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How do we get so busy???

(30 Posts)
Imperfect27 Fri 28-Jul-17 06:56:14

Anyone else look back or forward to what should be a 'quiet' week and realise they have been chasing their tail most of the time?

I'm not at work at present, but haven't had a lie in all week, and am facing yet another day peppered with appointments and errands to run.

If this is a foretaste of retirement, I won't be bored! I guess the difference is we can make ourselves busy by choice, but phew - I will be glad when wine o'clock arrives tonight! smile

kittylester Fri 28-Jul-17 07:03:54

I'm with you and I don't know how it happens either! confused

One of the disadvantaged of being a SAHM as I was is that you don't actually retire so things just carry on as normal - fast!

Christinefrance Fri 28-Jul-17 08:45:04

Same here, despite being retired for 12 years there is an entry on most days on our calendar. Voluntary work, lunch with friends, guests arriving, assorted vet appointments for the menagerie, the list goes on. So glad we are able to do all these things and help friends who are in poor health.
Have to find time to look at GN and read the next chapter of my book. We are grateful for reasonable health which allows us carry on enjoying life.

Teetime Fri 28-Jul-17 09:08:07

I agree some weeks are as busy as working but I get a bit edgy if I don't have anything on in a day so I find house jobs to do. There is always something.

whitewave Fri 28-Jul-17 09:44:09

I love having a day off!! Happens so rarely though

Tessa101 Fri 28-Jul-17 09:51:39

Me to, I work part time but on my days off I'm always busy doing something. I'm a list maker ( forget things otherwise) and as soon as I cross one thing off as done, another gets added to the bottom.

wildswan16 Fri 28-Jul-17 09:51:45

If you don't want to be busy - you don't have to be. There is always that very useful little word "no". But often we are our own worst enemies and say "yes" instead. It is nice to feel needed or to feel that we are a productive member of society - but is not essential.

coast35 Fri 28-Jul-17 09:56:59

I keep asking my husband when we will get to retire from this retirement. Never seem to have a moment. Must be our own faults I suppose. Lol

ninathenana Fri 28-Jul-17 10:02:47

I have the opposite problem. A friend often asks in her texts (we don't live close) "What are you up to this week ?"
Erm, apart from food shopping, nothing !

cornergran Fri 28-Jul-17 10:02:56

Bought a fridge magnet last week which says 'I'm retired, you can't make me do anything'. I have pointed to it numerous times already grin.

W11girl Fri 28-Jul-17 10:08:54

I don't know where I found the time to work and do all the household stuff...amazing...I never seem to have time on my hands since I retired. Today ...I'm painting a wall at the moment, then need to finish the holiday ironing/packing/compose a business letter/piano practice/french lessons/....oh and of course cook something to eat.....!! Busy, busy, busy... thank goodness!

Craftycat Fri 28-Jul-17 10:50:30

Just thank your lucky stars you are never bored or fed up! That would be awful.
Sometimes I wake up & think I have nothing happening today where I need to be somewhere at any given time & I roll over & have a lie in.Such a luxury. However by the end of the day I realise I have still been dashing round like a maniac all day.

I wouldn't change anything though.

moobox Fri 28-Jul-17 10:53:58

I am retired but wouldn't want to lie in in the morning. I would rather make sure I have plenty to occupy myself and get up for

HenHarrier24 Fri 28-Jul-17 10:58:09

DH and I have a regular 'day off' even though we are both retired, when we walk or go to a NT property, or anywhere else we'd like to visit. If we didn't do this we'd be chasing our tails 7 days instead of 6. Much of it is by choice, art class, DGCs, volunteering, but I do love a day off!

CardiffJaguar Fri 28-Jul-17 11:45:05

If we were not so busy, particularly in retirement (which should be renamed as moving-on) boredom could easily set in and then life loses interest. That is to avoided at all costs.

