just sitting about.

Enjoy your time, you are allowed to sit down. I sit down from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. every evening and don't feel any guilt whatsoever. I walk the dog twice every day, an hour each walk, do some gardening which I love, little housework which I hate, spend little time on Laptop. I am 77 years of age and a widow. I worked part time and have three boys and now I can do exactly what I want, whenever I want to,great, no guilt.

I'm very much with Lilylaundry on this. Let your body do the talking. My lovely Mum taught me always to 'finish the job'. It took me a long time to break this bad habit as, although it was mentally satisfying, it was often physically impairing whereas a pause and later resumption achieved a perfect result all round. My body (and the mirror!) certainly told me I was too heavy and I was lucky enough to be able to do something about that. My body tells me in no uncertain terms when I need a seat or a lie down and I comply with gusto (when appropriate of course!). My body tells me when I'm bored or fatigued by certain company but - I stay polite until the bitter end! I'm so grateful to be in a position to still be able to make these choices when my body dictates. Sweet life for me at the moment indeed. I genuinely enjoy the various viewpoints here. Thanks to all contributors.

Now that I have been retired a few years, I have mastered the art of doing absolutely nothing some days. To quote a fridge magnet “doing nothing is very hard to do....... you never know when you’ve finished”

How true Gilly ! I've been sitting on this armchair since 10 a.m. It's almost 12 noon and I don't think I've finished sitting. Got to play scrabble now ?

I could sit in the sun reading all day- in fact on holiday I do!!
TBH some afternoons at home I sit in the garden in the sun reading too.
It's good to recharge the batteries & if you enjoy it- do it!
I thought what retirement was all about. Other days you may fancy a long walk or lunch with a friend or a shopping spree.
I am dreading the day when DH retires as I will be making coffee all day long. Amazing how he can work the coffee machine when I am out!

I am very good at doing nothing! Sometimes I am busy, sometimes I am not. Sometimes I am energetic and sometimes I am not. Variety is the spice of life. There is always lots for me to do both in the house and in the garden. At 72 I do what I want, when I want. If I don't want to do anything, I don't! I am very good at doing nothing!

I love it Gilly! I must quote it or often. It's brilliant...

I am also a master of sitting, but they do say it is very bad for you to do it for hours. I make regular drinks and if I remember, I try to do a few exercises while the kettle boils - such as knee bends, rising up on toes then heels etc. Then because of the tea I go upstairs for the loo every so often as I don’t have a downstairs one. Sometimes I stand up and run on the spot for a minute ( I think they say an intensive 1 minute workout is good for you). Also I have a stretchy band thing which I put round my knees and then push against (resistance training) and some tennis balls in a net bag that I roll under my feet. But mostly I jus sit - I usually have one or two books on the go, read news, do puzzles, watch tv, listen to radio, do some committee work, and paid work I do from home. How can you keep fit with so much to do? I have thought of getting a small trampoline or exercise bike. Does anyone else have one?

Good lord! If you’ve done all that then I reckon you’ve earned a relaxing evening. Our lives need to be a balance of work and leisure time..imo too much of either isn’t good.

We are told constantly sitting still is bad for us

yes it is!

Enforced sitting today as DD has passed on her cold. I managed an hour planting leeks this morning before a headache/runny nose/sore throat drove me indoors.

Really cross because I have so much to do.

My vision is deteriorating. i read far less than I once did.
The medication that I must take for my vision makes me feel very tired.
I feel in no way ashamed that I now spend so long watching the tv
I have done my stints of a full working week+ caring for my large family and household

My fitbit tells me I should walk 250 steps every hour for 9 consecutive hours a day..... which leaves quite a few hours left for sitting guilt free. I could always shake my arm 250 times to get my step count up

I enjoy sitting and doing puzzles, playing games and reading. I see nothing wrong in it. We also go out for coffee often and sometimes for lunch. When friends or family visit we jump to it and be lively so it can be done. I blame social media for the feeling we have that we have to be up and doing all the time. I see pictures of friends cycling all over the country, walking up hills etc but each to their own.

I am like you, I am very active, walk to the shops, cycle and go to fitness classes but I also spend a great deal of time just sitting watching tv and knitting or reading. My blood pressure is really good and I feel relaxed. Also I am a Quaker and go our meetings on a Sunday where we sit in silence for an hour and just think,I love it as it feels so peaceful and relaxing. So don't fee l guiltyI think relaxing this way is good for you.

I worked from the age of 13-64 and always worked hard/played hard. Brought up my family alone for a while. Fully committed to being 'involved' in the community when there was a need giving time and care as much as I could. I care not so much now about a social life and love being retired. I sometimes get up very late, walk 6 miles often. Play golf once or twice a week, keep a clean home, see to my GC regularly. But once I've had my dinner I'm done and the evenings are for crochet which requires sitting the whole time. Im so grateful to live a happy well balanced life and have the freedom and good health to do what I want, when I want, with whom I want. It hasnt always been that way.

jennil23 you sound like you keep your mind lovely and active in spite of challenges

Lilylaundry. Haha, no doubt that's why we get on so well together - my sentiments entirely. I LOVE doing nothing when I feel like it after a lifetime of hard work...

Love your comment Gilly1952. I will remember that

I could do with that fridge magnet too Gilly!

starbird I would love to be a fly-on-the-wall ?
I think if your body tells you you're tired, relax . However like someone said oldmeg I think, too much prolonged sitting is bad and often when I feel weary if I make myself do something I feel energised. weird!