Do you ever just do nothing?

I feel guilty if I’m not doing something. I can’t sit and do nothing, I have to be knitting or crocheting when the television is on.
DH doesn’t expect me to be doing something, he can happily just sit.
Maybe one day I will learn to ‘just be’ ?

MissAdventure

"Sometimes I sits and thinks, and sometimes I just sit".

Dolce Far Niente (Italian) means The Sweetness of Doing Nothing.

The French say "L'Art de ne rein fairer".

Both the French and the Italian take leisure very seriously and follow their maxims with almost religious fervour, and of course it's not only the Spanish who indulge in siestas.

I've always thought it very telling that there are no real equivalents to these sayings in the English Language.Like an earlier poster said, I think there's some residual Puritan ethos or Protestant work ethic underlying this need to always be busy or at least to be perceived to be busy.

So many people seem to equate being busy with being productive, whilst of course we know that isn't always necessarily the case.

I'm with John Lennon who said "the time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time". ?

I spend a lot of time preparing meals cooking is my passion. When I have finished I slip out the back door to put bird food out and nuts for squirrels. Then I sit on my high stool and watch who comes for food. I love it as it's very relaxing and enjoyable welcome to geeljay.

Well, I think that reading, browsing on the iPad, watching tv, etc, is not doing “nothing”, but for some, these activities might seem less worthwhile than going out and about socialising, child minding, housework, day trips out, etc. Not for me, though. I do quite a lot of the former, and enjoy them, too. However, some days are definitely fuller than other days. I’m with BlueSky, after years of getting up early and rushing about, I am now enjoying doing exactly what I feel like doing when I feel like doing it, and rarely follow a timetable. I don’t feel that I have to fill every day doing busy things. I do a mixture of things, sometimes going out, sometimes not.

Yes, but say I'm meditating.

AuntieFlo - that's what i was going to write!
An old friend used to say "Sometimes I sit and think. And sometimes I just sit"
But I enjoy watching the birds too. My chair is opposite the front room window and after filling their grain feeder I plonk myself down and enjoy watching their fight for food. There are 2 fat woodpigeons who tend to dominate, but when they go there's enough for the pair of robins and big family of coaltits. And others.

Too good these days! It doesn’t come naturally, is that from my catholic work ethic? Always worked since I was 11, now it’s a strange feeling when I’m sitting with a book or the iPad and nothing to do.

I always start off with a good long dog walk, then try to do other house /garden/allotment jobs if I have the energy. Otherwise I will sit with feet up for a couple of hours, go on gransnet, read, sometimes a few episodes of a box set.

I consider this ‘sitting down and doing nothing’ vital as it gives me enough energy to do stuff later.

Very rarely during the week my husband is still working more than full time and as the office is attached to our house I feel very guilty if I do nothing. I also work for our company but much less hours and usually at weekends when the office is empty

"Sometimes I sits and thinks, and sometimes I just sit".

After a lifetime of getting up early and rushing out, now the days are mine to do exactly what I feel like doing. I will go out during the afternoon, usually walking or browsing around the shops. Evenings taking it easy, watching tv, browsing the net, reading and napping. No pressure to socialise, bliss!

Regularly.

Welcome jeeljay!
Oh I struggle to do nothing - I'm a real busybee. I wish I could just sit and contemplate, but I have to be doing something. I do however try to finish my jobs by late afternoon and then relax - scrolling on ipad or watching TV (usually cookery programmes or the news). After our evening meal I just watch more TV or read. Gone are the days when after the children had gone to bed I used to get the sewing machine out and sew until midnight!

I am really good at doing nothing, and have barely moved from the sofa today, and yes, I do feel guilty.

Since when was reading “doing nothing”?

What ho geeljay! Welcome.
I seem to spend hours doing nothing much at all beyond surfing internet, reading or immersing myself in TV dramas. I do feel guilty if I don't do at least one substantial activity a day like shopping or volunteer session or even just doing a big washing.

Sometimes I just sits. ☺️

I am a past master at doing nothing.
I spent years at the beck and call of children, then the older generation and now I am the oldie. Right now I am waiting for OH to present lunch (which looks delicious). Then I may go for a swim.

Welcome jeeljay. It is always good to hear from grandpas too.

Good to hear from you geeljay hope you continue to enjoy GN

I am up dressed and showered by 8. Then I get on with my jobs. Sometimes finished by 10. Then I write for a while, make lunch then read or very rarely watch afternoon tv. Sometimes I just sit and dream and think. No rush to do anything. Lovely

Mindfulness helps me to be at ease with just 'being', which while it might look like doing nothing, is actually self-care. So doing nothing is not doing nothing!

I love doing nothing, if that includes reading or puzzles or jigsaws. This week I’ve been on call for covering so much Covid absence that ‘doing nothing’ looks incredibly inviting.

This afternoon I have done nothing except watch the pottery throw down on telly. I frequently do nothing as the rest of the time I do lots ?. I feel no guilt, except when the window cleaner appears and then I have to do stuff in case he thinks I'm lazy.

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.