If you live alone, how do you spend your time?

[mabelandme1]

I'm new to living alone (3 weeks). I have a dog to keep me company, but I find watching TV soooo precarious and boring.
I feel as though I want to do more with my time. It also doesn't help I work from home, so I spend majority of my days in the house, 5 days a week and now the weathers turning, I'm so unsure how to keep myself sane through the dreary weather!

I'm not sure this is unique to people living alone.
I think it is really important for everyone to have a community.
This is much easier if you don't have dc to look after.
It is also much more important if you wfh, IMO.

I would suggest you get out and about - make a commitment to be doing something 3 or 4 nights a week.

What do you enjoy ?
Are you musical, crafty, political, out-doorsy, community minded, prefer 1:1, enjoy being with others, sporty, enjoy studying, enjoy dancing, gardening, fundraising, admin, problem solving, visiting things as an audience ????

There are thousands upon thousands of things you can do.

What do you want to do?

@mabelandme1 I'm about to be a lone liver as well!

Nearby there's a beautiful park (weather permitting), coffee shops, one of my best friends very nearby, board games, and a group I go to. I have to be onsite one day a week.

Think it's a good opportunity to branch out a little and meet new people and try new things. I'd like to do some volunteering after the move.

I go to the office now, much prefer it to wfh. I have a gym routine so go 3 or 4 nights a week on recovery/ rest days cinema nights with a friend, clean the house as its only timeI have or I'm at a coffee shop reading a book. Weekends I tend to go away abroad, go to gigs or visit family.

I am looking to get into more things, back into cycling when I've fixed my torn muscle and looking into local volunteering.

Plenty to do, just need to work out what you are interested in.

I live alone and work from home 5 days a week. I don't have any kids or pets and I don't watch TV, Netflix or use social media (apart from Mumsnet!). Despite this my life feels very full!
Over the past two weeks I have spent my time in the following ways:

• Yoga and meditation every morning
• Cooking (healthy but simple)
• Chatting to my partner on the phone
• Weekly coaching sessions in the evening or before work,
• I am doing a training course on something semi-professional so that takes up a lot of time
• Drawing and painting and watching YouTube videos on painting techniques
• Reading books and journal articles on topics that I'm interested in

-Set up a hobby group with a friend which is rapidly growing and taking up more of my time to organise

• Visiting friends and family
• Whatsapping friends and family
• Taking myself on bike rides into the countryside
• Going on day trips with my partner
• Mooching around town
• Writing, I am writing a book
• Doing DIY to my house
• Gardening / weeding
• Joining group socials in town, hobby based
• Cleaning and tidying (though not much!)
• Sorting through my wardrobe to try and refine my style
• Have a bath and read a book
• Planning a trip away
• Meeting up with friends
• Doing courses in person
• Loads of learning
• Sitting in cafe or park with a book or my journal..

The list goes on

Would never occur to me to watch television because I lived alone🤷‍♀️

I've lived alone for over a decade. At the moment I help with a Brownie pack, and I'm learning a language with the OU.

In the past I've run and cycled - I've had to scale that back because of health issues for a while.

I'll also go to the cinema, theatre and concerts on my own. I tried knitting but didn't have the patience, so I'm looking into sewing classes.

I spend my time doing whatever I feel like doing. It's great.

This all sounds so lovely

If I had the energy and lived on my own I'd join a fancy gym with a pool and go there as often as possible

You have a dog so you'll be going on lovely long walks and probably meeting the same dog walkers in certain parks and having random conversations with them

Jigsaws! I don't live alone but, during Winter especially, i usually have a jigsaw on the go. And i started my jigsaw habit at the age of about 20 yrs of age so i think whatever age you are, jigsaws are the answer!

The hours fly by; so therapeutic too.

Start with 500 piece to see if you like them - then you can go trickier if you do.

Many libraries lend out jigsaws too for free.

They can be pricey new but i wouldn't go charity shop til you know you like them - always a risk of missing bits.

😂

Ps i do recommend a jigsaw case as puzzles can take up a lot of space - fine if you have a large table that you can dedicate for a week or three but with a case you can pack your jigsaw safe inside between sessions.

Whilst jigsawing, you can be listening to music, podcasts, whatever. Or just be in your own thoughts. I do love a jigsaw!

Avoid lots of sky, foliage unless you have an eye for shape matching. Go for lots of detail for your first ones. (The ones that have retro shelves of food/sweets are easy but interesting)

Wow ain't you busy

I've started writing a novel about 6 weeks ago. I write most days, even if it's just a little. It keeps me sane. I spend a lot of time alone. I have a teenage son but he either goes out or is in his room gaming.

