Lazy days

Oh my goodness I have been feeling so guilty. Retired 10 years and gradually doing less. The house is still clean and tidy but I’ve cut out the unnecessaries.
When I worked full time I also did much more housework often not getting sat down until 9.30pm. Now I do much less I wonder what I previously found to do. Nowadays I find that careful handling during laundry can cut out almost all ironing of clothing. No more ironing of sheets and duvet covers though I do iron pillow cases.
Vacuum about once a week and a quick mop. Toilets as needed and sinks wiped and a quick polish with the towel after use.
Oven professionally cleaned once a year.
As someone mentioned earlier… plumping the cushions can make it look like you’ve done a day’s work.

I can quite happily pot-potter in the garden. No heavy labouring.
It’s all a pleasure with a bit of dead heading and encouraging the sprouts which are already about 12” tall.
I had been feeling I was heading down the slippery slope towards idleness but I’m not actually idle ….. I manage to read about 3 books each week. ?

My stbxh retired 4 years ago and didn't show an ounce of guilt when he got up late did feck all then went to the pub whilst I was still working. Soon learned that if he didn't cook tea he didn't eat and I stopped doing housework etc so it didn't get done as he never did any. Stbxh for a reason and now I live alone in my own home and can please myself. I do work but was furlough Ed for most of last year and enjoyed being "lazy" and can't wait to retire and be "lazy" again.

I have to do something productive every day otherwise I feel like the days been wasted. Spend time cleaning, sorting, gardening and allotment to look after, walking the dog, making lego and other small crafts, cooking and baking. Hubbie does all the decorating although I arrange the ‘to do list’? Tomorrow I need to set up my new raised bed in the allotment so will be up early to take the dog out first. Love it at 64 to still be able to do everything and find time to volunteer for one day a week and on Saturday mornings.

Thanks for the flowers henetha.

So sorry Dryginger. It must be difficult therefore.

I know 4am is early I just cant help it. Its my body clock.

4 am? Gosh. Why?

I'm 73 and married to a man who has lots of health issues that mean he can do very little "work" due to a back injury that means he is in constant pain and struggles to bend or turn etc. I do the housework and the cooking, and what little gardening there is to do - but in common with many others, sometimes all I do is get up, get showered and make the main meals!
If I "work" for long, my husband lacks for my company. I can't drive, and like him, can't walk far - so other than shopping, we have no social activities. Fortunately, we live in a beautiful village in the far north of Scotland, and have a view of the sea and two old castles!
Getting motivated is a problem for us too, as the only person we see is our "postie".

I sometimes get up,come down and watch daytime television,have lunch, watch more television, have ready meal dinner, watch evening television. All whilst on my iPad, then go to bed . This behaviour will kill me no doubt, clogging my arteries, but I really really can’t be bothered to do anything. You are very much not alone . ????

If, on the rare occasion I have a lazy day I feel like crap. I just can’t do it. I’ve been blessed with a lot of energy.
Before the first lockdown I volunteered for 2 days, did my garden, helped with my daughters.
Then the crap hit the fan and 2 separate households were told by their gardeners that it was unsafe to come and work ( neither of these people leave the house so often I don’t see them ?) So I was asked if I would do these 2 gardens from then on. I love it.
Still do my charity shop help. Painting inside and out of our bungalow.
I’m also one of those oddballs that has no problem with all forms of housework, although I don’t cook ?
I support a neighbour who is in the early stages of dementia so anything can crop up there.
Then there’s the enjoying company with friends ?

I think it takes a long while to settle into retirement. Also if you’ve been used to a busy life it can sometimes be hard to just ‘relax’ but it’s equally as important as exercise so some days it’s fine to not do a lot. Enjoy .

Its funny I retired in Jan so I was working when we had the 1st lock down, work was good because I have R A they sent me home to shield.
I did everything when I was off those 2 months I did all the house everyday, I baked, made jam exercised every day. I have one of those twist and shape machines, at the moment its got my face
masks on it I look at it everyday thinking I must do it but I always make some excuse not too. I told my DH that I was lazy and he said your retired your allowed.

