I waste too much time. Join me for a reset?

[MookieCat]

Basically that really. I am 52 and have a couple of chronic health issues that see me exhausted. I feel like my life is dripping away from me. I spent too much time either watching tv or with TV on in the background. I spend way too much time on social media (inc Mumsnet). I am looking for a reset.

I have just come home after a day of running errands. I have a cup of tea and feel like collapsing.

Instead- until the Dcs come home (their dinner is already prepared) I intend to..... put a wash on and iron and put away clothes. With classical music or an audio book in the background.

Sounds boring yes, But tonight, after dinner I am planning to do something else that is alot better than flopping in front of the tv.

Looking for ideas, changes, new hobbies all of it. I saw a flower arranging class that is once a month I might sign up for.

Im guilty of wasting time too, eg. watching rubbish on TV, scrolling on Mumsnet.
I want to read more and move more.
Ive started to enjoy walks whilst listening to podcasts.
I need to stop procrastinating and get on with housework too.

That sounds so familiar.

I have just e-mailed the floral art group about joining the next meeting.

I am thinking of really trying something new each evening. Even if it is as 'dull' as having a bath and a face mask. Or knitting which I used to love.

I just realised that for the past 16 years I have been so caught up with rearing family and trying to keep my head above water with work. I've lost myself somewhere.

Ahah!

I have decided. Tonight after dinner I am going to bake a cake.

Off to buy ingredients. .

I gave up mindless internet and mindless TV for Lent.

MN has crept back in a bit 🤔But otherwise I only go online for something, not just to fill time and attention. Ditto for TV - I only put it on if I'm actually sitting down to watch something.

The time I used to spend just scrolling, I now actually use for household jobs, reading, word puzzles or just sitting with a brew watching the world go by.

The background drone of TV I sometimes fill with gentle classical music, a decent radio programme or podcast, or just silence. I prefer silence.

Its honestly been blissful. Practically, I did it by just asked myself "What are you doing?" every time I went online or put the TV on. If I didn't have a solid answer like "Trying to find opening times of the hairdressers" or "I'm going to watch Broad City" then I stopped.

That sounds like what i wish to achieve @Limth as well.

So, the DCs got home about an hour and a half ago. I'd already made dinner (chicken noodle soup with garlic bread).

I now have a chocolate cake in the oven and have tidied the kitchen.

When the cake is out I will have a shower and get into pyjamas and a dressing gown. Cats and digs are fed. DS1 has a mock exam tomorrow so he is in the living room where the tv is prepping. I plan to put another load of washing on and then sit with him with a book. (Thursday Murder Club series).

I contacted the flower people as well.

For years I have had a number of auto immune issues which usually sees me in bed round about now. But treatment, regular blood tests and diet tweaks are now all starting to yield results. I think it might even be possible to go to an evening class once a month- which is what the floral art arranging is meant to be. Hopefully I can start a new, much more fulfilling life. Because to be frank., watching re-runs of ER on netflix is just a total waste.

This sounds really positive, OP. Well done!

I certainly feel I have more time for things like classes. I had the time before, I just wasn't valuing it and so filling it with shit.

But don't put pressure on yourself to be productive in every minute that you're not scrolling or staring at the TV. If you do, eventually you will run out of jobs and that's when you risk slipping back into old habits.

Great thread! I’m in a similar boat. Im exhausted in the evenings but instead of endless tv tonight I took myself off to read my book - intermezzo - in the bath. Ok I’m now back with everyone in front of tv but am Pampered and in pjs. I plan to explore my local city more, I’ve lived here for ten years and never been to one city museum.

I took up knitting and crochet during COVID, I'm now designing my own patterns, knitting is my got to craft out of the two but sends me into a zen and relaxed headspace

This is very motivating.

i tend to scroll mindlessly as I am pretty avoidant and have some stresses in my life. It just causes more stress as I haven't done the thing I'm supposed to do. I also have some insomnia which is unhelpful too.

I might need therapy to help cope with my stresses, as cutting out one mindless, time wasting activity just replaces it with another. That might be where I start.

I agree about mindless activity creating more stress. I feel like my life is slipping by.

Last night I took the DCs out for burgers. I have contacted the flower people and they will send me info. I've also arranged an afternoon tea in a few weeks with some friends.

Tonight I plan to make a sponge cake. i have frozen blueberries so will throw those in as well.

You are right @Limth about too much all at once. I tend to be a bit all or nothing anyway and then get disenchanted with myself as I can't 'achieve' what I think I ought. Vicious cycle!

So tonight I have:

Made the Dcs dinner.
Went for a walk around our local park and took photos of tulips.
Had a glass of wine at our local on my own while reading a magazine
have made a blueberry vanilla sponge.

I find it easier if I do everything as I come in, so I'll sort the pets out, put dinner on, shower, put laundry on, and anything else that needs doing before I sit down, otherwise it's so difficult to get back up! I'm trying to make more food from scratch, as I have a lot of leftover ingredients from previous projects. I make a lot of soups to use up leftover vegetables; this week, it's French onion.

I go to a weekly language class, an aerial silks class, and I go swimming and carriage-driving sometimes. There are a few "rural skills"-type things around here, like spinning and beekeeping. I'm lucky enough to live in quite an arty area, so you can learn everything from sewing to spoon-carving. I've been going to machine knitting classes recently. Last weekend, I did a bit of gardening and planted a couple of fruit trees, which I'm hoping will take (I live miles from the nearest town, and don't always fancy running into town for fresh fruit/veg, so I try to grow my own). I always have a book on the go. If I'm watching something, I'm always knitting... plain patterns that I don't have to think about much if I'm in work, and more adventurous Arans when I'm off!

I also like doing the pets early. DH is usually responsible for doing the animals but he is working away during the week now. So I get them done when i clean the kitchen after dinner. It's made a huge difference actually, it means when I shut the kitchen down it's shut down. DH always did it last thing before bed and it seemed to just interrupt peaceful time. The cats like it too.

You have reminded me that I had enquired about a day beekeeping course earlier this year. I'll follow up on that. I love the idea of aerial skills! But that's probably out of my reach right now as I am riddled with all sorts of illnesses. But it's fun to think about!