To ask what your life looks like at the moment?

[Mixedit]

Sort of out of curiosity and also due to wondering whether life is stressful or if I'm just a bit rubbish at coping with it - I'm asking what does your life look like at the moment. What time do you get up? What responsibilities do you have? How long do you work for? What do you do after work? What time do you go to bed? What do you do with time when you're not at work?

I feel like I barely have time to stop and can't decide if I need to change me or change the situation.

Kind of stressful right now.

Just started a new job in a new direction and it's... a lot to learn, quite daunting. I'm going to be much busier than I ever have been in my career to date - historically, if I'm honest, I could take some time of WFH days to do domestic stuff, help the kids, give lifts etc - but not anymore for the foreseeable.

Husband is stressed as he's trying to launch a product he's spent two years developing, and 2-3 months ago he started looking for a short-term contract to raise funds for final push/marketing - only to find the market seems to have totally died and he can't even get an interview when previously he would have a few every week and find a contract within a few weeks.

And I think this is playing in to him having real difficulty with DS, who has ADHD and didn't do very well in end of year tests so DH is getting very angry with him and threatening dire consequences over summer holidays, which I'm trying to channel into something more productive for DS about doing some practice and maybe summer schools, rather than some kind of punishment.

Oh, and it's DS's bar mitzvah in September - it's a fairly straightforward affair and DS seems on track to do what he needs to, but I'm still rather stressed about organising it.

Get up at 5am, 6am or 7am depending on what bus I'm getting, grab a shower and some kind of breakfast I can eat on the go. Get into work at 6.30am, 8am or 8.20am as none of the flexibility I was banking on in this job has materialised since new boss arrived although of course they swan off whenever they feel like it. Senior senior management are utterly incompetent, over promoted and under experienced, classic battlefield appointments (or in this case post COVID as everyone my sort of age burned out and left and has sometimes returned in a lower banded job).

My little team is lovely but most of my time goes on attending drivelly meetings with drama llamas and attention vampires. Rarely able to have a lunch break, if I'm lucky I manage to get out of work at 4.30 and get home at 5.45pm. Check on disabled partner, feed cats, prepare tea, throw a load of washing in, and then start on second job on computer. Almost always utterly exhausted by 9.30pm at the latest, make lunches, make sure disabled partner has food for the morning, make sure disabled partner aids are in kitchen, bathroom etc ready for the morning, check any appointments or follow ups, and sleep fitfully until alarm.

Weekends are a bit better but I am so exhausted I often end up sleeping the afternoons away. I feel there is no joy in life any more and until I can find another job that will let me work flexibly again trying to fit in appointments, groceries, haircuts and general life admin is wearing me out. I am counting down the days until I can at least part retire.

I don't know how those of you with young kids manage.

Oh darling.
I wish I could give you a hug in real life.
Sending you strength and healing during such a difficult time

Okay . Very outing but my DH works away abroad most of the year. We also have two children.
I have severe mental health conditions.
My beautiful Dad was diagnosed with cancer yesterday.

It’s a bit shit right now.

I'm sorry for all of you who are having a tough time.

Our lives are pretty simple I think. There's me, DH and DS (nearly 5, just finishing Reception).

DH and I both work full time (which for both of us equates to c.60 hours a week). Both of us tend to be in the office 3 days a week and WFH on the other two. We both travel a bit for work but normally only short trips.

We get up between 7-7.30 when DS gets up. The school is at the end of our road so not a long school run. We work it out on a day by day basis depending on work schedules.

If I'm WFH, I'm at my desk by 8.45; about 9.15 in the office.

Mon - Weds, DS is in afterschool care. It's been a nanny this year but we're going to use school facilities next year. One of us has to be home by 6.

6 - 7.30 tends to be homework/tea/bath for DS. He goes to bed then and we eat later at about 8. We will watch TV or read for a bit and then normally both go back to work until 11pm/midnight.

