What do you do to relax, that doesn’t involve a screen?

[nibdedibble]

Lockdown blues, have got into habit of watching tv with phone in hand in the evenings...

What with the lack of light I’m feeling a bit blah and looking for ways to relax, move a bit more, that don’t use screens and don’t mean going outside (in the cold dark, sob).

Anyone else a bit stuck? I’d love to find something really interesting to do that isn’t my bloody phone

Knitting

Sewing

Taking photos (but that's more of a daytime thing for me tbh)

Editing photos (although of course that still involves looking at a screen but I'm actually doing something rather than passively watching shite on YouTube)

I bought a personalised jigsaw recently (using one of my own photos). It's only 500 pieces but I can't bloody do it!

Colouring

Escape into a good book.

Knitting with soothing music on.

Crochet

Read- though use a kindle so technically a screen! In the summer I swim.

Thank you tofuschnitzel, where do I start, what do I buy!

[quote vilamoura2003]@Abracadabra12345 I love receiving letters, are they just people you know anyway? When I was younger, I started writing to pen pals through a scheme at school, I doubt they still have schemes like this as it is all electronic these days 🙄[/quote]
You’re missing out on a whole world. Penpalling is alive and kicking especially with young people as you’ll see on penpal sites. One of my besties is a penpal who I now meet regularly but I have friends I’ve never met who live abroad and we have deep conversations . Stationery is also addictive...If you’re on FB, just type in penpal and see where it takes you

Read.
Walk the dog
Have a long bath
Plan things (Christmas, holidays, birthdays...)
Decorate for Christmas bit by bit (starting in 10 days, tidying/ clearing out first)

Read, run, walk, listen to music, cycle, chat to a friend.

@Nosuchthingastoomuchcheese

Thank you tofuschnitzel, where do I start, what do I buy!

I started with -A Winsor & Newton watercolour set with 12 colours. www.ebay.co.uk/itm/233717842953

• 300gsm weight watercolour paper. This weight holds water really well.

• a set of cheap watercolour brushes from eBay, I think I spent £5 or £6 on my first set of brushes. You can always spend more on brushes once you are sure you like working with watercolour.

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/293340308076

There are lots of watercolour books for beginners. I am interested in painting flowers and foliage so I focused on those subjects for books.

Let me know if I can help further!

Oh, I forgot a crucial one... Cooking.

Read
Write
Knit Hats
Make patterns for knitting my hats
Blog that’s writing again
Walking the dogs
Training the dogs
Writing about the Training of the dogs.

Online yoga, my yoga teacher has gone online, has a whats app group, charges very little per session and is brilliant, if anyone interested, he does classes via zoom. I've loved it and previously never even done zoom. Does everything from beginners to intermediate.

I've also brought a diamond picture to do, only a few quid off ebay and should keep me busy for bloody ever you stick little diamonds on a pre numbered grid to make a picture. Oddly calming.

....despite these suggestion I'm still sat here on a small screen though!

I’ve got into sewing and macrame since lockdown 1. I was watching far too much tv but scrolling the whole time. I still tend to have the telly on while crafting but I pay more attention to it not looking at 2 screens.

I ponder... I love, for instance, the silent solitude of the early morning before anyone else awakens. I love to just sit, with a cup of tea and ponder... think about life, what's been going on what needs attention, just ponder... it would be such a waste to spend that time on a screen.

Listen to a podcast / audiobook whilst having a bath
Listen to music
Go for a swim - pre covid
Go for a walk even better if a coffee and cake are involved
Go for a coffee and read a newspaper/ magazine- again pre covid

Run - I really don’t mind it in the dark
Yoga
I’m very lucky and have a horse I find that hugely relaxing (when she’s not spooking at her own feet )

penpal
read
dot-to-dot
adult colouring
project life scrapbooks

Thank you so much!

I've discovered diamond painting. Addictive and so relaxing.