Researches have shown that people don't usually want to stop working altogether when they retire because they believe this is the time to work part time, start your own business or make a paying sideline out of a hobby.

Before you retired, you probably looked forward to long stretches of unplanned time. Now that you are retired, you may wonder how you are going to fill up all that time. Researchers found out that retired people who get involved in hobbies are happier and tend to live longer. Here are some hobbies that may help you to stay healthier longer.

Crafts have always been popular hobbies, and there are many stores that can help you find the supplies you need to get started. One of the most popular crafts right now is scrap booking.

Scrap bookers create books filled with memories, using photos, souvenirs and other objects that play into the theme of the book. A scrapbook for wedding might have lacy streamers, rice and pressed flowers, while a book about a soccer team could have team photo, cutouts of soccer balls and the scores clipped from the local paper. It is easy to make scrapbooks without any special skills. As you do more scrap booking, you can make your project as simple or as elaborate as you want. You are also capturing precious memories.

There are many other crafts to explore - making stained glass, knitting and needlework, decorating furniture, wood working, and model building, to name just a few.

Genealogy is another hobby that is incredibly popular. To trace your family tree, start by gathering all the information you can from your family members about people, dates of birth, and family stories. The Internet and your local library can provide many resources to help you in your search. A lot of public records can now be accessed online - genealogy is no longer about spending time in a dusty records office.

Doing genealogy research has some fun side benefits. In your search, you often meet people who are looking for information about the same people you are researching. You can even meet a distant relative. Many people travel to the significant places in their family history, whether it is the next town over, or a return to the "homeland". There is a special thrill in visiting a place connected with your family.

Every family has a history. Genealogy explores each branch of the family tree and leaves a legacy for future generations. No one is ever too young or old for genealogical research but beginners are often stumped how to begin. First, gather information about the family. Begin with immediate family members. Vital statistics include date of birth, place of birth, parent's names and other information (age, occupation, and birthplace), occupation, marriages, divorces, education, and military service. Move up the family tree to grandparents, great-grandparents and beyond - as far as possible without additional research.

Once your knowledge has been exhausted, talk to the elders in the family. Get names, dates, and stories. Ask about old photographs - many families have an old album or boxes of vintage photos stuck away in the attic. If pictures are not identified, ask the oldest member of the family to help in label as many as possible. Search for documents that provide both verification and information. These include birth, death, and marriage certificates, naturalization and citizenship documents, military records, family Bibles, diplomas, or old newspaper clippings.

Volunteering can be rewarding and sociable. Many organisations need volunteers. If you like working with kids, how about doing some tutoring? If you like to organise things, why not get involved in local government, or work with the Red Cross as a coordinator? Look around - whether it is the historical society, or the food bank, there are organisations that could use your help. Being a volunteer makes you feel useful, and gets you involved in the community. You have got a reason to get going in the morning, and folks to talk with when you get there.

Golf is a great retirement hobby to get involved in. This is a relaxed, yet still athletic sport that you can enjoy alone, with a complete stranger, with your significant other, or a friend. If you love the outdoors, spending time with people, and keeping in shape definitely consider Golf as a retirement hobby.

Golf continues to be a traditional past time for retired people in the United States. For many, the prospect of warm and green climates provides motivation to work through the final years of a hard worked and fulfilling career. Golf courses and resorts around the world cater to retired people who enjoy this hobby

Gardening is a very rewarding retirement hobby you can take on. You can enjoy delicious vegetables or fruits you grow yourself or you can simply enjoy the beauty of the many types of flowers and plants you can grow. Gardening is therapeutic, a great way to get light exercise, can be a possible source of income, and can be enjoyed by anyone. Try gardening is a retirement hobby.

Retirement is a time of life when it becomes possible to do many of the things you always wanted to do. For many retirees, gardening is a passion that they were not able to fully explore while a part of the working world. For others, it is something they decided to give a try as a way to spend time now that they no longer have to get up and go to a job. Whichever way you came into the world of gardening, this is one area that offers a lot to the retired person

Building a birdhouse is a very enjoyable retirement hobby. You can use the skills you may already have, and you can help the environment. This hobby also can lead to other hobbies and can even lead to part time income as well. Try building birdhouses as a retirement hobby.

Building birdhouses and maybe even birdfeeders for the wild birds that gather in your neighborhood is not only good for you, but good for the environment as well. Many birds don't have the nesting capabilities they had in the past because of human habitation infringing on their natural habitats. Giving them a place to mate and raise their young is one way to give back to the environment.

Having hobbies is all about doing something fun. You may need to try a few things before you find the perfect hobby for you. Take the time retirement gives you to find new and fun hobbies. You will be happy you did.