Having a cleaner makes it easier. We both have senior jobs where you can dip out to do some exercise in the middle of the day when you're at home. We have enough disposable income to make our lives easier (eg Deliveroo a supermarket shop if we've run out of something we need). The thing that makes it easiest is probably only having one child who is generally pretty easy going. The one child partners by choice, the easy going part is just luck!

52, DH and son 9. Live in rural village. Work for myself from home. DH similar.
Today I:
Got up at 6.45
Coffee and newspaper before making breakfast for son and walking him to school for 9. Also tidied house etc.
Picked raspberries and had them for breakfast with yoghurt and muesli. Also picked tomatoes.
At desk working and a bit of faffing 9.30 to 4.30.
Walked back to school.
Spent 30 mins in greenhouse. Now cooking dinner with glass of wine.
We will watch telly with DS and then more telly later (not shite telly)
DH has wash on (his second of day). He has also been in home gym.
Son has football twice a week - DH takes
I do shopping, house admin and finances, planting and weeding. DH does power tool gardening and dirty jobs. Cleaner every two weeks.
i go out to boxing and yoga weekly. Am in London quite regularly for work and socialising while DH holds the fort.

What time do you get up?
6.30am

What responsibilities do you have?
I have to get my children to school and back, clean the house once a week. Do any life admin

How long do you work for?
I don’t work, I am studying though, teaching myself new things

What do you do after work?
As I don’t work, I’ll say that I exercise, read books, work on projects that interest me, go to coffee shops, spend time going to interesting places, meet friend's.

School holidays I look after the children as my first priority.

What time do you go to bed?
11pm

What do you do with time when you're not at work?

As above.

Married with two primary age children. I work 35hrs a week, as does husband.

Husband and I get up at 7, leave for work at 8. Nanny takes children to school and is there during the day to do housework and laundry. She picks them up from school.

Husband and I are home by 6-6:30. Kids have had dinner. They are asleep by 8:30. We then have dinner. Watch TV. I have a second ‘hobby’ job, so often work in the evenings too. Bed at 11ish.

We both WFH on Monday and Friday so both do the school runs those days.

Weekends we go out as a family, do chores and gardening, visit family or friends. I also do a bit of the hobby job work too. We are also renovating our house ourselves, so lots of DIY.

Once a month or so I see friends for drinks, dinner or theatre trip.

I wouldn’t say we are run ragged but we do work an awful lot.

My life has just turned a corner for the better. I have 2 sons with ADHD, one is 24 now and has just sorted his life out. He’s quit cannabis, got a job, got engaged and will soon be moving out (I’m gutted for me because I’ll miss him terribly but happy he’s turned a corner) 17 year old is an awesome young man but his ADHD makes him quite volatile. He suffered with MH issues for a couple of years and would abscond in the middle of the night so sleep was a rarity. He’s in a much better frame of mind now.
Im up at 7 in the week, start work at 9 and home by 6:15 most nights.
Saturdays are spent with DM since DF passed away 3 years ago. Sundays are spent trying to get on top of the housework, washing and ironing etc.

DH and I, retired, adult son doesn't live at home. Up at 8, read papers over breakfast then exercise. I then go to Zumba class twice a week and coffee with the girls after.
If we're in the UK and the weather is dry we'll walk into town, visit the coast, an NT property or just go walking. DH teaching himself guitar. Plus gardening, household jobs/projects, shopping. Go abroad to various short-haul destinations for about 4/5 months a year in total between mid September and mid June.
Dinner at 7.30ish, TV. Bed at about 11 and read. Fortunate to have no stress, very happy.

Work out of the house 7.45-5.30pm. Not paid enough to get off UC! (Thanks 25 year teaching career...!)

3 children eldest 14

Sole parent

5.30am walk dog/ prep any lunch bits which couldn't be done last night.
Usually get a load of washing out, esp in this weather.
Drop 1 at breakfast club
Older two walk

Work

Pick up youngest 5-5.30pm

Feed 1st round (big snacks)

Love summer as less sports clubs so we are on 12 clubs per week at the moment. Take any children to clubs which are too far to walk.

