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

Sorry just read your answer!

Time you enjoy wasting is never wasted time

La dolce far niente....the sweetness of doing nothing.
Definitely not being lazy but planned time to enjoy the sweetness of relaxing, mindful nothingness.
I deliberately plan these times of nothingness.

Quite happy doing nothing at home, on day 3 of it today!
someone will pipe up about fresh air soon, my house has windows that open and if I feel the need I can use a door to go into the garden

I’d spend a week doing nothing if I could and I’d only feel slightly guilty by day 7……. Oh to dream….🤪

I remember in my late 20s a co worker ‘confessing’ that she hadn’t left her house all weekend and I just couldn’t comprehend that. Now I’m totally happy to spend days at home and not seeing anyone. I have a dog so do go out obviously but I’d be totally happy not too! Mind you I am doing something, not just spaced out in front of the TV, as I’m sure you are too, like putting a load of laundry on etc.
Not sure how reading and resting after a busy week is a waste. what is your friend actually going when she goes out? Shop? Gym?

I love having a quiet day now and then. A friend of mine needs to be busy all the time and so now I don't tell her when I'm having a pyjamas day.

Whilst the kids were growing up, looking after a husband and disabled father and working, I would look forward to Boxing Day, I would buy dolls house magazines, old woman's own magazines from the 50s, anything that I fancied at the time. Everyone knew Boxing day was 'my' day. Everyone could eat what was left from Christmas Day, they could all play with their new stuff and I would stay in bed being waited on and reading my books and magazines.

Fast forward 20 - 30 years. We took early retirement from the NHS, moved to Spain and spend days doing absolutely nothing. Maybe read, walk along the seafront, go out for a meal. but mostly doing nothing and it's absolutely lovely. How can it be a water of a day if you enjoy it?

*waste of a day

Generally don't like doing nothing. Maybe a couple of days a year. But at a bare minimum I'd like a walk. And usually more than this.

Depends what you mean by "doing nothing". I'd love a day at home just reading and cross stitching, maybe watching a few episodes of a series while I stitch, no housework, no cooking. With a three year old that's never going to happen though!
Before our daughter was born my partner would spend most weekends sleeping until about 3 p.m. before finally dragging himself out of bed to eat breakfast, then he'd spend the rest of the day on the sofa half watching TV whilst playing on his phone. That to me is doing "nothing" and really does feel like a complete waste of a day!

It really does depend on your definition of nothing.

I enjoy a day where I have no place to be and I can do whatever I want. Potter around the house/garden or craft etc. if you enjoy it, it's not a waste of a day. It can often be very beneficial to just have a relaxing day

My ex was similar. Drove me mad. Even though I love a day at home myself. Funny how men don't feel this guilt that they should be "productive"!

I thought of this thread over the weekend. I went out with friends Friday night, Saturday night took the dog to the beach and picked up my car which I'd left the night before, had a bap for lunch, did a bit of gardening, took the dog out again in the afternoon, went out for dinner, and on Sunday took the dog up a hill, had lunch at home, did a spot more gardening, took the dog out again...sat in the garden with a cuppa for an hour...made tea, did some ironing and then watched telly.

It felt fairly relaxed to me. I wasn't doing anything I didn't want to do...

I love having days where I can do nothing. I try to have at least one every week or two.

But it's hardly doing nothing ...

I love a doing nothing day.

...a weekend if possible. A long weekend...

I'm pretty sure I could do absolutely fuck-all for a week, given the opportunity.

Dunno though. By the Wednesday I'd probably start to feel I should do something constructive. But that would be weak. When I start something, I like to finish it. I'm not a quitter. However much I wanted to actually get something useful done, I'd buckle down and carry on doing sod-all till the bitter end. I would never give up.

Sorry, but that's just the kind of committed, single-minded person I am.

I never get time to do nothing, but would love it. A day reading and lounging sounds like bliss.

Good gracious no, have a day off! Reading isn’t doing nothing anyway - it’s productive and good for the brain. I think there’s something wrong with people who always have to be busy - it suggests a lack of inner resources. I’m retired and have lots of doing nothing days (because I can) and don’t feel the least bit guilty!

I find it quite hard to just sit and do nothing if I'm just in the house. Normally there is some job or something that needs attention and I'll always have a little nagging feeling that I could be doing something like that rather than just spending time just reading or whatever.

I have to have a day doing nothing but i have a physical/pain condition, fatigue and neurodiverse. Without this day i would not be able to work in the jobs I do. I am off sick just now and have spent most of it doing nothing.

Also saves spending money as I like to "pick things up" when I am out and about.

That's doing loads though, doing nothing is literally doing nothing surely?

I'm afraid I'm like your friend, although I know it's bad. I feel appallingly guilty if I spend a day without doing anything. Crippling guilt.

I also hate the feeling of watching back to back TV. It makes me feel so bored and frustrated I feel almost unwell. Probably not normal.

I think probably learning to be OK with downtine is fine but I also do think doing absolutely nothing for days on end isn't great for your brain. It's a balance isn't it?

I definitely would. No one gets my cadburys creme eggs. No one.