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

Id consider a day in bed doom scrolling a waste of a day but not reading.
Id love a day here and there to do that but I’m a bit disorganised so there’s always something to do! It’s easier if I go out.

A day at home doing nothing would generally mean sorting out washing, tidying up, making a nice meal etc. I can't sit and vegetate all day but never feel I have to do something 'out out' every weekend, quite happy pottering at home.

I would never quite do 'nothing', because I would always walk my dog. I'd also always go to the gym, because I love it. But say I was done with all of that by 11am, I'm happy to veg on the sofa doing sweet FA and watching literally 12 straight hours of tv until I go to bed (and do this quite often at weekends!)

I do t think you can beat a perfectly mixed gin and tonic.

My favourite cocktail is a Negroni

I get antsy if I haven’t left the house. Probably have a do nothing day (apart from if sick) maybe twice a year. And would still have to get out to walk the dog.

what I love is a pottering day, garden, cooking something I want to cook, a bit of a naff, more gardening.

Wrong thread, but also very right when enjoying a day doing nothing

Many years ago I did A levels at a fairly large sixth form college. I was doing English Literature as you do. We had to study Mansfield Park which as 17 year olds we struggled to appreciate. I remember a friend of mine making a passionate denunciation of the plot and indeed the entire concept, nothing ever happened he pointed out.
He was wrong as it goes but our teacher an old and very clever lady told us . What my friend meant was that the characters weren't buzzing around constantly in motion. She remarked that anything living could do things, I believe she said beavers do humans can just be. I have never understood what she meant in relation to the book but even as self righteous twits we could see she had bested our classmate.
I think of her words often on a day like today when I have just "been" rather than done things.

Love it!!!

havent had for a while since having kids 😭

I love doing nothing, but I don’t like to do nothing alone. If I’m having a do nothing day, I like to either spend it with DP and stay in bed all day, or call my best friend or sister over and we will pull out the sofa bed and veg out while DP brings snacks and wine. I don’t get to do it much these days, but when the opportunity to do nothing presents itself I do get quiet excited. I do also like my alone time, but generally when it’s my alone time I like to be active (walk, gym, maybe a run). I am from a large family and have never lived alone (lived with parents, lived with flatmates at uni, lived with best friend, now live with DP) so I don’t love being in the house alone.

YANBU. I am happy to occasionally do nothing. If you want or need to then do so OP

Would and do happily spend days doing fuck all. I'll always do the necessities (feed the cats, vacuum the cat litter, dishwasher) but other than that I've been known to spend 6am - 11pm reading solidly.

I once saw a social media post that said "would you stay in your house for 30 days for £100k" and I just thought how easy and blissful that would be! Easy money!

I’ve had a do nothing day today, life is so busy I rarely get the chance but the kids and I just needed a down day. Other than meals and taking the dog for a walk I’ve hardly moved from the sofa. I’ll pick up everything tomorrow and feel the better for it. I’m definitely in camp “do nothing” occasionally.

I’ve always thought, as a PP said, if you’re happy and enjoying yourself, it’s not a waste.

I always have to be doing something, but that’s usually at home working on projects, which is relaxing to me, so perhaps similar to other people’s lounging! I’m not one to need to go out all the time.

Hello! I must say that I am someone who is about and out a lot.
I also enjoy being lazy at home. However I think staying at home and reading isn’t ’doing nothing’!! I’d class sitting on the sofa watching the big screen whilst scrolling on the little screen a wasted day!
But I do it. And you have encouraged me to read my boook whilst drinking wine at home now and it feels productive!!
(admittedly I’ve done parkrun and been out for brunch with a friend, and am about to head out to the theatre but the downtime at home with a book is SUPER lovely and I’d also enjoy doing that all day)

Love this! 👍

I don’t consider relaxation a waste at all, I think it’s a priority. Therefore I don’t feel I’ve wasted time spending a day lounging about.

it’s rare as the kids get bored but given the chance I relish it with zero guilt.

I have a friend who cannot spend a whole day in the house, she has to leave at least once a day even if just for a walk. She said she gets bored.

I am never able to understand people who get bored, I can always find something to entertain myself. My nan used to say "only boring people get bored" but actually she was the opposite of me and never sat down. Even in her 90s she was always doing cleaning, scrubbing skirting boards, doing puzzles etc.

I could sit on my arse all day with a book and never feel bored.

I’ve been known to book a day of leave, purely to spend the day in bed reading with coffee and chocolate.

I can't have a day doing nothing. My body feels awful. I run / walk / gym every day. When at home I can't really sit down and do nothing. I have to be up and doing something.

definitely need a day to recharge by doing sod all. Sunday is my day of rest!

It's good for you to have a day to do what you want but I do like to go for a walk every day just to get some fresh air

Need a third button of I can only dream and wish of doing nothing 😂

2 young boys who are like a cyclone every day sadly means the chances are a fine thing! I'm chuffed if I get 45 mins in the bath once a week after they are in bed and even then that's after being out most of the day followed by cooking and doing household chores.

Whilst I don't wish their childhood away the notion of sitting reading a book in peace for a full day is stuff of dreams!

A day spent ‘doing nothing’ at home is a day gloriously well spent.

Resting and recuperating isn’t doing nothing however

i am bad at it but I know o have to do it sometimes

It’s interesting that reading is mentioned in the context of doing nothing. Depends what you are reading - Dostoyevsky or mills and boon? I think you need to sit down and clear a few hours for crime and punishment.

Some people see a moral superiority in being physically active and dragging others into it even if it is a miserable experience. I think they are control freaks. And weird.