by myself, using dumbbells, and various stretching techniques.

Figure 5. The author plays basketball at a gym at the Palawan State University, Puerto Princesa City, Philippines. (Photo copyright © 2025 by Michael D Pido)

Secondly, I now spend more time in pursuit of lifelong learning. Chores here include delving into less-known topics, such as learning more about financial literacy. Just like the father of Robert Kiyosaki (author of the best-selling book Rich Dad, Poor Dad), I have a doctorate degree, but I am financially illiterate! And, I am now trying to ‘re-learn’ the guitar, which I used to play during my high school days.

Thirdly, I do more volunteer work – the so-called service to humanity. These include humanitarian work with the Rotary Club of Puerto Princesa (RCPP) and the University of the Philippines Alumni Association (UPAA) – Palawan Chapter. More often, volunteer work with RCPP and UPAA requires sharing our financial resources aside from providing free services for projects and activities. The RCPP has been involved in mangrove reforestation activities for years (Figure 6).

Figure 6. The author (leftmost) during a volunteer activity in mangrove reforestation with members of the Rotary Club of Puerto Princesa in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, Philippines. (Photo copyright © 2025 by Michael D Pido)

Volunteer services mean cheerfully and generously giving to the least fortunate others our three T’s: time, talent, and treasure. Volunteer work or unpaid service to people you do not know are among the most spiritually fulfilling activities where we experience what Abraham Maslow called self-transcendence.

6.     Level 5: Do Most (++)

I try to spend the most time on this topmost Level 5. Foremost, I allocate significant time with my immediate family members (Figure 7). Daily, I interact with my wife and three children face-to-face or remotely through phone or video calls to the extent possible. Moreover, I also give priority time to my intimate friends – the so-called friends for life.

Figure 7. The author and his wife of 38 years were together during a nephew’s wedding at Princesa Garden Island Resort and Spa in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, Philippines, on 1 February 2025. (Photo copyright © 2025 by Michael D Pido)

Secondly, I now attune myself to the more spiritual mode. In short, I now allocate more time to relate with Our Maker. Chronologically, at 63, my ending as a mortal being is already in sight – whether I accept that or not. I am slowly reintegrating into the Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals (BCBP), Puerto Princesa North Chapter. I have been inactive with the BCBP, and now is the time to go back to continue my spiritual journey.

Thirdly, I consciously spend more dedicated time on my creative writing chores. Following The Alchemist of Paolo Coelho, my ‘personal legend’ is to produce creative works beneficial to humanity. It means allotting more time for: (1) writing weekly blogs; (2) producing my first e-book about family relationships by June 2025; and (3) publishing in June 2027 my long-delayed novel, my Magnum Opus, titled The Teleporters. Part of the creative writing process is updating my blogging website (Figure 8). 

Figure 8. Screenshot of the author’s blogging website called ‘Kaleidoscope Views of the World’ (https://huescribbler.com/). (Photo copyright © 2025 by Michael D Pido)

This blogging website has been a meaningful space for me, and I want to make it even better. I’ve been thinking about ways to bring it to life – perhaps through more interactive content, discussions, and even a podcast version of my blogs. But before I dive in, I’d love your input: Would you be interested in a podcast where I talk about these topics? Let me know what you think and what format you’d enjoy most – your feedback will help shape this retiree’s creative journey!

7.     Towards a More Productive Retiree

There is an adage that retirement is what you make it. You can either (1) regard it as a pathway to extinction or (2) view it as a golden opportunity to re-invent yourself. As I received a plaque during the recognition ceremony as a retiree at the Amphitheatre of Palawan State University, I took the second perspective (Figure 9).

Figure 9. The author (in a white jacket) receives a plaque during the recognition ceremony as a retiree at the Amphitheatre of Palawan State University, Puerto Princesa City, Philippines, on 12 November 2024. (Photo credit: Claire Mendoza)

Upon retirement in September 2024, I initially found myself in limbo. Suddenly devoid of the usual administrative, research, and teaching chores associated with my Professor VI position, I let the time slip by – and simply adopted the laissez-faire attitude – come what may.

Starting 1 January 2025, however, I have realized I can still be productive. Moreover, I should not allow external factors to either influence or take over my life. Hence, I have crafted a five-level framework to guide my daily ‘to-do list’ and have provided three illustrative examples at each level.

At 63 and now in my twilight years, I reckon that this five-level activity framework shall enable me to become a more productive retiree. Hopefully, this framework shall guide me – as well as the current and soon-to-be retirees – to become better and more effective helpers of mankind. Returning to Warren Buffet, he argued that our collective calling is to serve humanity.

REFLECTION FOR READERS

Dear Esteemed Reader,

As of January 1, 2025, I have come to a realization: retirement is not the end of my working life – it’s the beginning of a new adventure. Life doesn’t stop here; rather, it offers a fresh opportunity to rediscover my exitance’s purpose, embrace new challenges, and continue making a meaningful impact to the lives of others. More importantly, I refuse to let external factors dictate how I live this chapter of my life.

With this in mind, I crafted a Five-Level Activity Framework to guide my daily to-do list. At each level, I’ve included three illustrative examples to show how small, intentional actions can shape a fulfilling and engaging retirement.

At 63, as I navigate my twilight years, I see this framework not just as a personal tool but as a guide for current and soon-to-be retirees who wish to continue growing, learning, and contributing. Warren Buffet once said that our collective calling is to serve humanity, and I am inclined to believe now that retirement is not a cul de sac – rather, it’s a shift in how we could still make ourselves as productive individuals.

But what about you? If you’re already retired, how are you spending this new chapter? Have you pursued new passions, taken up hobbies, or found new ways to contribute? And if you’re approaching retirement, what do you envision for yourself?

I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Let’s make this space interactive – your insights and experiences matter, and together, we can redefine what it means to embark on this exciting new journey.

Copyright © 2025 by Michael D Pido