That the stuff I used to do and and the recovery time afterwards have changed drastically.
Rake leaves, front, back, and all to street gutter for collection. Then going to work the next day- no problem.
Then on to doing both front and back yards, take aspirins, do on Saturday…just in case.
Next- rake one half of chore. 2 Aleve, maybe Mineral Ice rub, and heating pad for arms that feel inordinately long and drag on the ground behind you when you walk.
Moving to the next stage- take Aleve before going out. Find rake in garage. Look over leaves, then take a look at perfect yards of freakin’ twelve year old professionals living around you, and wondering just how perfect your own gutter piles didn’t look all these years. (How the hell did they make it in such perfectly shaped piles? Like a ‘Country Leaves Magazine’ cover shoot!) Next, leaning the stupid rake next to the door, and going inside to do anything non- prductive. Hell, if the leaves don’t get raked and kill the damn grass, at least the time spent mowing will be shortened, and you will only be recouping for maybe two days. Three, if you are reading a good book….