If you never had to work again, how would you spend your days?

[humbugaboo]

I’m wondering if a life of not working is really all it’s cracked up to be? I think with time you can probably end up just binge watching TV shows and napping.

You don't have to be in work to be busy.
No, I know. I didn't say that.
Are people deliberately misreading? I have nowhere here said that only work gives people purpose, or the only way to be busy is to work.

Assuming I had a little money I would buy a low lying, crappy bit of arable land next to a river and create a swamp. Secondly, on a slightly drier bit of land (hopefully my back garden) I would set up and run a tortoise sanctuary. These are my retirement plans in fact.
Beyond that I intend to potter. No more rushing here and there ever.

This is why I haven't yet retired - I'm 60. I need to find something "worthy" to fill my time. I thought about volunteering, but come back to if I'm going to spend my time doing voluntary work I might as well do paid work.

Walking, knitting, cooking, reading, crosswords, Mumsnetting, etc are all very well up to a point, but I think I'd get bored.

Travelling is great, or used to be. I'm not keen on catching Covid in a country that doesn't speak English, and having to be e-vacced home. Also, budget wouldn't allow for vast amounts of travelling.

@IntermittentParps

You don't have to be in work to be busy. No, I know. I didn't say that. Are people deliberately misreading? I have nowhere here said that only work gives people purpose, or the only way to be busy is to work.

But you said some people would 'rather be in work and busy,' which strongly implies that those not working are not busy.

Get a dog, go to the gym more, swim more, travel more, read more, go hill walking, volunteering, do housework in a small chunks throughout the week rather than leaving it all til weekend, i might even have time to "shop local" that everyone tells me I should be doing but who really has time to go to the butcher, baker and candlestick maker when they work full time??

I’ve had a rough couple of months due to health stuff but normally I fill my days going to my spa, going to the cinema, seeing friends, going on holiday each month, having lunches out, going for costal walks at the weekend, chilling at home doing my indoor hobby plus general household chores and caring for my DM.

I’d buy run down houses at beaches or along coastlines and do them up exactly to my taste, not to sell or because it’s sensible. They’d be a riot of warm jewel colours, wooden floors and plants, with beautiful expensive wallpaper and lots of period features. I’d live in them when I fancied and AirBnB them when I wasn’t there.

I retired early 50s. I write (one book published, writing second) paint, crochet, rescue animals, cook, bake. Not enough hours in the day

MyCatEatsPrawnCrackers, oh sure, it's a fair cop, of course you know better than I what I was thinking and wanted to say

My house would be pristine and smell of zoflora and 56 billion candles. My WFH office would be a sewing/craft room and I'd buy special birthday presents for everyone because I'd have the time to shop. DD's bedroom would finally be tidy and I'd paint the rainbow wall mural she wants and finish her doll's house. I'd bake for my neighbours and friends and become the size of a house. I'm leaving work/retiring early in 2022, can't wait.

It’s only good if you have good health & sufficient money to pursue your interests. I knit & watch Netflix etc mostly. I do sew a bit but not as much. Sewing takes more money & space that I don’t always have. You can easily unravel knitting mistakes, pretty difficult to undo mistakes in sewing, especially if the mistake was cutting out the fabric. Next year I’d like to try to get the garden a bit sorted out, a bit at a time.

Normal life never have to work again: reading, growing vegetables, volunteering, walking, cycling, learning, making & restoring furniture.

Rich beyond my wildest dreams never have to work again; travelling, having 'experiences' and adventures, watching sporting events all around the globe, eating in the best restaurants, the arts, sailing, cycling, and all of the above.

Celebrating the fact I would never ever have to see or hear the worlds most annoying work colleague ever again

I'm on long term sick right now for physical issues and whilst I can walk and on rare good days, I can go shopping etc - I despise it. Days go by with nothing achieved. I have no purpose. No focus. I feel like I'm waiting to die. Dramatic? Probably but not incorrect.

It would probably be entirely better if I had friends. Especially if they didn't work. Sadly I have none! Not locally anyway. Thoroughly miserable

I'd finally do my PhD

One other downside, is that you end up having farrr too much time to overthink things. If something is upsetting you, then it consumes you. Without having the distraction of work, it's all you can think about.

Yoga, cooking, cleaning, reading.
I would also dedicate more time to volunteering.

I could certainly fill the time but where's the purpose?

where or what is the purpose of many jobs? perhaps you've had a vocation or work you really enjoy - but for many that certainly isn't the case

I retired at 57.

My days consist off hobbies, walks, reading, napping and meeting friends. I wouldn’t go back to work for a million quid.

I’d like to think gym, facials, volunteering and being the perfect houseperson. In reality I’d sit on the sittee for the first week binge watching something then probably start to go stir crazy… unfortunately I don’t function well without a bit of stress and pressure (which I know isn’t healthy).

I do a lot of the suggestions mentioned here - I am on maternity leave. I still am bored!! It feels like wasted time.. I’m hoping he comes early as I’ve got about 6 weeks left of boringness! X

@Nevertime

I'm thinking about this too. I dont think I can carry on foubg what I'm doing much longer and I could (probably) manage OK financially.

I could certainly fill the time but where's the purpose? I could sew, walk, have lunch with friends, yoga, garden, learn to play golf, all things I enjoy but I don't know if it's "enough" on full time basis iyswim. None of it matters if it doesn't get done.

I've also done quite a lot of volunteering in my life both whilst working and not working. Alongside a job it's great and rewarding, instead of a job it doesn't have the same satisfaction. You're still "helping" not actually doing.

I don't understand this philosophy of volunteering not giving the same satisfaction as paid work. In my experience the opposite is true. If you are volunteering for an organization that you believe in, you can feel like what you are doing is making a real difference. Often paid work, even if it's a job that you enjoy doing, doesn't feel like it is making a difference in people's lives or in your community.

I'm not working at the moment and I bloody love it. I can do things on the spur of the moment, change my plans to suit whatever, jump on a train into town at the last minute, do my hobby whatever day and whenever I like
I spend less money than I ever did because I have the time to shop around and look at what I actually need rather than want.
I get up early every morning and my day is full, I've found out I love the things I thought I'd find mundane
I am extremely fortunate that so far my health is good.
Everything I had planned to do has gone by the wayside but fuck it, there's always tomorrow

After four years of not doing paid work I'm going back to work in the new year and I can't wait.

I've done studying, volunteering, crafting, bought and decorated a holiday cottage, far too much housework, regular gym sessions and reading.

None of this filled the gap of regular work.

Duvet and Netflix probably