What would you do with one child free hour to yourself each week?

[DarlingCoffee]

Posting here for traffic really.

My employers are introducing half days on Friday and as I start early I can finish one whole hour before I would normally collect my children from nursery.

The thing is I so rarely have time like this to myself that I just don't know what to do with this golden hour each week! I don't want to waste it. Ideas so far include going swimming and taking a long leisurely lunch. Do you have any better ideas wise mumsnetters?

Use it to seriously work out how to have more time to myself .

I love being on my own and would be really stressed out if I only had an hour to myself a week. .

Already had an hour just this morning after dropping DS at school and before having to start work.

Once a month I get a Wednesday off. I have a lay in. Go to the massage parlour for 2 hours and then come home have a bath and pick my child up from nursery early . Its the best thing I've ever done. Complete me time even an hour would be fantastic. How about doing something different every week until you find out which you enjoy doing more as this seems to be something that will keep happening. I know for me that was a massage but for you it could be the gym a run a painting class shopping sleeping (haha) or meeting up with a friend for an hour

Very occasionally if I end up working a weekend I get a day off on nursery day. A whole day. I have been known to go shopping, for me, by myself. Other days I just clean the house.

Getting a weekly massage has been the most life changing thing ever for me. Not only is it me time/relaxation, it's also been a chance to gently work on some longstanding sports injuries/postural problems and helped me do,e to term with some psychological issues (childhood traumas, bereavements etc).

Talk therapies don't always work for me, but the chance to have some quiet time to reflect on things and come to terms with it has enabled me to take my life to a whole new place several times in the last few years.

I have just negotiated an hour to myself on a Sunday afternoon to do piano lessons. But if it was a Friday afternoon I'd probably do art galleries etc as work is in central London. If it was on a day I work from home it'd be swimming. Enjoy it!

Oh I am also considering a weekly ice skating session at lunchtime on teh day I work near a rink.

depends what there is around where you work, but a lovely long walk- either round the city exploring new streets/ areas, or park/ countryside (if nearby) with some good music on. Followed by a cup of tea and cake in a nice cafe.

Costa, nose in a book, or a walk.

Go cycling.
Pedicure.
Coffee on a nice cafe.
Swimming if i lived somewhere hot. Not really to actually swim, just to float around and relax.

I wouldn't cook, clean or do laundry, errands etc.

I finish 1.5 hours earlier on one of my working days. I take my running stuff to work, go out and do a circular route from my office and then collect my daughter from the nursery at my workplace. It's heaven!

Drink tea, smoke and play world of warcraft

Coffee and a newspaper in a coffee shop.

Go to a shop I can't take a toddler into without looks.

Fucking swear a fucking lot.

Swim or run

I would vary what you do. One week get your hair done. Another read a book with a tea and cake. The week after go window shopping or actual shopping! Go to the gym. Get your nails done. Go for coffee with a friend. Read a book. Learn a language. Watch telly. The world is your oyster!

Coffee shop, slice of cake in peace and a book :D

I'd either run or go shopping which is what I do with my 7.5 child free hours each week!

I most definitely would knit

My lovely OH gives me an hour every friday where I don't have to look after anyone or clean anything. I usually end up plugging my earphones in and dancing around the living room, or playing some video games upstairs, also with earphones.

The earphones are crucial, otherwise I can hear DD screaming at OH and spend the whole hour wondering if I should intervene.

Potter around town looking in naice shops (I could happily kill half an hour in the White Company smelling candles and stroking towels or Waterstone's looking at new books - luckily, they're next door to each other in our town!) have a coffee, get hair/nails done.

I have carved out a child free hour between finishing work and doing the school run on a Friday.

Often I pop into town to do errands, or come home and tidy. Sometimes I do an exercise dvd or go for a bike ride, and have a shower. Or bake. Or go to sainsburys and get in food for the weekend... because doing it on a Saturday morning basically ends up taking the whole morning.

Having read this thread I might start taking myself to a coffee shop with a magazine though

I would read a book, watch a favourite TV show or sleep.

Read a juicy book in a Coffee shop. Bliss!

SLEEP

Gym!