In a long US study of adults in midlife, people who fell short of what they expected of themselves in passing things on to the next generation had worse wellbeing. Evidence: decent It's correlational. Feeling low could make you feel you've fallen short, not only the other way round.
When a role ends, the expectation usually stays and the outlet goes. Writing the list makes it small enough to meet. That's my reading, not a tested method. Evidence: worth trying
Fixing a boiler, reading a contract, getting a nervous team through a bad week. It counts.
Same theme: When the role ends
When the role ends
Book a standing shift, not a favour
In the first month after a role ends, sign up for one weekly shift somewhere that will notice if you don't turn up. A rota, not a favour.
2 hours a weekEvidence: decent
When the role ends
Mentor one named person
Pick one younger person by name: at work, in your trade, in the family. Offer them an hour a month and ask what they're stuck on.
1 hour a monthEvidence: worth trying