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feeling guilty

(65 Posts)
travelsafar Tue 04-Jul-17 19:08:26

Does any one else get that guilty feeling when they just sit for an hour and do nothing apart from read the paper or watch tv during the afternoon of the day. Since I have retired two years ago i still cant shake this feeling off and convince myself its fine to do this.

SueD Wed 05-Jul-17 18:01:11

Having spent 17years getting up at 6.30am I felt really guilty about a lie in in the mornings. It very soon passed! Now find we are up later and go to bed later too. You adjust your life to suit you. Please dont feel guilty.

lemon11 Wed 05-Jul-17 21:47:58

I share this feeling. I was made redundant and given early retirement at 57. I have worked part time ever since often having two or three separate jobs.

At 67 I am fully retiring at the end of the month and I feel guilty already.

annodomini Wed 05-Jul-17 22:02:31

Guilt is pointless. It's a destructive emotion and I have rarely felt guilty about anything. My sister says I have no conscience!

Lupatria Thu 06-Jul-17 00:01:24

i have never felt guilty about sitting doing nothing - it's my time i'm wasting and although i haven't got as much left as i used to it's still my time to waste.
and, for the record, i've never felt guilty about anything in my entire life!

travelsafar Thu 06-Jul-17 07:46:08

lupatria that is my problem i think, i worry that i am wasting presious time, as none of us know how long we have left. Since retiring i feel like i want to fill every moment with something purposeful, plus it is drummed into us by the media that sitting around is so unhealthy and can cause no end of health issues. You are so lucky never having felt guilty about anything!!! smile

DanniRae Thu 06-Jul-17 08:10:31

How are you wasting time if you are sitting reading, watching tv etc? You are relaxing and enjoying yourself - so that can't be a waste of time, can it?

Greyduster Thu 06-Jul-17 08:19:04

No! ?

TriciaF Thu 06-Jul-17 09:36:58

Not so much guilty as restless and bored - I have to be up and doing something productive every half hour or so. And it's 27 years since I retired from a fulltime job, having worked for 34 years.
I can't even sit and watch a whole film on TV - apart from the odd one. I sat and watched a Woody Allen film the other night but they're usually short.

Luckygirl Thu 06-Jul-17 09:43:41

I do feel guilty when I use up a beautiful afternoon on Wimbledon - we get so little lovely weather that it seems a big waste.

Barmyoldbat Thu 06-Jul-17 15:58:27

No never. my oh and I just amble through the day, very rarely making plans for the next day, I am sitting on the settee with iPad, the vacuum cleaner stands in the middle of the room waiting for me or the oh to use it but he iis busy making a sandwich to eat after his road race later. Life is to short to be doing things you don't want to do. Love retirement.

Menopaws Thu 06-Jul-17 20:54:49

Good on you barmy that's how I'd like it to be

Jaycee5 Fri 07-Jul-17 09:21:25

I did when I first retired and I think it lasted for more than two years but eventually it seems silly to worry. I also used to think that I should go out every day. I still do most days or I start feeling a bit stir crazy but retirement is for doing what you want when you want. No one will be judging you but yourself so just enjoy it.
I expected to catch up on a lot of reading after I retired but my eyes gets very sore very easily and so I find I only read a page or two and then usually just in the bath but I only really started to enjoy retiring once I stopped thinking about what I 'ought' to be doing.

luluaugust Fri 07-Jul-17 09:22:15

Hope to sit in the garden and read this afternoon

Flossieturner Fri 07-Jul-17 10:01:10

It is strange but I have so many hang ups. I have been retired 15 years but I have only just "allowed" myself to watch tv during the day. Even so it rarely goes on before 4pm and never In the morning.

Also I don't feel guilty sitting and doing nothing in the garden, but can't really relax just sitting in the sitting room.

chrissyh Fri 07-Jul-17 10:25:35

No, definitely not. I just agree with the saying 'time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time'. Just enjoy it.

Lyndie Fri 07-Jul-17 10:26:13

I have been retired for 3 months and I am bored already. I have tried joining everything but somehow I don't want to just talk. I miss the challenges and achievements. I do crafts but always have. I belong to groups such as Meetup. I have friends and family. I find just doing things for myself after doing stuff for others all my life feels I now have no purpose sad

Lyndie Fri 07-Jul-17 10:27:03

I have have always volunteered but just finished that .

lesley4357 Fri 07-Jul-17 10:33:24

My dad could never sit still. His mantra was "there's enough time for sleeping when you're dead" ! As a consequence I still find it difficult doing nothing and often find myself justifying lack of activity to OH - who couldn't give a damn!

grandMattie Fri 07-Jul-17 11:27:31

Constantly, especially watching TV during the day. Don't watch sports of any sort. I record edifying programmes to justify my viewing!

knspol Fri 07-Jul-17 11:34:29

Always felt guilty after retiring and used to think I had to 'justify my existence' by recounting to DH every little thing I'd done during the day - very exciting for him! Thought it would change once he also retired but still have those feelings of guilt although not as strong.

Jan51 Fri 07-Jul-17 11:37:32

Never. I like to get all my jobs done in the morning so that the afternoon is mine to do what I please.DH has tv on most of the day, especially now with the cricket. I don't watch a lot of daytime tv but do like the quiz programmes (I'm exercising my brain). Otherwise I can be found sitting in the other room or the garden doing crosswords etc, reading or knitting/crochet. I find it difficult to sit and not do anything I almost always knit or crochet while watching TV.

sarahellenwhitney Fri 07-Jul-17 12:16:18

Travelsafar Not any more do I feel guilty in doing that which I enjoy and entitled to do.
Through out my youth and then married life it was shouldn't you be doing this and not that?.Even if it had no consequences to those making that comment.
Now although I miss those who would make me feel this 'guilt' the freedom in doing it when and if I want to is something I cherish.sunshine All the way

Jennylynn Fri 07-Jul-17 13:28:11

You will get over the guilt. I used to be exactly the same but now, I rush around doing all my chores so that I can sit and do nothing but read and watch to. I do go to keep fit twice a week I might add.

Direne3 Fri 07-Jul-17 14:24:54

If 'born into money' we would probably not have ever thought twice about it - but yes even after several years I still get guilt pangs which I try to convince myself are a working class weakness. grin

grandMattie Fri 07-Jul-17 14:28:45

No never, Jenny. I have been a kept woman all my married life - daytime is for "working", evenings are for enjoying oneself! Although we are both retired, I still feel guilty. I carry on watching, but I feel guilty.
I also always knit or crochet as if I didn't, I would be the size of the proverbial brick sh.t-house... grin