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Original poster

Would this routine tire you?

102 replies

peachygood · 08/12/2022 06:22

And if so, how many days a week could you manage it?

5.45am-7.15am - up, feed dog, get showered and ready for work
7.15-8.15/8.30 drive 50 miles to work
8.30-5pm - work
5-6pm either keep working or go to gym
6-7pm drive 50 miles home
7-7.30pm walk dog
7.30-8.30 cook and eat dinner, put a load of washing on, general housework
8.30-9pm relax, watch TV, play on phone
9pm bed and generally fall asleep by 10/10.30pm

I’m exhausted! But it doesn’t seem like a particularly busy schedule. Any tips for helping me feel less tired?

OP posts:
Willmafrockfit · 08/12/2022 07:48

do you get out for a walk at lunch time?

i should imagine walking the dog in the evening is a good chance to unwind personally.

WonderingWanda · 08/12/2022 07:58

I did something similar for my 20's when it was just me and dh. It was doable because any downtime was mine alone. However, now with kids I cannot fit all that in an am more exhausted by the additional life admin I do for them. I am hoping as they get older and more independent I will have more time for me but am now in my 40's and have no interest in a punishing schedule.

Flapjackquack · 08/12/2022 08:01

Ah my bad I read feed dog as walk dog because I figured that’s why you needed 1.5hrs to get ready in the morning! In that case get everything ready the night before for work. In the morning it’s a quick shower, dressed and out. Not sure why 1.5hrs would be needed.

EarringsandLipstick · 08/12/2022 08:02

peachygood · 08/12/2022 06:22

And if so, how many days a week could you manage it?

5.45am-7.15am - up, feed dog, get showered and ready for work
7.15-8.15/8.30 drive 50 miles to work
8.30-5pm - work
5-6pm either keep working or go to gym
6-7pm drive 50 miles home
7-7.30pm walk dog
7.30-8.30 cook and eat dinner, put a load of washing on, general housework
8.30-9pm relax, watch TV, play on phone
9pm bed and generally fall asleep by 10/10.30pm

I’m exhausted! But it doesn’t seem like a particularly busy schedule. Any tips for helping me feel less tired?

Not remotely. And I'm not being snippy.

If I wrote my daily schedule you'd hardly believe it - I spend every evening on the road w kids to sports activities, after a busy day in work. I'm a single parent.

My weekends are worse - leaving at 8 on Saturdays to be out at multiple matches, often overlapping & in different locations, home in the evening. I squeeze housework into early morning slots before I head out.

Anyway, that's not sustainable, and I'm exhausted; when I finally manage to get divorced I am hoping I will be able to organise finances enough to get a cleaner.

Your day sounds busy, and the drive is hard, but you have down time, exercise, time to cook & do daily housework.

EarringsandLipstick · 08/12/2022 08:05

Flapjackquack · 08/12/2022 08:01

Ah my bad I read feed dog as walk dog because I figured that’s why you needed 1.5hrs to get ready in the morning! In that case get everything ready the night before for work. In the morning it’s a quick shower, dressed and out. Not sure why 1.5hrs would be needed.

I need about 1.5 hours to get ready too. I'm very slow!
I don't usually get that; I have that time but I'm fitting in chores, sorting kids etc, so I often do make up in the car, let hair dry on journey to work, doing a quick straighten when I get there

TheYearOfSmallThings · 08/12/2022 08:07

It's the hundred miles of driving - I can't even imagine doing that every day.

Oblomov22 · 08/12/2022 08:10

Blimey. I'm permanently knackered anyway, and I don't do half of that.

Timeforachangeisitnot · 08/12/2022 08:13

Could you go to the gym at lunch time - maybe plan to work until 5.30 but take the extra time as lunch break? You don’t mention a lunch break - please take one and step away from work if you can.
I have lived a similar life in the past, including a long commute, and ultimately I realised too much of my life was given over to work , so I changed that bit.

PingPongMerrilyWithPie · 08/12/2022 08:16

Yes I'd be knackered. A lot of it is what you're used to though, and like so many I no longer have to do 5 days a week in the office so it would feel more gruelling than it used to.

It's not a competition though. If it's not working for you, don't beat yourself up, change something. Could you switch the dog walker to earlier in the day and have teen walk the dog when they get home?

