A recent Bureau of Labor Statistics study broke down just how each age group spends their leisure time. The Huffington Post looked at how retirees -- suddenly flush with free time after years of working -- compare to their younger counterparts. Are you surprised by the findings? Let us know what you think in the comments.



Infographic by Jan Diehm for The Huffington Post.



Earlier on Huff/Post50:




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  • Follow Your Child Back To School


    Mellor cautions against actually purchasing a condo nearby after move-in day...but heading back to class yourself isn't a bad idea. Mellor's own mother completed her degree as a fifty-something, but you could start a little smaller than that -- say, listening to <a href="http://www.ted.com/talks" target="_hplink">TED talks</a> from home.




  • Plan! Dream!


    You're free and the sky's the limit! Above all, Mellor advises, do not fester in "sadness, loneliness and abandonment."




  • Go Camping


    Especially if you've never gone before.




  • Get Re-Acquainted With Your Spouse


    "And that man, sitting across from you at the breakfast table...he looks...familiar," Mellor writes. "You know him, you just don't know how." Use your empty nest time to remember what your relationship with your spouse or partner was like before the kids came along.




  • Have Friends Again


    Mellor even provides a handy recipe for your next party. (That's cocktail party, which means no clowns and balloon animals. Remember those?)




  • Get Off The Couch


    "Our bodies, apparently, will not exercise themselves while we sleep," Mellor observes. Since you must exercise at a certain point, "you might as well find some fun ways to do it." Like dancing!




  • Turn On The Music And Dance 'Naked By Candlelight'


    A favorite strategy of Anna Dello Russo, editor of Vogue Japan, for getting in touch with "the spirit of your outfit," empty nesters can benefit from this tip as well. The empty-nest years are a time to start paying attention to your appearance again, says Mellor, especially if you've gotten into bad habits (mom jeans, anyone?).




  • Do Nothing


    "Learn to be a sloth, and without guilt," Mellon writes. "Wallow in languid inactivity." You've earned it.




  • Become A Concert (Or At Least Living Room) Pianist


    After all those years of coaching your kids through music lessons, you've probably picked up a few things, observes Mellor -- why not indulge yourself with a few lessons?




  • Feather That Empty Nest


    Redecorate that extra room! Make it a yoga studio, or a new TV room. Explore what your space can be like when you're decorating with your needs -- and not Dick or Jane's -- in mind.