I need ideas for things to do in the evening

[LetMeStraightenMyCrownFirst]

I work from home (this is not because of Covid - just my usual set up). When I finish around 7:00 I often go (used to go I should say) to the shops (those open late) to get out of the house and have a change of scenery. Sometimes that means going to the supermarket!

However now that everything is closed and I try to avoid going out as much as possible (I use click & collect for my food shop) I'm looking for ideas on what to do in the evening besides watching TV or going online. I live alone and see my partner at weekends (we're in a bubble), when we - you guessed it - watch TV, play cards and board games, chat, listen to music, do DYI, etc. Pretty much like the rest of the country.

So I'm looking for ideas on what to do in the evenings - I can't cook/bake (and I'm on a diet) so that's not an option. But what hobbies do you have that you can indulge in in the evenings? I am not into working out (I used to work out, a lot, but purely because it's good for you. Now I've lost the motivation and I'm dieting instead!) or even going for a walk (I'm tired tbh after ten or 11 hours at my desk). Any suggestions welcome. Thank you.

Yoga on youtube to loosen your muscles after work.
I read a lot.
Dot to dot, colouring books for adults or word searchs. Jigsaws ect.
I am learning to crochet. You could listen to podcasts or audible books while doing the above.
I like to do project life/memory keeping.

All of the above, I like diamond painting sets while listening to an audiobook, very therapeutic and doesnt matter if you don't have an artistic bone in your body. Or drawing / painting / scrapbooks if you are that way inclined.

I had a Zoom catch up with an old friend today who told me she had written a 120k novel in the evenings because she's sick of TV and alone. I was so impressed. You could do that.

You could do a bit of DIY - sand and wax your floors, repaint a room, reupholster a chair. I have zero crafting skills but even I have upholstered a chair to reasonable standard and it is such a satisfying hobby. Just get an upholsterer's staple gun and look online for some tips.

Or Kondo your house. You can do this while listening to podcasts or Ted Talks.

Online yoga or bootcamps? I do these. You can get lots of free ones on youtube but I prefer to pay for live Zoom sessions as then you are accountable and turn up at a set time, and have trainers who increase the challenge week by week.

Do a free online course? There are loads run by individual unis or by the big online companies like edX and future learn.

Start growing tomatoes or strawberries when it gets a bit warmer.
Learn a new language, although that may be easier getting started online.
My daughter has learned to cross stitch and knit from you tube videos.
Have a go at making new and exotic salads that will support your diet.
Jigsaw.
Suduko/wordsearches/puzzle books.
Learn how to hula hoop.
Organise all those photos that you have never put into albums!

Like the photos idea!
I do jigsaws and have a case thing so I can put them away. Have also just bought some female skills/empowerment books - Tara Mohr think big and Viv Groskop How to own the room. Viv has a podcast too.

Mumsnet?

Great thread actually and am here to read the better replies. I do jigsaws sometimes but it’s a bit samey after a while.

I'm doing an online Welsh language course. I live and work in Wales and I am determined to be able to say more than Bora Da and Diolch by the time this is all over.

I also do jigsaws and I've got a diamond painting kit on the go as well.

Audio books or podcasts work well with something that keeps your hands busy - crochet, colouring in, housework etc... They also work well with a walk - I quite enjoy an evening walk, zoning out with a favourite podcast or a good audio book.

Some great ideas, thank you. Tonight I will be doing my nails. I like the idea of sitting on the sofa, with the telly on, but doing something more than just watching telly. I could craft but I'd need some fancy tray I can angle towards me. Maybe that's what I'll do tomorrow night - look for one of those online!

I was going to say yoga & crochet too, & you don’t need a tray for crochet, your work can rest on your lap.

Knitting? There are lots on online tutorials and loads of beginning knitting books on Amazon. You could also buy your needles and yarn from there at the same time!
Good luck with your quest. You'll have to come back and tell us what you've chosen to do in the end.

