Do you ever just do nothing?

Sleeping in the day or gazing into the fish pond. Highly recommend.

When I first gave up work, I really struggled with doing nothing but now I've got it down to a fine art and don't feel guilty anymore. We now don't get up very early, too many early starts with commuting and long days worked in the past, then do some jobs and try to relax in the afternoons. It does take some getting used to though.

Yes I often do nothing - reading, looking at things on my ipad, watching TV, sleeping etc. I do suffer with fibromyalgia so I'm not always up to masses of activity but I do try to swim at least 3 times a week. My two closest friends are real workaholics, never happy unless they're on their feet, busy . I often wonder just exactly what they're doing as both are retired and the one has rarely left the house since the advent of covid. DH is a bit similar, he's always got some project on the go. DMIL, long gone now, said when I was first married to always take time out to have a breather & I've always thought of that - not that she ever did, she was always doing something but I guess her main love, gardening, would count as nothing.

Just to add I often do nothing.

Welcome Gordon Geejay

We're busy doin' nothin'
Workin' the whole day through
Tryin' to find lots of things not to do
We're busy goin' nowhere
Isn't it just a crime
We'd like to be unhappy, but
We never do have the time

I have to watch the river
To see that it doesn't stop
And stick around the rosebuds
So they'll know when to pop
And keep the crickets cheerful
They're really a solemn bunch
Hustle, bustle
And only an hour for lunch

La-la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la

We're busy doin' nothin'
Workin' the whole day through
Tryin' to find lots of things not to do
We're busy goin' nowhere
Isn't it just a crime
We'd like to be unhappy, but
We never do have the time

I have to wake the Sun up
He's liable to sleep all day
And then inspect the rainbows
So they'll be bright and gay
I must rehearse the songbirds
To see that they sing in key
Hustle, bustle
And never a moment free

We're busy doin' nothin'
Workin' the whole day through
Tryin' to find lots of things not to do
We're busy going nowhere
Isn't it just a crime
We'd like to be unhappy, but
We never do have the time

I have to meet a turtle
I'm teachin' him how to swim
Then I have to shine the dewdrops
You know they're looking rather dim
I told my friend, the robin
I'd buy him a brand new vest
Hustle, bustle
We never do have
We never do have
We never do, never do
Never do, never do, never do have the time
Never do have the time

I too do all my chores in the morning and then the days is mine. I refuse to feel guilty for just “being”.

I love to get everything over and done with in the morning sometimes a casserole or spag bol for supper. Then after lunch I watch 1 pm news and relax with a book or as the weather is bad a static hobby.
DH is always looking for a job to do. I retired some years before him and got all the bustling around done. The last two days I have spent a lot of time on Facetime with a DD and a friend. If the sun is shining but bitterly cold I love just looking at the garden and the birds.

Since the pandemic started I've become quite lazy and often do nothing for a week at a time. OH does the cooking and dishes.
Then I look around the house and start cleaning before it gets out of control. Spent too many years working shifts of up to 60hrs a week while taking in students and doing an online college course at the same time.
Time to relax more now I'm retired

@ geeljay nice to have you around Gordon, hope your coping with things ?

Welcome aboard. All are welcome

I would never describe reading as "doing nothing"! It has been and still is an important part of my everyday life since I learnt to read when I was five.

DH reads the news every morning on his computer and listens to it on the local and national radio as well, then we discuss what is going on in the world as such and locally.

Neither that or chatting to friends or neighbours is doing nothing in my book.

Yes, I do sometimes just do nothing - in the sense of sitting looking at the sky or the garden (not at this time of the year, there is nothing to look at) or deliberately lie on the sofa or my bed and clear my mind of all thoughts, This never lasts long though.

Jobs in the morning. Nap afternoon read,computer and TV until bedtime

Read GN not ready

What a lovely thread. Yes, I can spend hours daydreaming and really don’t worry about it. Like others on here I spent 45 years as a single mum working full time and running a house and garden. I now enjoy looking after my grandchildren every so often and do tend to get out most days but also love scrolling through GN for an hour or so.

We were brought up believing it’s lazy to do nothing but as far as I’m concerned it’s one of the benefits of retirement.

Welcome Geeljay - i don’t often post but ready GN every day

If I am purposeless for too long the depression starts to raise its ugly head, having nowhere to go and nothing to do and no one to meet can be grim. But if I can achieve something purposeful and am physically tired a lazy time is very welcome - it may involve a hot, foaming bath and a good book, or practising a bit of “mindlessness”.

'I'm busy doing nothing, w
orking the whole day through, trying to find lots of things not to do
I'm busy going nowhere, isn't it such a crime. I'd like to be unhappy but I really don't have the time!'

All the time, kircubbin2000, all the time. I know I should move much more than I do and that does worry me a bit.

My favourite hobby ??

geeljay

Hello ladies of Gransnet. Hope you don't mind an old granpa rejoining. My late wife was a member for some years and we
found your site both friendly and informative. Just nice for me to keep in touch with views and contribute now and again.Regards Gordon.

geeljay Hello! (waves)

geeljay welcome to the group ?

I agree, Doodledog, but after 70+ years of getting up early, because I had to, I suppose it's hard to shake off the feeling that I should be 'up and about.' My Fitbit tells me that I rarely sleep more than 7 hours, anyway, so I'm not exactly a sluggard!?
My DD, who works very hard, often spends 11 hours in bed on Sat/Sunday, and has no guilty feelings whatsoever!

Oh, forgot to add that I'm not even in my 60s yet, I'm only 53, I am disabled and unable to work but even so, I spend most of my days with my nose in a book or watching TV.

I fidget too much if I sit too long, although in the darker evenings I can settle better in front of the TV. Roll on Spring.

The Protestant work ethic runs deep in my Scottish DNA, but I am working hard to overcome it! I generally do quite a lot in the morning, whether it be laundry, walking the dog etc., then have the afternoons to myself so to speak. I too get exhausted by some friends who rush around from place to place, being helpful, voluntering, babysitting etc., I love waking up in the morning with nothing planned. I do volunteer two mornings a week, just enough.