Feed proper dinner all

Youngest to bed with guidance while 'encouraging' older two to wash/ tidy/ homework etc.

All in rooms and 2 asleep by 9ish.

Washing cleaning (minimal I just can't face anything much post bedtimes)

I'm exhausted all the time.

Really depends on your circumstances.

Get up: 4am daily. Holidays 7am sharp
Responsibilites: Kids by myself (single mum), whole household, pets, lots at work
Working hours: I am a teacher, so term-time about 12h/day, out of term-time: none
After work: If I can stand up straight - actually, scratch that (jk, I look after my kids) Food, hygiene, bed

When I'm not at work: Get the house back to an acceptable standard, make sure kids are alive, everything I've neglected term-time

09:00 - 17:00 full time job and part time job that I fit around the main one one so usually working 07:00 - 19:00 Monday - Friday.

up at 05:45 each weekday to fit in breakfast and puppy exercise before work.

bed is usually between 21:30 -22:00 depending on how tired I am!! Weekends are usually doing some sort of diy and exercise.

so yes, busy and chaotic here too!

My life is easy at least that's how it looks to absolutely everyone. I don't work, my two kids are 10 & 15 and are really good kids, husband works for himself and does well, we are far from rich but are comfortable.

My thing is that I have crippling anxiety and it ruins everything, I would love to get back to work but the thought of doing that makes me feel sick. So I have a lot of free time but I don't do anything with it!

I'm currently trying to lose weight and doing ok with it but I need to exercise so I got a 7 day pass for a local gym, went today and all I wanted to do was going for a swim but the changing room was full of women who had just finished a class, they were spread about and all chatting and laughing (not saying that's a bad thing). There was no way I could go in there and get changed in front of them all so I hid in the toilet and then went back home. I just wanted a little swim 🙄

But I have a nice house, my kids are doing well and I can put food on the table every night so it's not all bad.

Up at 6. Get two teens out of bed. Leave at 7:15, take one teen to school and then double back to my own school. Arrive around 8. Do some setting up for the day, pick up photocopying, check diary, answer emails. Teach according to timetable. Most days leave around 4:15 having used free lessons and lunch time to do planning and mark. Arrive home at 5. Throw food together. Tutor from 6 to 7, 3 nights a week at the moment. Complete planning, do basic housework like dishwasher and washing, waiting up long enough to put clothes on to dry (use a Lakeland heated dryer), putting the shopping away etc . Take dogs for a walk. In bed by 10:30 but rarely sleep before 12.

weekends I tutor on both Saturdays and Sundays when available. Go out with friends on a Saturday evening.

I have a 5-year-old and a 2-year-old.

On a WFH day:
5am or 6.30am (alternate days) get up with my youngest. We take it in turns.
8.30am take eldest to school
9am start work, work madly with no breaks until 5pm
5pm collect youngest from nursery
7.30pm youngest upstairs for bath
8pm do eldest bedtime
9pm watch TV, do chores
10pm upstairs to bed

On a commuting day:
6.30am leave the house, commute 1hr45mins, work then do the commute home
6.45pm arrive home, eat and immediately start bedtime. Evening as above.

Cleaner once a week. Supermarket delivery twice a week. Lather rinse repeat. Boring AF!

Late 40s, live with my DP, no kids.

Weekdays I’m up around 8.45am, start work (from home) about 9.15. Have some lunch at home, work until about 5.30/6ish most days. I usually cook dinner for me and DP and we watch a bit of TV, listen to radio/podcasts, that kind of thing. We both kind of potter around with stuff while we’re watching/listening. I like crafts and puzzles. Generally go to bed about midnight. Probably asleep by 1am but not always.

We go out for dinner about three or four times a month. Sometimes go to the cinema or gigs or theatre midweek. One or two days a week one or both of us goes into the office which is an earlier start and sometimes we’ll get a drink together in town after work, maybe food too.

