How many hours do you work? Do you have much energy in evenings and weekends?

[careerplanning]

Wondering how much energy people have in the evenings after work?

How long do you, for example, spend cooking dinner? Do you have enough energy to go to the gym or go to the cinema after work?

Or to focus on watching some telly before bed? Or so tired you just zone out until you can fall asleep?

How many hours do you do, and does your employer expect you to be available and work in your evenings or at the weekend?

I feel my energy levels are so, so low and wondering what is in any way normal.

I never go out in the evening

Once the kids are in bed I have an hour then hit the sack myself (10pm max)

Loads of energy to do stuff at weekends

I work around 35 hours a week but since WFH can get household chores done during the day (disclaimer: not to the detriment of the billion dollar company I work for, etc etc)

Secondary teacher of 20+ years, so weekly hours vary. Generally home by 6 and often have work to do, so Mon-Thurs are a write off. I do fit a gym and run session in though, then more at the weekend.

My kids didn't sleep for about 6 years. I have never, ever felt as rotten as full time teaching on minimal sleep. Anything else is a bonus.

Giving myself tonight off cos I'm knackered though.

I work 21 hours across evenings (4-midnight usually) and have two days at home with 4yo and 1yo during the week. My energy is generally fine - we are out all day on Tues/Weds mainly doing things, and then I have some time before I start work Mon/Thu/Fri to get stuff done before I start work. I WFH too which makes life easier. Slow cooker gets used a lot on those days.

Once DC are asleep on Tuesday/Wednesday and the weekends, I do hobbies, occasionally go out with friends, go for a swim I I haven't gone before work, etc.

DH and I share the chores so I never have to spend too long on them, as he usually gets stuff done during his work breaks (he WFH too).

Are you taking vitamin D etc?

I work Tues-Fri (3 in office, 1 at home), leave the house at 7:40, usually home by 6:15. 2 teens (who keep the same hours as their school is near my work). I generally do an evening class on my day off, another evening class on 1 of my office days, and a long walk before work on WFH day. Generally I try to do some kind of exercise everyday (even if it's a short walk before work or at lunchtime), but don't always manage it.

It's usually me cooking when I get home (although DH will happily take over, or do something from the freezer into the oven). I try to keep meals quick and simple in the week where possible.

I don't really have energy issues, I think the exercise definitely helps, as does having much older children who don't 'need' me as much.

I work 12 hour shifts, days and nights averaging 42 hours a week plus 1 hour per shift travel time. Thanks to the cost of living I'm picking up between 24 & 48 hours of overtime a month. I'm fine at work once there but zero energy once home. The swap from nights to days is a killer! I often lose entire days to sleep. I should exercise more, I know that helps. I'm 41 and considering blood tests as I shouldn't feel as tired as I do.

Single mum to 7 yo DS. Work 40 hours pw, usually need to catch up on admin, research or forward planning 1-3 nights per week for a few hours. Sometimes work very late, every night, for a week or so when coming up to deadlines but try to do that as little as poss these days as very bloody tired- in fact basically exhausted all the time and have been back and forth to (lovely) GP about it.

Exercise… basically none formal. Walk everywhere as car died and can’t replace it. Try to do one extra big walk/hike of 5-10 miles at the weekends with DS for mental health/bonding time, and 1-2 quick 2-3 mile walks alone at lunch time during the week to get my heart going.

Diet … Cutting out all gluten helps a lot. I’m a bit overweight but history of ED so try not to diet as can send me off the deep end. Have made an effort to cook properly every night and eat 3x healthy meals a day for the last 6 weeks, rather than eating/bingeing crap, and must admit it has made a positive impact but still worries me how shattered I am in my 30s.

I'm like you, very low energy levels. How much I work varies but it's at least 23hrs a week, often 27hrs or so and occasionally more. This is over 3 weekdays and sometimes a bit in evenings in too. I have a 5yo and a 1yo, I used to look after them the remaining 2 weekdays but eldest is now at school. I'm absolutely knackered. I don't sleep well though and also have long term as yet undiagnosed health problems so I guess not a good comparator.

Work more than 32.5 over 5 days. I reduced after I went back from my 2nd maternity. Never increasing hours again. Planning to do 30hrs over 3 day when the youngest goes to high school.

I get up an hour earlier and do exercise in my kitchen. An hour at night is too much time. I have done the odd one very later at night. It's def not always easy.

My youngest is 7, so gets up and entertains himself while I'm busy.