Kim19 Fri 28-Jul-17 11:54:38

I just love the freedom to commit only to projects/activities I wish to. What is really important to me is having something to look forward to. Now, this can be as simple as local coffee with someone to some lovely holiday venture: doesn't matter. At the moment I'm blessed with reasonable health and do capitalise on that by being as active as I can. My diary ticks over nicely. I also enjoy extra hours in bed in the winter months - naughtily furnished with iPad, I might add. One of my favourite experiences is to hear car frost scraping going on and be able to say 'not for me'. Yippee! I was 74 when I retired and somewhat reluctantly at that. However, I absolutely love it now. Just wonderful!

Blinko Fri 28-Jul-17 12:10:17

Retirement sounds as though we've retired from life, don't you think? This week, I'm playing bridge (twice), lunching with friends (twice again) and helping an elderly cousin (aged 90 and still lively) to regain her confidence in driving. It's important to her quality of life as she lives on a steep hill and can't walk up it nowadays. Oh and choir and yoga, though on separate occasions grin I retired (or 'moved on') some 6 years ago aged 64. for me it's still all go (who was it who used to say that?)

devongirl Fri 28-Jul-17 12:39:27

Listening to all these accounts and fun things to do I can't wait to retire! (2 or more years down the line). Only problem is I have a very hungry mortgage to support so no chance sad

rosesarered Fri 28-Jul-17 12:46:09

I would actually like more free time ( to do nothing if I choose) than I have.
Having said that, I wouldn't like a blank diary either.

BlueBelle Fri 28-Jul-17 12:48:28

I hate retirement so work three days a week volunteering and those three days are the ones I wake up happiest I cannot motivate myself for my own stuff somehow
At the moment I have an 11 year old and two 14 year olds staying for 10 days I take them back next Tuesday and I m really looking forward to 'my freedom' again You can't believe how noisy, untidy and full of 'it' they are when together (cousins) They all like different food or even variations of the same they all love curry but one likes it really hot one very mild and one only korma I love having them and have done since they were small but it's getting more of a trial I must admit as I get older and the weather hasn't helped Lovely until the day I went and got them but miserable since

Legs55 Fri 28-Jul-17 13:53:11

I love being retired, I'm widowed so only myself to please. I am a member of a couple of Meet Up groups, you don't have to go to everything so I pick things I'm interested in, I go on holiday in August, I'm out on 3 occasions before I go & 5 when I get back. My month also fills up with lunch once a month & afternoon tea once a month with a local volunteer group. I love my garden & have good garden centres nearby. Then there's the shopping & houseworksad. Oh & Doctor/Dentist/optician/Hospital Appointments.

My DD & DGSs live about 10 miles away so there's visits to be madesmile. I read a lot & enjoy crosswords & sudoku.

Sunday is usually my "day of rest" withe the Sunday papersgrin. I'm never bored. Unless I'm going somewhere I get up when I wake up.

sluttygran Fri 28-Jul-17 13:54:49

Well yes, retirement isn't much different to work, except that at work I used to get days off and holidays. It's DGC of course - having brought up one family, I now have another to deal with! It's nice tho', cos I have all the fun and no financial worries as the tinies are very well provided for. When mine were small, I struggled to make ends meet, but this generation do better, tho' like I had to, they seem to work long hours.

tigger Fri 28-Jul-17 15:04:18

I just love waking in the morning, knowing I don't have any errands or appointments that day, just chilling.

Victoria08 Fri 28-Jul-17 15:17:06

It seems to me, some people must be busy, busy busy all the time.

Flitting from one thing to another, very rarely taking time to just sit and think or even meditate.

Now I have grandchildren, I am much busier than I used to be, but sometimes I don't want to be looking after them as I'm getting on a bit and tire quite easily now.

I can now choose to be busy and don't want to be always rushing of somewhere.

Days at home are quite nice, just pottering about etc.

lovebeigecardigans1955 Fri 28-Jul-17 16:07:32

I think that we women always find that there's something to do. I love to see that there's nothing in the diary for today - it means that I can please myself with enjoyable and self-indulgent stuff, like sewing and gardening.