To find Bank Holiday Monday annoying!

igelkott2026 · Today 15:11
Bank holidays are more guilt-inducing when you're middle-aged and no longer filling the day to keep the kids occupied. You feel you deserve to not feel obliged to do anything. So instead you do nothing

Yes I think this is an issue for me too. I feel like I should do something with the day and I don't want to, housework is boring. And DH will do something in the garden which makes me feel even more guilty. Maybe this is why people mow their lawns and/or wash their cars all the time, because they feel guilty/don't know what to do with themselves otherwise!

A work colleague mentioned I don't take all my leave and this is why - at least when I am working I can justify not doing housework! If I am on leave I can't justify sitting around watching Netflix (or in my case reading books).
Im finding this post hard to understand as I cant relate to it at all!
Im not disputing your or the other posters feelings but I struggle to understand that it has to be house work or not being able to watch Netflix or something. ( watching Netflix on a rainy bank holiday is ace!).
Do you struggle relaxing or not have hobbies?
I look forward to the bank holidays as generally dh, who is self employed takes them and I like to plan something for us to fo. I dont like going somewhere where I know is going to be popular so Yorkshire Dales certain parts of the Lake District and the Peak District are ruled out but we do usually have some good days or weekends over Bank holidays.

Bank holidays are more guilt-inducing when you're middle-aged and no longer filling the day to keep the kids occupied. You feel you deserve to not feel obliged to do anything. So instead you do nothing

Yes I think this is an issue for me too. I feel like I should do something with the day and I don't want to, housework is boring. And DH will do something in the garden which makes me feel even more guilty. Maybe this is why people mow their lawns and/or wash their cars all the time, because they feel guilty/don't know what to do with themselves otherwise!

A work colleague mentioned I don't take all my leave and this is why - at least when I am working I can justify not doing housework! If I am on leave I can't justify sitting around watching Netflix (or in my case reading books).

Agree, it would make more sense to have one then. And make sure half term is before the clocks go back so people can make the most of the time off.

Having two in May and just after Easter makes no sense.

There’s another bank holiday coming up soon so plan for that. Do any chores as soon as you can then have the rest of the weekend doing something nice.
I met a friend for a walk and coffee this morning, dd and I tackled her bedroom, read my book, bbq this evening just for our family so just an easy simple one.
Nothing amazing but it saved me from that annoyed feeling.

I'd love a bank holiday off. Silly career choice on my part to be fair; the service industry carries on as normal only busier on bank holidays and no, I don't get it back as holiday. If I'd have had it off I no doubt would have buggered about in the garden doing very little.

We had a very similar day so reading about yours made me feel better! :)

What places? Parks are open. Art galleries are open. Pubs and restaurants. Supermarkets. Gyms and leisure centres. The cinema.
I mean the banks are closed but the clue's in the name

I don't find bank holidays annoying. I find my attitude annoying. I start with great intentions, end up staying too late on Sunday nights because I can, and then waking up too late. Then thinking "well, I've wasted half the morning now so I may as well stay in bed even longer and watch crap on my phone".

Then I get up and think "well, I've got to have something to eat soon, I've missed breakfast, so I can't think about going out clothes shopping right now."

I have something to eat, then think "oh, I'm full of food, I'll sit down with a cuppa and let my lunch/brunch digest". End up doom scrolling or falling asleep. Then I think "well it's getting late now, shops will be closing soon and I haven't cleaned the bathroom like I was meant to." Wander about the house putting off cleaning the bathroom "because it's a bank holiday and I don't want to waste it cleaning the bathroom!".

And repeat until now.
I haven't done absoLUTELY nothing this weekend. On Saturday and Sunday, I have done a couple of loads of washing, done some cleaning in the kitchen, done a food shop, been to see my mum yesterday.

But I always have plans to be productive with the extra day, deep cleaning everywhere or decluttering or doing n loads of work in the garden and instead I self-sabotage, watching travel vlogs most of the day. At least the result of that is that I think DH and I have decide to plan a bucket list trip to Alaska next year, so not all bad. 😆

Bank holidays are more guilt-inducing when you're middle-aged and no longer filling the day to keep the kids occupied. You feel you deserve to not feel obliged to do anything. So instead you do nothing.

Some of us don’t get bank holidays off and it’s a normal work day, enjoying complaining about your wasted time to spend how you want.

I love them. I only get Sundays off work so an extra day is mint. I don't care if it's productive or not. It's just off work.

I took Friday as my bank holiday and worked today. A decision based entirely on the weather.

I didn't like this one because I was to ill to enjoy it so spent nearly all day in bed.

I usually love a bank holiday because if the weather's good we'd have a BBQ and have all of our 5 grown up DC and our DIL around(only 2 still at home)that or we'd go out somewhere nice.

I would much prefer to work and take a day off in lieu when every Tom, Dick and Harry isn't off, and everywhere isn't full of children. I just hate Bank Holiday crowds... Everyone is off so everywhere is rammed, and prices are ramped up, plus they introduce minimum stay rules on campsites etc.

I tend to enjoy doing nothing much to make the most of enforced time off at an unsuitable time. I have listened to my audiobook, taken part in a solitary hobby, been to a gym class I love, but don't usually get to do as I work on a Monday, plus done some things in the garden that needed doing. I batch cooked both a lunch and dinner meal. It's about making the most of the cards we are dealt and even though it's not what I would choose, I have had a lovely balanced day.

It's a day off work, what's not to like. I've played padel for 2.5 hours, come home knackered so had a snooze on the sofa. Watched a film. Nothing major but nice. Definitely better than working

I had a lovely day, my partner was off work so we took our two children to the transport museum, went for a lovely walk in the park in the afternoon and then a takeaway for dinner. Perfect!

I find it annoying as it’s my usual day off and now I feel like I’ve been short changed of my quiet day

Monday is my non working day so I'm always off but it does mean that I get the hours off to take at another time so that's a bonus!
What made it better than any normal Monday is I got to spend it with my husband and 2 lovely children instead. Nothing exciting but we had a chilled out Morning, visit to a Historic House and Gardens with lunch, back home to build Lego, then burgers and a movie. Nothing exciting but just time spent with my favourite people.

Why don’t you do something with the day then?! I went on a run, went shopping, had lunch out, went to a National Trust place, did some knitting, watched a film, walked my dog, had a nap. Now I’m going to bed early with a book!

I wouldn’t have considered it wasted even if I’d done nothing but lie on the sofa with cups of tea, reading my book.

I don't know anywhere that was closed today. Had a rotten week last week and boiler was condemned so went swimming with my son, mainly so that I could have a hot shower.

I too have had a great day.

Coffee in bed
2 loads of laundry done
Huge pile of ironing sorted (including 15 pillowcases!)
3 new plants sorted
Long hot shower, hair wash, body scrub, body lotion.
Took time to do my make up, listening to Tony Blackburn Soul Show on R2
Headed to work for 3 hours and got paid very well for my Bank Holiday ‘pain’
Heading home now, will put pjs on and watch an hour or so of telly before bed by 11.

Lovely day.

Sort of agree Op. Whilst it’s nice to have the day off it’s a weird non day.
Shops are Sunday hours but everywhere to visit is packed. Hard to know what to do.

I’ve just finished a 12 hour shift at work. We were fully staffed for a change because we get paid time and a half for bank holidays 🤣🤣

just got home and had a chocolate orange baileys then I am going to read in bed. 4 days off back in work on Saturday.

Bank holiday weekends in my 20s had a specific purpose, these days it’s just another day I need to entertain DD. Yawn.