ever feel you have wasted a day

No I don't feel like that. There are days when I am completely wiped out before I even start the day. So I just get a book or something and lie down with windows usually open. Most of the time I just fall asleep. I don't worry about what needs doing, it doesn't matter. If this is what my body is doing then it is obviously what it needs. You don't have to be doing something all the time. Just looking after myself.

I agree about the work ethic being an issue when you retire. Also i think i do have a tendancy to worry due to all the advise givenout that it is bad for health to inactive for long periods of time.I fret that it will be come to easy just to sit and stare. Today i feel more positive, i am off to cut the grass, sort out some shrubs in the garden and generally potter outside watering etc. If i am busy all morning i dont feel guilty bout a rest in the afternoon, as i can then potter about again in the evening.

I'm past caring now as I think most days are wasted but I worked so hard for over 40 years that I intended to gradually slow down since retirement, plus when illness struck for the first time in my life I had no option but to take things easy. It's paid off because it was 13 years ago that I was told enough was enough, so why should I now care whether everything gets done or not ?
I do what needs doing and that's that. The time still flies by and I'm never bored/lonely.
Then again I have no-one to consider, i.e. husband/partner etc--just 3 cats.

I struggle with guilt if I have a "me" day.

Mr.Gravy since his retirement, however has absolutely no problem doing nothing all day.

I honestly do not think women have the "retirement" gene, as there is always a job that needs doing, whether you have a large house, flat or a granny annexe!!!

It doesn’t really matter how much I do or don’t do I never feel I ve accomplished what I should have and blimey don’t the bedtimes come round quickly I no sooner seem to get up that I m off to bed again

soda I think that is right with regard the work ethic, and difficult to alter your mindset when you retire. Looking back I am not sure how I managed to do what I did in a day. I certainly couldn’t do it now, nor would I want to.

Perhaps we should learn to appreciate the beauty around us and learn to stand and stare.

If I’m at home, just reading, or doing nothing in particular, as soon as I hear my husbands car in the drive I leap up and start rushing around, I’ve no idea why, it’s not like he’s going to accuse me of being lazy.

Jacky I have been humming that to myself too!I've been listening to past desert island discs recently and a comment by comedian Bob Mortimer who has had some issues with depression saying he now loves nothing more than a day full of purposelessness.Me too now after years of buzzing around like a bee working,looking after family.I was always useless at relaxing and it took it's toll on my health.I can still have lots of really busy,productive days but every now and again I push the to do list aside and have a whole afternoon of nothing more than reading,or filling the bird feeder and sitting for ages watching them feast.Or having a snooze.Lovely.

I think most of us were brought up with a strong work ethic which has been with us throughout our lives. It's difficult now to change that and we feel the need to be busy all the time. We should be kinder to ourselves and take time to relax, read a book or just sit in the garden, we have earned it.

Bordersgirl57, I was also brought up to 'make myself useful' and have ideas of plans for the day and achieving targets firmly set in my mind after a very busy working life.

However, I'm retired now so it's my time. I'm slowly adjusting my way of thinking. Some days I just need to recharge my batteries. I don't have to push myself to keep going on hot and humid days - why should I?

Frequently.
I go into the garden to recover. As guess a number of us gardeners do.

I have had a few days like that recently - the hot weather just switches me off and all I can do is languish on the bed in a darkened room. In the evenings I feel I could kick myself as my "to do" list hasn't had anything ticked off it at all.

Sometimes I try and make a plan and include breaks in the schedule which does help a bit.

..... (ambles off into the distance, whistling "Busy doing nothing, working the whole day through/Trying to find lots of things not to do)

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Nope, definitely not, especially when I am indulging in the gentle art of slacking off.

I don’t consider a day wasted if I’m enjoying it, I could happily sit and read all day, or snuggle up on the sofa with my crochet, but if I’ve not achieved anything useful, or done anything enjoyable, I consider it a wasted day

I think sometimes your body and mind needs a day off ! I don't mind sitting doing nothing very much if I'm happy sitting doing nothing . It's when I want to go out and do something , phone around seeing what everyone's doing , looking for something nice to do , everyone's busy or says ' I'll get back to you later' and you waste your time waiting on others . Then it's too late to do anything ! So get out and do your own thing or sit in the house or whatever and enjoy it !

Ditto gillybob.

Wasted days, weeks, months and years too.

Yes, frequently.

You say that you felt wiped out so you needed the rest - to sit about wasn't time wasted - your body needed to recover. It wasn't wasted at all. We can't and shouldn't be frantic all the time.

“What is this life if full of care
We have no time to stand and stare....etc.”

Might have mis-quoted, but we all need to do this sometimes.

You made me smile Minniemoo - my father said the same about my reading - as if it could be bad thing!

I have days now that I’m retired when I do very little and I enjoy them because for 45 years I seemed to chase my tail keeping up with work, home, family and friends. I rarely had a to do nothing except on holiday.

I think we’ve earned our hours/days off, so enjoy the quiet times.

I felt like that on Sunday, my husband went into work for a few hours, while I caught up with the ironing, then one daughter and children called in for couple of hours, then I just caught Sainsbury’s before it shut! It was a beautiful sunny day, and I just wasted it, then back to work on Monday!

I tend to think no day is wasted. Even if I do absolutely nothing. I might be reading, listening to music, watching my tennis, (which I am missing now!) or just gazing at some fact show on TV. I grew up with my father constantly telling me I was wasting my days because I read so much. He expected me to be marching up Snowden at the age of 5. So any day, is a good enough day. As far as I'm concerned.

My dh cut the grass, did some shopping and vacuumed the lounge and hall. He sat down with a cuppa and said I feel I have done nothing today. We all have off days and you had a productive one. TOYA