AIBU to think lazy days are underrated in modern life?

[Alldoomandgloom]

There’s so much pressure in modern life to always be doing something exciting. Holidays, days out and the like. It’s exhausting! AIBU to think that lazy days are underrated?

I think we could reframe lazy as rest, rest days where you do something you enjoy at a slower pace or take time for yourself to recharge isn’t lazy. We need time to rest, bedtime isn’t always enough and our nervous systems need time to recover. This whole narrative of get up and keep doing isn’t always healthy or helpful.

we love a lazy day!! DD 13 has a sensitive social battery, as do I - we are having a chilled day today - she is in an out to the local park, I’ve spent the day cooking gently with tv in the back ground - just no need to be sociable or talk to anyone else! It’s bliss xx

Absolutely not. I have at least one a week, they’re an important part of my schedule and wellbeing.

For those who can't sit still or relax, what are you doing that is productive? A lot of people's descriptions of lazy days sound like a lot of my non-working days.

In the last few weeks I’ve done random jobs instead of sitting and reading/watching telly:
cleaned all the internal doors in the house after realising one of them looked grubby and noticing some others also did, cleared out the bathroom cupboard, swept the patio, decluttered the utility room cupboard under the sink, dusted the skirting boards in the hallway and wiped down the walls by the front door, sorted out the spare bedding…
nothing Especially important that anyone else would notice but just things I had noticed that needed doing.
My non working days are Saturday and Sunday and although I will sit for 20 minutes reading or whatever, if I don’t have actual plans to be somewhere or do something I’ll happily chip away at little jobs around the house rather than spend hours watching telly or something like that.
im just not very good at doing nothing and I suspect a lot of people are the same.

I think they’re vital tbh.

Spent years not really doing then when the kids were little and would end up bouncing off the walls if we did.

Now they are a teen and a tween we can enjoy the odd lazy day together (although ds12 is still quite high energy a lot of the time!)

That’s a strange thing to say, I work full time have 3 children and pets, exercise multiple times per week, needing or wanting a day in pjs on the couch doesn’t mean I may as well be in a nursing home

I agree, although I struggle because there’s always something I should be doing- housework, sorting, coursework…. I tell myself I deserve to rest for a bit then later the guilt sets in!

I have had a largely 'lazy' day today. Admittedly I did go out for a 30 minute run at 9a.m. but I have done nothing but knit and lounge around since then really. A lot of knitting, which is productive in that it produces something!

I have lots of work and housework to do, and I have very much enjoyed not doing any of it today! It was an active decision not to. If I'd lounged around having planned to do work or housework, I'd be feeling guilty now and wouldn't have enjoyed my day nearly as much!

I love a lazy day. I need one at the weekend to rest and recharge from the stress of the week, work, school runs etc. My mental health would be in an even worse place than it is already without them

growing up my mother was always on the go she never sat down and never allowed us to sleep in or do nothing days at home was always a list of jobs. you could never relax - she still is like that today - so whenever I had time off I always felt guilty not doing anything. my now husband was like you can just sit down you know
now I have a long term chronic pain condition I actually have to schedule in rest ( lazy) days as if I do too much I have a flare up. I book days off work for rest every so often especially if I know will have a busy time in my life. its taken a while to not feel guilty. so like today I got up at half 10 showered helped with horses walked dogs but sat in front of fire and tv for rest of day. apart from putting on dishwasher and one load on washing machine did nothing. I don't wear my pyjamas though - my type of pyjamas can't be seen out of the bedroom 😂 do wear comfort clothes.
it is so important to have down time and listen to your body

I think the opposite to this! I'd never heard of planned 'lazy days' throughout my life, only the past couple of decades with SM and a huge growth in 'lounge wear' and PJs. Now you see and hear talking about gonna have a chill day/veg out/take me time etc.

At home there are so many things now to make it a place of personal entertainment, gadgets, consoles, huge tvs, while before it was just furniture, a TV but not always, and books.

There's been much more incentive to stay home, dress for home, maybe not even change at all, whereas before the first thing you did was get washed and dressed ready for going out to seek your fun.

Yes life has become faster paced, with the feel for immediacy to respond because we have the tech do so, along with which comes the pressure of instant response.

It's also become easier in many ways: online ordering, online control of things you had to go somewhere for, car ownership, cheaper production of white goods, modern appliances and so on.

It's definitely faster but aided with technology to compensate. Decades ago we were all still busy but actively busy, physically rather than screens.

Haven’t had one in years, there’s always so much needs doing for family, work and home.

I love a jigsaw, a book, some TV, writing, drawing, home stuff. But I was brought up to believe that if you have free time, you must spend it outdoors. Also, reading and TV are for bedtime. Any time spent sitting in the day is wasted. It is really hard to stop believing that, even though I actually enjoy sitting sometimes.

absolutely not . Don’t judge me but I’m a single mum and my kid has quite high autism . If he’s had a busy lot of days I encourage us both taking a lazy day watching films etc to give him a chance to recharge and build up his social battery again . I feel I need them as well sometimes (I’ll still walk the dog a few times ) but otherwise just enjoy a relaxing day in

Well you mustn't feel guilty, you more than deserve to have a lazy day/s. I wish you a very long happy retirement

I don't just love a lazy day, I need it! I need to be able to recharge and reset myself again. Hard to do with children I must say as guilt takes over. But to lounge in bed with a cuppa tea watching some videos, or taking a bath, or reading. It's slow, it's relaxing.. and it's far cheaper than leaving the house!

I suppose people have different thresholds for boredom, and therefore the extent to which a lazy day is boring to them!

I love the odd day spent doing very little other than having a very long lie, pottering around the house, watching TV, scrolling on my phone, possibly reading a book. That’s a lazy day to me but it’s not boring. Others would think that IS boring.

I love a lazy day at home but I’m not sure I agree they are underrated. I think lots of people love them. And there appears to be more people now taking ‘mental health days’. That’s a new ish thing. Or maybe they always did and it’s just the language that’s new.

Today was a lazy afternoon due to Storm Dave. We walked (DP ran) this morning, did a little mooch in the seaside village we are in and had breakfast out. By lunchtime the dog was knackered and the weather was bad so I’ve spent the afternoon on the sofa in my pjs!! Love a good laze. Going to have to get up and do stuff tomorrow though or il go a bit stir crazy!

yes far more likely to happen when it's winter though or the weather's bad.

Summer lazy days are great fun in the garden too.

Same here. My DH and teens know too.

So glad I'm not the only one thinking this. I feel guilty for not taking my kids on day trips this week, but I'm working FT in a high stress job, studying in my final year, and we have a massive friend group whom are always doing something. Today I just wanted to stay in bed all day, but I got up and got shopping in for the kids over Easter, made Easter treats with them at home, cooked a special Easter tea (OK it was toasted hot cross buns, smoky bacon, brie cheese, chilli jam, and burgers - They were bangin', as my kids said!) - Anyway! Now my body hurts. I am aching from head to foot, I have a roast to cook tomorrow. My husband has mobility issues and he will sit in the kitchen and do things with his hands (vegetables! Not me 😜). I am burnt out.

The take away is to do things you like doing at your chosen pace, instead of the endless things you have to do on most days.

I sometimes think my lazy days are other people’s full on days when people at work discuss what they’re doing at the weekends. I also have a couple of friends who don’t stop all day …. I don’t get that either. You need a metaphorical or actual sit in the garden with a cup of tea moment…actually enjoy your life or surroundings.