Weekends DP is usually out during the day on Saturday doing his hobby; if he’s going somewhere interesting I go as well but if not, I do my own thing. Sundays we mostly chill, watch football on telly, get some shopping done if necessary.

We go away for weekends a few times a year, together and separately. We both have elderly parents a long way away which means we do have to travel to see them quite a bit and we worry about them all the time.

Work
Deal with Chronic pain
Grocery shopping
Odd coffee shop trip.
Shopping.
Thats it. I hate my life. Boring and pointless. Trying to save for my own place but wondering why I'm even bothering as feels like I will never get there.

Get up 6.45, breakfast, shower, household jobs like dishwasher, washing etc. Leave for work about 7.30. Work 8 till 5. Then it's a mix of cooking tea and ferrying children to clubs between 5.30 and 8. 8 - 9 getting them into bed, clearing up / chores. 9 - 10 work. 10 watch something with dh. 11 go to bed to read / shower etc. No time for exercise since I went full time. Live for the school holidays.

So me, Zanatdy, 47yr old single mum of 3. Two adults (one at Uni, one 30yrs old) and one teenager age 16, about to start A levels. I’m a full time civil servant, living in the SE. I am frustrated as I’ve been renting since I started working 23yrs ago, because I can’t afford to buy in the SE on a single salary. Earn 63k so not bad money. Waiting to move back north, 2yrs to go, I try not to let it stress me starting a mortgage age 49, but going to buy something small but decent, and overpay and try and do it in 15yrs. I am part of a walking group, and love live theatre, and amateur dramatics. I have a lot of friends, am very social and overall I wouldn’t say stressed. The only thing that stresses me really is that I want to buy and feel trapped waiting 2 more years until DD goes to Uni. Sure it will fly by. Oh and I have a serious health issue, had major surgery and live off strong pain meds but try not to let it get me down. Overall I’d say I’m quite happy. Oh and happy being single for sure.

Edited to add my sleep is awful, I’m up at 4-5am at latest daily, asleep by 11 usually. On the go most of the day

Get up at 6:40. Leave for work at 7:30. Half hour car commute with dh. Work until 5:30 as a teacher , sometimes do another hour of work at home (and usually do at least a couple of hours at the weekend). 2 teenage dc, one at uni. We share the housework (almost all done at the weekend) and the cooking. Hang out in the evening, do hobby things, often watch an episode of a series together. Go to bed at 10:40 ish.

Awake at 5.30-6 am as dh works nights and that's when he comes in

I run and work in my own business starting at 8.30 am. Finishing time varies with work load.
This week I'm working three days.
Last week I did 5 plus late nights and then admin

Tween and teen dc at home really good kids.

We eat seperatly as everyone's out or in at different times. Eat together on weekends.
I go to my local beach most evenings for a walk sometimes with tween sometimes just me and on weekends I go early morning like 7 am. Grab a hot chocolate on the way.

Weekends are spent in garden or out pottering round.

Meet with friends once a month for meals out and eat out together a couple times a month.

Normally breakfast out one morning a week with dh when he's not done a night shift.

The usual house chores throughout the week and weekend.

Love my life

My life right now is simply a waiting game for my lovely parents and cats to pass away. Once that happens I’ll clear my house and shuffle off this mortal coil. I am simply existing in my house until then.

DS (8), DH and me.

I wfh full time and DH does it twice a week. My dad has been unwell recently and work has been stressful so I haven't been great.

6:45 - get up
7:00 - start work
7:30 - get DS up
8:00 - take DS to school
15:00 - finish work
15:10 - get DS from school

The evening has depended on whether my dad has been in hospital.

22:00 - 23:00 - bed

Both DP and I have FT jobs and 2 kids, but post Covid more WFH than office so getting up time - optional but we generally are up by 7am, kids to school, dog to park for one of us and the other goes off to exercise -
swim, tennis, run -
then WFH.
Having the flex is amazing.