@dixiebloom ooh do tell me more about life and memory keeping! This sounds like something which would interest me.

I'm a Lp and once ds is in bed I'm alone, (not a bad thing after a full day of home school/ft degree).
I listen to podcasts whilst tidying up, I knit, I read a lot but sometimes I just collapse in front of netflix!

Oh I just posted on another thread.
If you like Google Earth , try Geoguessr. You get a Google E. Photo and your challenge is to work out where it is.
Zooniverse. .. lots and lots of different projects from across the world have data for you to sort! Truly amazing variety and a great contribution to projects in all sorts of fields.

@Norugratsatall it is like a simplified scrapbooking & photo albums. you can be as creative or simple as you want. Google Project Life

Mini Lego models - I'm working on titanic at the moment - fiendish but satisfying

Jigsaw puzzles- always a couple o the go in the family.

Puzzle books

Paint by numbers

I colour in - got loads of felt pens etc, it's utterly mindless and I have the telly on as well. Nice brain rest after work. Also you can get hilarious colouring books with swear words in
Sewing/knitting/embroidery/cross stitch is also fun.
Give yourself a home manicure/pedicure.
I like computer games but it is nice to have a break from screens.

Something crafty. It gets you away from screens, and stops you reaching for the biscuits/crisps etc.
Card-making, scrapbooking, colouring, drawing, weaving, quilting, sewing as well as what's been suggested upthread.

Baking

@dixiebloom thanks! I will have a google.

@Norugratsatall dont feel I explained it well. But you buy an album in different sizes with rings. Then you get different designs of page projectors. You can buy journal cards to inter mix with your photos. This is where you can keep it super simple or really creative!! You can DIY alot of it.
Some people do a weekly spread but I usually do monthly and you can just document the ordinary and the big memories!!

I’m spending more time on personal care than usual. Longer baths, lots of body buffing, foot filing etc....things I do desperately and too late when the weather gets better. I have time to pamper myself more regularly, so I do.

I also have earlier nights which I enjoy and feel are a luxury.

It I have to admit to lots of surfing the net and MN and some TV. I like to have a box set on the go and have an episode each night with DH - always sit down to watch at 9pm and that gives some structure to our evenings.

Knitting, crochet, cross stitch, loom knitting
Zoom with friends
Exercise classes, yoga, Pilates, boxercise, Zumba
Jigsaws- loads online if you don’t want an actual one.
Drawing, painting, card making
Reading. Loads of Kindle books that are.very cheap or free.

We all have a games console. Last night I spent a couple of hours being chased in a horror game. DH was racing round a race track and harvesting tomatoes in his empire building game. and DS helped in a raid in a big MMO we both play, very often together.

Today I am cutting up some old jumpers to make some beanie hats for friends and also cutting out a pattern to make a teddy bear for my friends baby. I’m also thinking about making something more labour intensive and unusual such as a Victorian Bonnet, I have made one before. I can use a sewing machine but I prefer sewing by hand.

I will probably play the horror game again later as well, it was strangely addictive. You can choose to help others in the game or ignore and concentrate on saving yourself. You are given ratings at the end and I’m always interested in the altruistic rating of the team. It’s a great intense microcosm of people’s behaviour under stress.

So my suggestions are gaming or sewing. I’m also going to do something that has fallen by the wayside and send a couple of handwritten letters to friends and my much older sister. She left home when I was still very little and I used to send letters to her decorated with drawings as a child. I’m going to do the same again.

I started needle felting last year. I'm useless at crafts really, but this is basically just stabbing wool - even I can do that!

I started off buying beginner's kits, then progressed to an intermediate one, and now I just make my own designs. I love birds, so that's mainly what I make.

It's a really satisfying hobby, you do need to be careful with the needles as they're really sharp, but I sit most evenings now watching TV and stabbing away! I put a towel on my lap to catch the fluffy fibres.