I need something to do in the evenings

[Britishsummertime22]

Single, no kids. Get home from work normally about half four. Once I've eaten and showered there's still a lot of time until bed. Sometimes I'll ring a family member or friend, one night a week I go to the gym (not feeling like going to the gym more) so I feel a bit of a loss really. End up watching tv and/or scrolling. I tried colouring/online scrabble/online games but just feel bored and lonely. My friends and family are all busy with family life.

I usually just scroll through MN forum and watch reels on Instagram. It leaves me feeling pretty sad with a creepy sense of anxiety so I don't really recommend it.

You should join some classes at the gymnasium and you will get to know more people. alternatively sign up for an art class or book group. Have you tried knitting or jigsaws?

I started a degree with the OU. Perhaps a bit drastic! But it stops me scrolling through Instagram until bedtime on nights whendh is working.

What about an online course? Learning for fun pleasure? Anything you really want to know more about?

could lead to doing an open university degree or similar

You could try a bit of volunteering; maybe mentoring a young person, helping at a food bank?

Or buy a PlayStation and shoot things/fly things
or get a meta VR headset and meet others in VR?

Cross stitch
Knitting
Crochet
Baking
Batch cooking
Tidying and reorganising a kitchen cupboard a night
Clearing out your wardrobe
Candle making
Any arts and crafts
Discover new music

I've done all of those! I know what you mean though, it seems like a waste of time just waiting to go to bed! x

Try any of the following ic you want activities that can be doneat home:
Genealogy. Your own, or help someone else.
Scrapbooking. At one extreme some focus on artistry, at the other its more about capturing stories.
Zooniverse. Help scientists discover things.
Learn a language or two using Duolingo.

Photography: go shooting at the weekends then edit a few photos every night. You get better quickly doing it every day!

Or learn an instrument; I have an electric drum kit and play that 1-3 times a week.

I play netball on Monday and Wednesday evenings. Love it! When the season is finished, I do classes at the gym on those days.

Learn a new craft. If it was me I’d find a ceramics course, a carpentry course, or learn a new language.

I joined the WI, there’s loads of groups and mine is all ages (I’m 35).

They have a book group, craft group and organise cinema & theatre trips as well as the monthly meetings and I’ve made some lovely new friends too.

My DD 22 just moved to a completely different area. She has lots of friends but none local to her now, she went on Bumble friends and has seen a female who has similar interests to her and have a blossoming friendship. Meeting someone through a site like this they both were looking for new friends so have time to meet up.

From 4:30 - bedtime is potentially a very very long time depending on what time you go to bed.
What is stopping you from using the gym more than once a week? I don’t mean that judgementally!! Just it sounds like there might be a reason. If I didn’t have dc I’d be at the gym more than I am in the evenings, it seems like the perfect way to waste time when you’re already paying for the membership.
I do go for walks in the evenings, usually after dark when everyone else is in bed but I’m a terrible sleeper and I feel it helps to physically exhaust myself.
I enjoy a jigsaw puzzle, going to see a live band or a pub quiz and going out for dinner with friends. Sometimes I might nip up and see my mum or mil but to be honest I also enjoy just laying on the sofa mindlessly watching telly/netflix/some crappy drama.

You get home from work really early OP. I can understand why you want something to help fill your time. Do you have friends you could socialise with one or two evenings a week? Any after work clubs or activities you could join?

The most important thing is to tap into your interests and drive and have a mix of things that you decide to commit to for a while and things you can choose from to do when you fancy. Things that I've done or which come to mind
Do couch to 5k
Join a running club
(Combine the 2 by joining a running club couch 2 5k group)
Kayaking, badminton or martial arts club
Volunteer at a youth club
Research a big trip you plan to take
Convert a van
Upcycle furniture
Decorate your home
Get pets
Train for an event or challenge
Create a garden or grow things
And remember that all of us face the same ultimate challenge, how to live the life we want to lead.

I like to listen to audiobooks on my headphones while going for a walk, especially with the nights getting lighter.

Now that the evenings are lighter, when you get home at 4.30 go for a walk for an hour before eating and showering. Get a good audiobook or podcast to liven up the walk if you need.
Start cooking adventurous meals that take a long time, be creative! It can be really therapeutic.
Obvious suggestions as well like join a club, arts/crafts, or sports, whatever you fancy. Do you like reading? Read instead of tv/scrolling. Have a nice long relaxing bath a couple of nights a week. Do online/paid surveys for a bit of extra cash. Hope there’s something useful there!

It sounds like once you’re home, you don’t want to go out again. So are there any things you could do straight after work, before you go home?

book group?
swimming session?
craft meet up in the local pub?
board game cafe?
posh gym with ALL the facilities so you can just go and have a sauna there?
roller derby?

depending on your skills, you could look into becoming a governor for your local schools (you don’t need to have children or a child at that school)

Are there any local colleges to you that do short adults evening courses (once a week for a few weeks usually), that way it's not too much commitment but a way to learn something new and break up your week and you can try different ones over time..

Join a local Samba band.

What about writing a novel? I'm doing that at the moment. Probably won't ever even look at getting it published but I'm really enjoying writing just for me. I've also seen some good ideas for writers around people watching and just describing them or using them to start a story. It's nice and creative. I'd easily spend a couple of hours a night if I had that much spare time.

Committees. Where do you live?

They take over your life. Evening meetings, event planning, events.

Have a look for local groups, see what interests you. Where can you help?

Go from there. Will lead to friends and outings.

Take up tap dancing or adult ballet, or maybe join a community choir.

Don't go straight home but do a class, gym, walk etc on route.

Parish council? Village magazine?

Jigsaws?

Gardening as soon as its lighter.