SRS29 · 08/12/2022 08:17

V similar schedule late 30's but add 2 toddlers into the mix replace dog with cats (no walking!). Weekends I did get lie ins, husband worked away all week. Also no gym after work. Tiring? Not that I remember but I love my job and love a routine so that definitely helped.

Doingmybest12 · 08/12/2022 08:17

Sounds like an average routine of someone working an hour away and choosing to go to the gym . I wouldn't prioritise the gym if commuting that far. I'd do my damndest to leave on time to get home . I'd try and get teen to walk dog and and do a job each day. A hours commute can be easier or not depending on the route and how you feel about driving. For me i wouldnt want to commute that far but lots do. If organised then you don't have to get up so early.

diamondpony80 · 08/12/2022 08:23

It’s sounds like a pretty normal schedule except for the 50 miles of driving each way. I’d hate that tbh. It’d feel fairly relentless after a while.

CheesenCrackersmm · 08/12/2022 08:25

The morning walk has been invented by people on the thread, I don’t walk the dog in the morning

It might be that people have assumed this because there is 90 minutes between getting up and leaving the house

Shower and dressed 10 minutes
Feed dog 5 minutes
Breakfast 10 minutes
Make up 5 minutes

and spend another hour in bed.

millymog11 · 08/12/2022 08:25

If you have no children and/or no care duties it sounds do-able. Mainly because you are cooking dinner at 7.30pm and you say bed is 9pm. If you sleep shortly after going to bed I would say that routine is fine.

Oblomov22 · 08/12/2022 08:28

Plus you are working an 8.5 hour day, (42.5 hours a week) and then work extra. Why? Have you worked out your hourly rate? Do you take a full hour lunch break?

Say you earn £50k. Divided by 37.5 = hourly of £25.64. Do 4 more hours. You are earning £23.16 per hour.

Scottishgirl85 · 08/12/2022 08:33

This sounds normal to me, 5 days a week. And we have 3 young kids and a dog. For us, there is no sitting in front of tv in evening, and we're in bed by 11.30pm.

HattyBatty · 08/12/2022 08:34

It seems very busy, and a very lonely life for your dog.

Oblomov22 · 08/12/2022 08:35

Do you batch cook and have a dinner almost ready, for when you get home?

How old are your kids? Are they eating at 8.30pm?

Did you do this when they were young?

It's a totally different schedule compared to some mums on mn who say pick their children after school at 3:15, take them home and have dinner at 6 pm and then take them to judo a dance class.

You are not getting home, or even cooking dinner till late.

FirstnameSuesecondnamePerb · 08/12/2022 08:35

Do you really need an hour and a half to get ready in the morning?

Claudia84 · 08/12/2022 08:43

I was just coming on to say this - I'd give yourself an extra 30 mins in bed for start.
It doesn't seem like a particularly full on schedule and fairly normal but you're right when you write it down it seems blocked in. Personally I don't mind a commute as I put my tunes on and it's my down time.
I'd get out at lunch time though - that might help you feel less tired if you don't already.

BobbyBobbyBobby · 08/12/2022 08:51

50 mile journey there and back by car - no.

I would only have dome that commute by train.

WishingWell5 · 08/12/2022 08:57

It sounds relentless - my life feels it too at the moment but I don't have the awful drive (I hate driving!) although I know it can be pleasant for some people.

Who walks the dog in the morning/ daytime or are they at doggy day care? Could they perhaps do an extra walk for you?

Can you work from home at all?

Squashpocket · 08/12/2022 08:58

As I have small children currently, the 50 mile car journey each way, alone, with only my choice of radio on sounds lovely.

No one asking me to do anything (mum! Mum! Mum!) for at least 1 hour at either end of the day would be heavenly.

I wouldn't enjoy the early starts and wouldn't be arsed going to the gym after work, but other than that it sounds doable 4 days a week, I reckon. Then try to work from home on the Friday. Perfect.

purplemama1990 · 08/12/2022 08:59

It is exhausting yes, but so is most people's routine. My day tends to start at 6am or earlier, depends when little one decides to wake up. I work from 8am to 5:30pm and I don't get any down time at all until after 9pm most nights. Maybe try to find some time at the weekend just for yourself to get some rest?

PacificallyRequested · 08/12/2022 09:00

I could do that maybe once before I quit my job and sold the dog. Wink