Are you happy to spend a day doing nothing?

[ForZanyAquaViewer]

Just that, really. I have a fairly busy life, but I really relish a bit of ‘nothing’ time. Not leaving the house on a Sunday, reading my book and eating a takeaway is really quite heavenly.

I was discussing this with a friend and she was very much of the opinion that she’d feel horrible and guilty if she ‘wasted’ a whole day. The general feeling being that she needed to productive, get out and about, and do stuff. Every day.

I found this really interesting. There’s lots of different kinds of people, and that’s obviously fine. However, in this respect, are you a ‘could never waste a day’ person? Or a ‘happy to lounge’ person? (If you’re a person who would be happy to lounge only after doing stuff, then I’d consider you a ‘could never waste a whole day’ person).

YANBU: happy to lounge
YABU: could never ‘waste’ a whole day

Absolutely happy to do nothing once a week.

I need to have days of doing absolutely nothing, otherwise I couldn't function doing everything else!

I hate having a full day at home. It makes me feel really grotty.

I find it odd that your friend considers you spending a day doing things you want is a waste. I understand not personally liking spending a whole day doing not that much, but if someone enjoys their day then it’s not a waste.

I'm having a 'do nothing' day today. House to myself, I can watch trashy TV and do what I like. It's great!

I only get Sundays off work so a do nothing day sounds great. I barely get time to even do any washing!

Rest is vital, as is play, to humans.

People function better after a day off a week.

I'm semi retired and love "lounging around" days. Especially when it's rainy. In the summer, I will be in the garden on a sunlounger with a book. Why not? I worked hard to enjoy my house, what's the problem spending time at home relaxing especially after a busy week?

I’m having a pyjama day tomorrow and I’m so looking forward to it!

I could spend days doing nothing except lying there and daydreaming!

I cannot stand people who always have to be busy and 'doing'! Just keep well away from me!

You’re my people! 🤣

My friend is like your mate and suffers from Protestant work ethic. I am happy to do nothing when the fancy takes me.

I think it sort of depends on your definition of "doing nothing"

I can spend a day at home quite happily - though I don't very often, but I wouldn't ever literally sit and rest all day not even cooking my dinner. I might once in a blue moon spend a day doing some reading and not a lot else but it would almost always include doing some washing or tidying or cooking

It depends on what the ‘doing nothing’ consists of. I could absolutely spend the day in bed, eating up novels and living on toast. Similarly I could spend it sitting on my favourite windswept beach or walking in the woods. Just ‘being’ in the house wouldn’t be fun for me.

I work full time over 3 days a week and do as little as possible on the 4 days off. I am a lazy cow though and a bit of an introvert. Nothing gives me greater joy than the day ahead with nothing to do and nobody to talk to. I live alone now the kids are both at uni. Utter bliss!

I end up doing this but it's down to chronic illness sadly. And no I don't feel guilty. I've landed into A n E in the past with potassium of 3.1 and phosphate levels of 0.29 so even though I may not look ill I am actually very unwell. These days doing nothing keep me working!

I love a day reading.

DH constantly wastes his day doing pointless things to keep himself ‘busy’ which don’t benefit anyone, including him.

How is reading not productive?

I’m with your friend. I find it very difficult to loaf about doing nothing and I get cabin fever if I don’t get out for some fresh air.

No I cannot sit and do nothing and waste a whole day.
When I was a lot younger, I did do. Back then my social life was a lot more, so I needed a full day's rest every now & then.
Every day is a busy day for me & I really enjoy the busyness.

I do feel horrible if I “waste” a day.

However, I don’t think that time spent enjoying reading a book is “wasted”.

I would feel I wasted a day if I sat around in my js doom scrolling social media (which I have done on occasion. And yes, it feels horrible and very wasteful).

I love them. I am lucky in that I have a very flexible WFH job, so I actually get to potter about most days.

It's not always been like this, in my 20s and 30s I had busy jobs and was out 6.30 a m.- 8.00 p.m. most weekdays and then busy weekends catching up with friends and family and doing laundry etc., so now I am in my 60s, I am very happy to be the other end of the scale.

I sat in the sun on Thursday and read my book for a couple of hours in between work tasks.

You're not doing nothing - you're recharging your engine.

Even if you get showered and dressed and have a clean house?

Same here and I had a nap about an hour ago !!Absolutely bloody marvellous.

I feel I'm being mean here, but I find people who have to justify their existence daily to be quite exhausting.