Blimey, all you busy people! I used to go to the supermarket even though I didn't need anything just to have something to do!

I volunteer as a parish councillor.

I'm rewriting the parish web site.

I park run and then run some more during the week.

This time of year I make jams & preserves, ketchups, fruit liqueurs etc which require me to go out fruit picking. I sell produce at village fetes and swap with neighbours for eggs & veg,

Our local council can't afford to send strinming crews out to cut back vegetation obscuring road signs, so some of us have spent two weeks with strimmers & lopers, making our roads safer.

I like to read as well. I've just ordered Carrie to read again

Stuff to do on your own- batch cooking, jigsaw puzzles, getting into a good TV series, reading books. It's also good to have something to learn i.e. singing, knitting, an instrument, upholstery, dog training etc. For Jigsaws I recommend Wasgij- they will drive you mental took me 5 weeks to do the last one.

Stuff to do with others find an activity that you can bond over i.e. you have to talk during the activity. I am on a pub quiz team, and part of a singing group. If you are going to exercise its good to have one where there is some level of communication and team work i.e. martial arts/crossfit/personal trainer.

Treats could be the cinema is great if you are on your own (Beetlejuice is good) though I am going to the Opera this week because it wasn't anyone else's thing.

Regular massage is also good if you can afford it for regular human touch, but as you have dog it might not be as much.

I used to think living alone was what was making me lonely, but actually a lot of the other people on the quiz team live with others (family and flat mates) and they also are just as lonely. It's a state of mind really.

I sort of do. My DH is very pissed off at my lack of interaction but I have chronic pain and just can't be arsed. I read a lot, love going to the theatre, cinema, restaurants by myself - I think that's because I don't have to worry about others' experiences i.e are they enjoying it, how's their food? I used to be a gym bunny and loved swimming. I bought myself a 'learn how to draw' kit; remains pristine in its packing, three years on - and have multiple knitting projects, which get picked up, every couple of years or so. Hate to admit it but spend loads of time staring at crap TV but draw the line at Love Island, Essex, Chelsea; I have some standards.

I'm quite boring compared to others here. OP this is a new change for you so don't feel you have to be 'keeping up' with what others do.

If you are now living alone due to a relationship breakdown, I am sure you are still processing that.

I'm on my own for 10 years now. I have adult children who come and go so mostly on my own.

At first I admit to spending the alone weekends doing absolutely nothing. It was my recoup time. I just watched movies and series and not a lot else. Then I decided that was enough of that and so now I just do what I want to really.

I also have a dog so we walk, have a play etc.

I meet my with friends/family.
I joined parkrun and I absolutely love it. I don't run, but it's a great 5km walk with absolutely no pressure at all.
I cook things that can freeze so I don't need to cook loads in the week. For eg I make my own pasta sauces and that sort of thing.
I'm now learning how to make sourdough. If you have time this is a perfect thing as it's a little bit time consuming, but very rewarding (imo)
I also trying to do some gardening. I'm not green fingered but I do try. I've successfully grown potatoes so if I can't do it, anyone can.
DIY and completed a fair few projects upscaling furniture.

Just things that I want to do. Yours may well be very different. But don't put pressure on yourself to have to be doing something all the time.

Knit, crochet, cook, read, watch TV, drink red wine, eat, spend too much time on here.

Live alone too. I used to run and cycle a lot but now have health issues and arthritis so can't. I go for walks and swim though.

I read and am doing a creative writing course one night a week.

Mainly though, I get quite bored and end up going to be really early and just sleeping a lot.

Yoga classes on youtube - they range from 10 minutes to an hour. Try yoga with kassandra, yoga with adrienne and charlie follows.

I also do body sculpting with weights from youtube - fitbymik but there are lots of options.

I do jigsaws and puzzles. Jetpunk online has lots of good free options. Play music as background and get up and dance to a song every 15 minutes or so.

Walk the dog and chat to friends on the phone at the same time

I try and make one new meal a week so I spend time looking for recipes I'd like to try.

I belong to a book club and am about to join another so lots of reading

Listen to podcasts.

I'm currently decluttering and either selling or donating stuff I don't need or want..

I've bought most of my christmas presents already

Planning to do a crochet course in December.

When I lived alone; dog walked twice a day (60 mins each) plus a short pootle out at lunch, read books, read fan fiction (yes I’m a nerd), did a tonne of cooking of complicated meals with dozens of steps, learned new skills (candle making, crochet), cleaned, gardened.

TBH love my DP and kids but I miss living alone. No time to crochet now.