To ask what you do with your evenings

At least four evenings a week I do fitness stuff at home (walking and weights). I like to read a bit, sometimes watch TV or a film, occasionally do a knitting project or colouring. Mostly I shop on my phone (Tesco, Vinted, Amazon), and look on Rightmove and Mumsnet. That's it really.

Watch TV - but always make sure it’s something we actually want to watch and not just flicking until something vaguely entertaining pops up. If there’s nothing we want to watch, I’ll read, or have a bath, maybe do a puzzle or play Scrabble/Uno together. Some evenings we might go out for dinner, but that’s rare and usually saved for the weekends. Chat on the phone to a friend, if I lived in the same area as my best friends then I’d probably have a night at the pub or a meal out with them once every few weeks, but generally in the evenings it’s reading or tv for the most part. In the summer my husband and I might sit in the garden with a glass of wine and chat with some music on. Nothing very out there really, just the usual!

Firstly, doing nothing is NOT a waste of time if you don’t want to do anything so don’t think that resting when you’re tired wastes time. See it as self care.
For us, once we’ve had tea, we relax and watch a couple of shows together then I go up to bed at about 8pm for a quiet read while my other half then stays up and might do a bit of gaming or read or watch a show.
At the weekend, we’re more likely to go out somewhere.
Having said that, we’re older, exhausted and both still work full time so I never feel
like we’ve wasted time relaxing. We’ve earned it!

Work. 9-11pm is an extra chunk of the work day for me.

I definitely relate to this from my old job, changing it completely has massively transformed my life.
I’m not suggesting this is a straightforward move for you or anyone else, I just knew something had to change for me as I was literally working and then doing nothing. And I was always home by about 3:30 so had aeons of time. But no energy or desire to do anything other than lie on the sofa and hope no one bothered me.
Also my dc are much older now, 2 adults and one teen. They need me in different ways of course but the relentless of small ones is long gone.

in the summer, long dog walk, dinner then too much telly or some gardening . In the winter short dog walk. Diner and far far too much telly. I’ll sometimes make some soup for the freezer to take to work.

last night I caught up with two old friends on the phone instead and it was so much nicer than sitting on my backside watching yet more telly.

Put a screen time limit on your phone. You select which apps and how long you’re allowed them a day. It’s really enlightening.

Have a bath, light a candle, drink a glass of wine, talk about the news, tidy up a bit. I'm a goldsmith and keep a small bench in the house, so often I'm there, tinkering with ideas.

I often wonder this and feel like I must be doing it wrong. I have a 4 year old who just won't fall asleep without me or before 9.30. I doomscroll while I ensure he's asleep then go downstairs, sort pets, kitchen and lunchbox then come back up and either fall straight asleep or do more doomscrolling then fall asleep.

I always promise myself in the day that I'll read or watch something after his bedtime but I'm so exhausted after the 2 hours lead in to child falling asleep that I never manage it. Does this get better?

This evening I’ve chaired a committee and then met good allies who’d been out to campaign for the locals.
we are all knackered!
tomorrow I’m seeing an orchestra and going dancing- I’m staying in Saturday to watch the football of might go to the opera (Matthew bourne Carmen) and or just stay home to bbq food- Sunday I’m watching the Michael Jackson biopic - Mon to Weds I’m working away. So I’ll be doing either late drinks or dinners or in my hotel for 830 - I gym in the morning, work in the day, sleep or social stuff in the evening.

I read, sometimes I watch TV, one evening a week I do an online course, one evening I volunteer.

I try to do all of the "active" things like cooking, sorting laundry, the dishwasher, shopping and gardening as soon as I come in from work. Once that's done, I can bathe, read, play the piano, find something to watch or knit, providing that I don't have my language lesson or aerial silks that night (though I do need time to wind down after those!).

Honestly just put your phone far out of reach. I hate my kids seeing me staring at my phone. I stick it in the kitchen and leave it there.

Doesn’t necessarily mean I play with the kids all night until they go to bed but I’ll sit and read a book while they’re doing their school books, playing etc. Might do some batch cooking while I’m already making dinner. Now the weathers nice sometimes we all go for a walk.

It’s the phones that are the biggest time wasting distraction ever.

Usually knitting. I go to a craft catch-up once a week and then fortnightly meet up with other crafting friends.

I want to find a good exercise evening class, maybe even something like Netball too.

The rest of the time I spend with my children and we either have something we can all watch together or play board games. Usually a combo of both. Husband fits in where he wants as he’s also busy with gym and running.

Prior to kids I would get ready for bed earlier and lose myself in a good book. I used to spend whole weekends lazing around reading. It was bliss (I didn’t know how to knit then).

Sleep. But then Im waiting for an iron transfusion.

Interesting post. My DH has recently been asking what I'd like to do with the evening. This is once I've finished work at 8.30p., still have a dog to walk, clear kitchen etc (we do it together). I don't really understand his question! By the time we're done I'm ready for bed! Felt guilty for not having some exciting club /activities to go to.
I sing once a week but otherwise any free time is dog, kids, crotchet, bath or reading. If I have the energy, ring a friend.

I have a hobby two evenings a week that me and DP go to. It's a musical based hobby so sometimes performances weekend evenings too. Other evenings I'll have a shower, maybe phone a friend, catch up with TV, and read :).

After work, I usually go and see my mum as she’s unwell and needs some support. Then I head home to make dinner for DS/DH, go to the gym, and either cook my own dinner afterward or, on some days, go straight to the gym from work before coming home to eat. I’ll do a bit of housework, relax with some TV or reading, then shower, dry hair and head to bed.

I get back from work around 17:30. Cook and sort out the kitchen or other chores, try to spend time with DC, whether playing a game of cards, helping with homework or watching something together, then settle down to work at the dining table for another few hours (primary school teacher) before rolling into bed. On repeat.

This evening after work I walked the dogs, went for a run, had a shower, ate, walked to the shop, helped dd to start packing for her school trip abroad next week, did a little bit of cross stitch now I'm in bed. My kids are late teens so most evenings need minimal input from me.

By the time the kids are in bed I am done. I don’t know how anyone can muster up the energy for the gym or a class once it’s gone 7pm. Early evening I will read or scroll Tik Tok, eat a late dinner around 8pm then it’s series for the remainder of the night. Like you, I feel like I run around all day and need that downtime in an evening.

Scrolling isn't good for anyone, no.

Luckily sitting on your backside reading books is an excellent example to set!