Do you ever just do nothing?

I often do nothing. Then again I often have lots of things to do all on one day so doing nothing occasionally doesn't matter. I like sitting watching TV and knitting. Its not a problem. I go to keep fit or Zumba a couple of times a week and I walk to the shops at least once a week. I'm sure thats enough. In Spring and Summer I do a bit more as I do basic gardening and a bit of house maintenance. Winter is always a do nothing sort of Season for me. It takes all sort to make a world.

I hate the glorification of being busy We are retired we don't have a routine we get up when we wantgo to bed when we want (not just to sleep) Get out and about but equally may not go out for days Oh and shock horror for some GNers we often lounge in dressing gowns ALL DAY I've read 4 books this week but I'm also a carer24/7

I have two types of doing nothing. When I feel very depressed or anxious, find making decisions of any kind difficult and either just sit about or sit there knowing I should do something but have difficulty making a start. Once I have begun something I am a bit better. Then when I am feeling better I look round at all the jobs I have not noticed waiting to be done and feel the need to catch up and get something sorted. But then I take pleasure in seeing the sun coming through the window, looking at a few flowers I have picked in the garden and for me the prime reason to sit quietly is if there is any Bach on the radio. for me Bach has the highest level of attention. No banging about while I listen and it is lovely to just sit with eyes closed and feel part of the music. The most calming and wonderful sound that gives me pleasure and hope for the future. When I sit listening to this I never feel guilty or think of other things I could be doing

Only if I am ill. Then I read or watch tv. For me, life is too short to do nothing and having had two health scares , I make the most of everything tbh.

Hello Geeljay. Welcome to this merry band.
Some days I’m busy but work at a suitable pace being mindful I can do what I want.
Just being well is a blessing these days x

I have just returned from singing at the funeral of a man of 66. A very worthy man. He was always rushing about, getting involved in charitable causes, and never seemed to relax. He died, suddenly, from a heart attack.
I brought up 5 children, and fostered many more. Looked after a husband who worked shifts, so meals were being cooked at strange times of day. I worked part time until I finally retired at 70.
Now I'm 82, widowed, the children are all settled and I have no pets. I can do exactly what I please, which means that housework gets done when I'm in the mood for it. I go shopping, for a walk, or sometimes meet friends, when the mood takes me. I eat what I want, at whatever time I feel like eating. I often spend a day doing nothing but relaxing with a book, knitting, watching tv or on my iPad. I go to bed when I'm ready. Anywhere between 11pm and 2am, and get up when I wake, whenever that may be.
The only thing that I can't shake off feeling guilty about is getting up late in the morning! A niggling little voice at the back of my mind tells me off for being in bed when I 'should' be up and about. The other morning my neighbour, who has two large dogs and is an 'early to bed, early to rise' person knocked on my door at 9am, waking me up. When I appeared in my dressing gown and she asked if she had wakened me I felt compelled to fib and say that I'd been up for a while.
Why should I feel guilty? I spent many years cooking breakfast for my husband at 4.30, and working in my local newsagents' from 6am. I wish my little nagging voice would go away!

Love sitting and doing, I habit of looking out the window in our living room, watching people going by or reading at the moment Barack Obamas book, on my iPad, browsing. Nothing like it.

Don't feel guilty GreenGran.

My mum does that, and it's such a waste of energy (the guilty, I mean). She misses things on TV because they are 'on too late', and when I ask why she doesn't stay up and watch them, she says that if she stays up late she would struggle to get up on time in the morning. In time for what is never clear.

I know she disapproves when I lie in, which I regularly to, as like you I am a night owl. After decades of setting the alarm for work I refuse to feel guilty if I sleep late now that I can. I think I have more waking hours than my mother anyway, so what difference does it make whether they are early in the day or late at night?

Grandma 70 reading is doing nothing it is "being"

I've only just picked this thread up because I was asleep until almost 11, then made coffee and came back to bed. I've been reading and watching TV and only picked the phone up to read emails etc at about 1.45, so in answer to the OP, yes, I most certainly do just nothing, in a very regular basis!

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.

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.

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 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!

geeljay welcome to the group ?

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)

My favourite hobby ??

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

'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!'

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”.

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

Read GN not ready

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

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.

Welcome aboard. All are welcome