To ask what you do between 8pm and 10pm

[NewPinkSocks]

Ok so I need to be more productive.

I think I should be doing more between this time but I do also want to start going to sleep by 9:30.

The children are normally asleep by 8pm if were lucky.

Then I sit and waste an hour before bed. Maybe pottering around tidying up the dinner plates and vacuuming the living room again if its needed (I also Vacuum at 5pm)
DH empties the bins if needed and puts the diahwasher on before bed.

Would you mind letting me know what you do so I can see whats reasonable to get done in this time? I feel I need to be doing alot more in this time and just need a MN Kick up the bum

We collapse on the sofa and watch TV, read, mess around on our phones. DP works full time, I work part time, we have a very busy toddler and I'm pregnant. Between all that plus housework, we like to have mindless down time in the evenings.

DS (2.5) is usually down in bed at around 7pm but will chat to himself until 7.30. I usually prepare dinner and me and DH will sit and eat around 8. He sorts out dishes and tidies kitchen and to be honest, we usually just watch tv, or if he's playing a video game (couple of nights a week) I'll read, crochet or do adult colouring books. I'm exhausted at the moment so usually go to bed around 9:30.

Maybe watch Coronation Street or tidy the kitchen if it is messy and then just wait for bed time. Do people really hoover at 8pm? My neighbours would have an absolute fit they would bang on the wall at me and call the police no kidding but my Hoover is very noisey I'd love to know if there really is a silent hoover.

I'm curious as to why you need to vacuum again after 3 hours?!

That's my downtime. Might do a few chores but it is my relaxation time before bed.

I clean up kitchen, make packed lunches, feed guinea pigs, hang laundry, get stuff ready for work, clean a bit (bathroom for example if needing done), collapse into bed!

Then DH will walk in with work boots

In which case DH is the one who should be vacuuming, not you. Either he removes his work boots at the door or he cleans up after himself. His choice.

In theory I allow myself 15 minutes sit down then study (OU masters) In practice 9 times out of 10 I get my books out, sit down, eat some biscuits and get distracted/doze off on the sofa, realise its somehow 11pm and go to bed.

No need to hoover so often. My cleaner hoovers (the half of the house we actually use) on a Friday and I may hoover on one of my days off but that's it. My house is very clean and tidy.

Time to switch off, physically and mentally, is really important. Not sure why people feel the need to fill every waking moment being productive - producing what? For whom? To what end? How is that 'better' than unwinding from your day and just being?

Two days a week I have a gym class that finishes at 815, come home after that have something to eat and pretty much go to bed. My kids usually have me up by 530, during the week I'm usually asleep by 2145/2200. The non gym days I watch a bit of tv and am trying to read more as it's something I love doing but really fell out of the habit when kids were small.

Quick tidy round, DP washes up from dinner, then sit and watch something on Netflix while doing some uni reading or duolingo.

Wow that’s a lot of vacuuming.

We watch tv, tidy up from dinner and sterilise DD’s bottles. DD has a bath just before 9 then in to her sleeping bag and cuddle on the sofa.

DP puts her to bed then I do a quick tidy up then we go to sleep around 10.30

Get dcs to bed, potter round clearing up and then sit down for a bit!

Hoovering, dishes, hang up washing, iron uniforms, tidying. I try to have everything done before 8 but there is no point when do keeps making mess and using dishes.

Kids to bed around 8.30. Go to the gym and pop to Asda on the way back 2-3 times per week. Walk back and forth to brownies/cubs etc.
Read in the bath, watch an episode on Netflix, mooch on my phone.

Generally downtime as chores get done while kids are awake, but hoovering/tidying doesn't happen daily as we work FT so mess doesn't really accumulate

Is repeated vacuuming productiveness? It sounds like pointless busy work.

DD is down by then.

I do the dishes and wipe the surfaces, then watch Netflix.

watch tv with a cuppa, read my book or sleep. Defo no housework.

I have malting dogs and even I don't hoover twice a day!

I either have a bath, watch netflix or study for my degree.

I eat my dinner and then read my book/watch TV. Might do a load of laundry if pushed.

Read, play Xbox, watch tv. Sometimes I’ll do something ‘worthy’ but normally not. I work all day and just want to relax in the evening.

Curl up on the sofa with my partner and the cat and do bugger all other than search for the remote!

Knit, read, play online quizzes, watch telly, crochet, chat to dh, tidy toy chaos in living room, sometimes a bit of housework or diy, or some freelancing. Quite often, I just lie in bed reading interesting reddit threads and/or falling down Wikipedia rabbit holes - bliss!