I should not have bothered doing this because it wasn't worth the time or effort. The phrase, a pun on "I should have stayed in bed," is attributed to Joe Jacobs, who was quoted as saying it after attending a baseball game. Primarily heard in US. We got trounced at our football game this morning—I should've just stood in bed. A: "So, what did you think of the opera, Dad?" B: "Eh, waste of a Sunday if you ask me. I should have stood in bed."