This is an interesting discussion, I’m 58, so not retired but I was put out of work just before the pandemic struck last year. I spent the last year at home with DH who worked from home and was technically shielding. A couple of weeks ago I started applying for jobs as I’d had both vaccines, so has he. I got a job in a family small shop and it was awful! The disrespect and lack of legal break-times was staggering. So I told them to get stuffed! DH said I don’t have to work if I don’t want to, we don’t need the income.
I realise I’ve spent the last year wracked with guilt as I’ve been “skiving”. Now I can sit in my garden, enjoying the sun and just chilling, I’ve done my share of 12 hour night-shifts for years. I can now enjoy my leisure, I’ve earned it, and if I find a nice job, that would be a bonus.

I love being lazy! OH is away for a couple of days so today is one of those lazy days although I have made the bed and cleaned my shower cubicle,sink and taps. I have started a book, sat in the garden and just sat! Ive chatted to my son on the phone and also to a friend. So my day has been exceptionally lazy. Loved every minute. Not cooking tonight either. Work tomorrow so I expect I will get the partial grumps later

So happy to read all these messages. I am 64 and bone idle..... I just do the bare minimum. I do feel guilty but just can’t be bothered to do much at all. I had to keep house for my dad and brother from the age of 11, went to work at 17 and raised three sons. Would love to help with my grandchildren but they live in a different country. Thanks for all being lazy too ?

I read somewhere that if you make your bed you can feel satisfied you have one job done for the day.

I read somewhere that a day doing nothing is not a day wasted if you enjoyed it.

During the lockdown, I've gone from moaning about walking to the postbox a short way away to now walking at least 3 miles a day. I quite enjoy it if do nothing for the rest of the day.

I guess it is rather OCD of me, but I make a list every day of what I would like to achieve. I don't always get it all done, but at least the important bits are. And there is no pleasure quite like ticking off all the things you've done. I've even been known to add things after they have been done for the sheer joy of putting a tick against them.
That said, I am lecturing for a couple of hours twice a month, helping care for grandchildren, helping run our property business and knitting and sewing.

Dryginger ,
I can relate to this .I think the lockdowns have a lot to answer for it’s taking me a while to ‘rehabilitate’and get going again trying to remember what we were all doing two years ago a lot of rushing around by the looks of my diary .Also we have nt had the grandchildren to look after because they are in Australia ?.We no longer have to worry about my elderly Mum and my partners brother anymore either because sadly they passed away last year. There’s been a big hole in our lives ,it’s taking a while to adjust to being unlocked and ‘doing’.
So just relax and learn to do nothing because you deserve it ?.

I have learned after being retired for 15 years to go with the flow.

Feel lazy? I think I’d rather say your body is telling you to relax.

Other days - the odd few?- I go through things like a dose of salts, doesn't last but hey Ho.

I get up early, I’ve always been a lark, but I have no desire to do anything after about 6pm.

That’s when I see some neighbours opposite busy in their garden. I feel a bit guilty, but then realise their curtains are not drawn until about 9am, when I have returned from my weekly shop and have hung a load of washing on the line.

Each to his or her own.

I get to the evening I think what I've done that day and then realise not very much. Sadly that's every evening so I think I need to get my mojo back or I'll need a new wardrobe of clothes.

I still get this guilt trip if I do nothing . I was always super busy with lots of kids, work, social things etc. I still have a lot to do because of the things I am involved with but I feel bad if I have a day off. Protestant work ethic or something. Quite annoying.

Oh and I have put a stone on too. I wish I could get a dog then I WOULD HAVE TO!! go for walks, but my cat would go nuts , he dosent seem to mind me lolly about as long as he gets fed.?

there is zero point in being retired if you can't do naff all when you feel like it