Evenings

Life is pretty dull around here in the evenings, TBH, but I like it it!

I work (WFH) til about 7pm, then either stop and make dinner or, if it's DP turn to cook, I'll potter while he does so – chat to him, water plants, dishwasher, do a bit of minor tidying up or put some laundry away.

If neither of us is going out, we tend to watch telly. I don't think it's true that there's nothing on except reality: there's a fantastic new David Attenborough series on at the moment, and I recently (belatedly) discovered the Hannah Fry series The Secret Genius of Modern Life. There's also lots of good documentaries (Lucy Worsley and David Olusoga are favourites in this house) and drama, especially if you have one or more streaming platform. And lovely cosy shows like the Sewing Bee.

I don't really like/ feel like exercising in the evenings, apart from one evening a week when I do an exercise class on Zoom from home. But I think it's great that you get out for a run or yoga or whatever in the evenings.
Rather than downgrading your reading, what about audiobooks? You could potter while you listened.

I have no free time in the evenings! Normally home from work by 6.00pm, cook dinner, eat, clean up, pick up DC from activities (different finish times each night but is out four weeknights, and I go to an exercise class myself on the other night).

Basically just scrolling on my phone is how I fill the rest of the time. I don’t even often put the TV very often.

1 work from home so really need to get out of the house after I’ve made everyone’s dinner. I enjoy amateur theatre. There’s always something on somewhere.

I think the phones have ruined a lot of us.

If scrolling wasn't an option, you'd (and I'd) do the things you think you're too tired for.

I read, watch TV (not live, I find something on a streaming service), play mobile games, fuss the cats and the dog, mess about on the internet and just generally enjoy being in my own company and doing whatever I please.

I work outdoors in a tiring, physical job so evenings are when I do as little as possible otherwise I exhaust myself and end up burning out. I am autistic though so I need a lot of alone/downtime compared to most. I do all my chores in the mornings to get them out of the way.

I relax. Either watch TV or read I don't find the programmes I watch boring at all.

Listen to podcasts, sometimes play a game on my iPad at the same time. I like history, paranormal/unexplained stuff, true crime.

That's what I try & tell myself! 😆

You say you’re too tired to read. Do you want to read?

Because I felt the same and downgraded the books I was reading to be easier page turners and it got me back into it. Now I don’t find it tiring at all but incredibly cosy and relaxing.

I am usually occupied with dinner and the aftermath of dinner, directing homework, looking after pets, working and general life admin until after 9pm. Occasionally I'll manage a run (although I prefer to run in the mornings). I sometimes read in bed or sometimes watch something with DP but I rarely get more than an hour. It's exhausting but I'm used to it. I would like more time to myself in the evenings but until DD is through GCSEs I can't see it happening.

I would love to have so much evening time!
Ours are consumed by the dc, very rarely do we watch tv during weekdays. By the time I have finished everything I usually have time for a shower, a read before bed and that's it.

In these times I wear my earbuds and listen to something! Often DH doesn't even notice I can't hear.

It depends on the evening, I tend to cook enough for two nights meals in one go so I free up some time throughout the week.

on the nights I’m not cooking we will play board games, go for walks possibly pop into the pub.

on cooking nights it is normally cleaning and watching tv / reading a book

I try really hard not to use my phone/ipad for the hour prior to going to bed (although reading on my kindle is allowed!). I agree that TV can be poor at that time of night, but I can usually find a box-set or a series on iplayer/Netflix, rather than watching what’s being broadcast that evening.

Do you sleep ok?
I have really noticed a difference if I spend the evening with TV/phone vs not.

That's a good idea. What are you studying?

I wish I had that much time left! I guess it will come when the kids pass the toddler stage 🤞

I usually get home with the kids around 5:30-6pm. Then dinners, PJS, bedtime routine it's already 7:30pm.

Youngest one takes bloody ages to sleep, so one of us is usually stuck until 9pm. The other one prepare dinner, by the time we've both eaten it's usually 9-9:30pm.

For the last hour of the day, the only thing I have energy for is TV!

Started studying as I was bored too - it’s so much more fulfilling!

What about a puzzle? Or jist relax and listen to music?

Family history/genealogy can take up a bit of time. And a bit more. And a bit more, for that matter.

Your evenings sound lovely! No idea how you fit all that in.
I finish at 5 then by the time we've done dinner, clear up, spend time with the kids, bath, bedtime it's 9pm. Then it's TV for one hour while I do life admin.
And the next day, and the next day, and the next.....