Oh after work! After cooking dinner/cleaning away/getting DS to bed, if I’m not working it’s usually just reading or zoning out in front of the TV. Sometimes cleaning or life admin. If I could reliably get out, I’d probably go to the gym 1-2 times per week, but childcare split with ex is 85/15 (me/him) and I need his 20% to cover childcare afterschool when I’m working so….

I am contracted to work 37.5 hours a week, but it’s probably more like 40-45

I don’t have alot of energy, but it’s partly because I have a skin problem that affects my sleep.

I really need to do more exercise though

I work 38 hours a week and majority of that time in the office which means 2 hours commuting on those days.

I spend the first hour when I’m home having a quick tidy, getting the dishwasher on and DS to bed. DH usually whacks something easy on for dinner. Then we sit and watch TV. I never have the energy to do anything else and always turn down any social invites for weeknights. This evening I know I need to wash my hair but I’m struggling to find the motivation which I realise is a bit silly.

My energy levels are crap though. I could easily sleep 12 hours and still want a nap.

30 hrs per week. Over 5 days so I finish at 3:30 and I work from home. No kids. Dinner rarely involves much more than 10 mins effort because I meal plan and prep dinners at the weekend. I try to do some sort of movement like a run, walk, swim or gym most days before dinner.

30 hours but have RA, so quite low energy in general really

50 hours a week, single parent to teens. Usually throw out some quick food before they are back out within the hour. Get some shopping or jobs done before I collect them again. Then pack lunches, organise clothes etc. Can't manage to get into bed before 11pm.
But I have shitty neighbours and I'm peri so I only manage about three hours sleep a night. I think I'd have much more energy if I lived away from humans.

40 and I'm bummed by Thursday

70-80 hours per week yes really.
What is this thing called an evening to which you refer?

I'm 45 and I go to the gym or run 6 days a week before the school drop-off or at lunch. I do the school drop-off work a standard 40-hour week I do most of the pickups and then come home and cook dinner every night. DC is almost 7, so we do a bit of homework, reading, and we get everything ready for the next day. DC clubs are on the weekends.

One of us does bedtime/books, the other cleans up after dinner. We don't really have time to watch TV, and we both prefer reading anyway. I have a lot of energy all day.

I've been very active for years now and I find the more physical activity I do, the more energy I have. If I go a few days without exercise, I start to feel tired, lethargic, and grumpy.

I’m out the house 8-4 Monday wed Thursday, 8.6.30 Tuesday. 33hr

kids 12 and 16

feel very tired , only want to sit and read on my days off , have to force myself to do anything normally

I get grumpy when I have to drive the kids places some times 😬

I think covid turned me into a bit of recluse and never really got back into the swing of life

I do wish I was a bit more active . There’s so much to see in the world

I'm 45 and I go to the gym or run 6 days a week before the school drop-off or at lunch.

Does your partner do the same? DH & I would struggle to both fit in equal amounts of exercise/sport or if we did we'd be passing ships.

I work 40 hours a week (8-5pm) and have to do something in the evenings, either the gym or a long walk Mon-Thurs then the pub on Fri.

We generally finish work, exercise, cook dinner and sit down around 8.30pm although sometimes I'll do a few jobs and sit down an hour later. MN or TV until 11pm then I read in bed for half an hour and nod off.

Then up at 6.30am to do it all again... 🫨

@Hermione101 how do you work 40 hours but fit in pick ups and drop offs?

I'm 47 if that matters!

I work a full time 40 hour week. DH and I share the cooking, he does more than me most weeks and the other person washes up/cleans kitchen. I have 3 horses and 2 dogs so they need taking care of too and I go to the gym 2 nights a week. DH also does a sport a couple of times a week. We spend the evenings when we are home watching tv together. Weekends are full on with sports, animals, shopping, housework and we always pop out and do something. Some
days I do have a little nap at the weekend.

I work 8.30 - 5 full time (well, term time plus 4 weeks). I live about 10 minutes drive from work. I go to the gym (in the school) before work 3 times a week. Evening make dinner, tidy up. Weekends and evenings currently involve a lot of decorating and clearing up as we are 7.5 months into a big extension/renovation to our house!

If you are generally fit and healthy and the tiredness is debilitating then think about getting some bloods done - particularly if there are other symptoms to rule out any underlying causes. I have an underlying health condition so have to be careful about how much energy I use and spend it wisely. I can still cycle 100km at the weekend but the next weekend might not want to leave the house. I choose to work full time but I’m pretty useless in the evening so my contribution to housework happens in the morning.