To ask if you are happy in your own company what do you do

[AmanitaRubescens]

DD(16) busy with studying, training, socialising and work.

DH busy volunteering and has got a new hobby that gets him out of the house.

So I'm spending increasing amounts of time alone. I meet friends for dog walks or coffee.

Interested to hear what people do if they enjoy longish periods of time alone. I expect I will, once it becomes the norm

I read, watch netflix, shop or do a jigsaw.

Reading, sewing, crocheting, box sets (Sky / Netflix), ironing (I'm odd, I enjoy ironing), I've dabbled in pyrography (wood burning) and small-scale woodwork too. Pinterest is a rabbit hole for crafting, if you're so inclined

This thread has set me dreaming about retirement...envisaging a little cottage in the middle of nowhere with just me and some cats...

I am quite introverted. But I work full time and have 2 Dcs one with SEN and a DH who WFH so alone time is in short in supply!

But when I am alone I like to go swimming, I LOVE going to the cinema on my own. I used to adore travelling on my own but at the moment that does not happen much. I read alot. I love going to the pub or a coffee shop and reading.

@Mamamamasaurus

Reading, sewing, crocheting, box sets (Sky / Netflix), ironing (I'm odd, I enjoy ironing), I've dabbled in pyrography (wood burning) and small-scale woodwork too. Pinterest is a rabbit hole for crafting, if you're so inclined

I like ironing. I iron in front of trashy tv on Sunday afternoons with aa glass of wine. Love it.

What about a hobby that gets you out of the house? What do you enjoy or fancy trying?

I love my alone time, I'm never bored even if I'm doing nothing. Since my divorce I've got used to living on my own and I enjoy the freedom.

I read a lot, listen to podcasts while on my treadmill, follow all my favourite series on TV, play Hay Day on my iPad, nap with my cats, do batch cooking on a weekend, enjoy cinema trips on my own, research my next holiday, plan for the future and look at houses on Rightmove that I want to buy. Fall into a YouTube rabbit hole.

I find that the older I get, the less I worry about saying no to people. If I don't want to do something I will (kindly) just say so. I love the feeling of not having a full diary or any set plans, I can just please myself. I'm very content

I love reading, going on walks/exploring/ going to the cinema (I love little independent cinemas that play old films),going to flea markets.

I love alone time! Have a bath, clean parts of the house that don’t get cleaned regularly, paint nails, do a face mask, colouring in books, go on a run, watch old movies, read a book, make a smoothie. Never gets boring.

@leavesthataregreen

I love that list. I have one too. It overlaps a bit with yours.

I'd love to see your list! I definitely need more inspiration. I bet we'd get on well IRL. Shame we both enjoy solitary time so much 😆

Walk Dog, coffee, friends, lunches dinners with them or alone. Garden, read, watch TV, go to gigs, theatre, galleries and cinema with friend or alone. Do nothing. Watch TV.

I adore days in which nothing much happens and it's me and the dog and ringing silence and nature and I breath in and I breath out. There is potential for things to happen, but nothing does. Bliss.

I’m suddenly starting to have alone time and it’s very strange!!

I read, workout, take the dogs out and have lots of long baths (it’s been years since I have been able to read or have a bath!).

I have found the lack of time alone with DP and I both WFH very challenging. He is restarting travelling for work next month and while I will definitely miss him I am looking forward to two weeks alone! My plans are:

Lots of long baths
Reading
Ultra trashy TV (might go in on MAFS Australia)
Properly deep clean a room each weekend he’s away
Hang out in bed with the cat with the electric blanket on
Eat things we wouldn’t have together
Catch up with friends/go for lunch or coffee by myself

I used to love going to the cinema alone but haven’t been since last year - we’re in Scotland and I think you still need to wear a mask during the film which I don’t fancy.

I run, garden, renovate my house, try new recipes, chat to friends. I read a lot, draw, go hiking. Practice karate, cycle.

All sorts. Nothing very expensive.

I don’t seem to have much time alone, so when I do, I watch tv, online shopping/Mumsnet, potter.

If I had lots of time to myself, I would need to have more things to fill it, I think. I have a mental list of what i need to do like de clutter the entire house, shampoo carpets, clean the windows, maybe redecorate etc. But I’d like to volunteer, develop a hobby (haven’t had one since I was a teenager) and make some new friends through both.

I love being alone, though I don't get it very often since movig in with DP.

I get to watch programmes I like without DP moaning in my ear, read my book, walk round the shops without anyone hurrying me on. Do a bit of washing or cleaning, head down to my allotment. Spend ages scrolling through my phone!

I love it.

I'm alone a lot, I read, do some online courses, fair amount of Netflix! I try and work out with exercise videos on YouTube

I love being alone..
Long hikes over the moors
Walking along the canal to the next town
On occasion I get the train to somewhere random to have a wander around
Hot chocolate and a book in the cafe. I read 1 novel a week usually. Id like it to be more but I do have some things to actually do sometimes lol
Drawing
Watching films no one else in the household likes
Listening to music
Sudoku
Painting walls in the house/general DIY
Arguing on Facebook 🤣

I'll be sad when my youngest starts school fulltime and I have to go back to work.. its gonna eat into all the lovely alone time

Oh and going to the local cinema alone is great! Its a really old art deco one and it does mugs of tea. Theres always a fair few other women in there on their own so I never feel wierd about it like you might in a big multiplex where its always people in groups

@AmanitaRubescens

DD(16) busy with studying, training, socialising and work.

DH busy volunteering and has got a new hobby that gets him out of the house.

So I'm spending increasing amounts of time alone. I meet friends for dog walks or coffee.

Interested to hear what people do if they enjoy longish periods of time alone. I expect I will, once it becomes the norm

maybe i shouldnt be answering this one? but after being married nearly 40 years and spending that time on my own, other than the immediate hubby and children back then, but as they have grown becoming more and more isolated, i can tell you it really really really sucks! weeks could go by and if it wasnt for my husband returning from work i wouldnt see a sole. which would be understandble if i was living like the yorkshire farmer! but i live in the middle of a housing estate!

the times i do leave the house, to get food shopping i am totaly invisiable, you know that feeling when you turn because you thought someone was behind you and no one is there? well thats me - not there.

i manage to make it to the surface twice a week to look after my 2 grandkids from school, but again im on my own in the playground until the kids come out then we return back to the car and back to this prison (home)

Read, listen to podcasts, twitter, walks.

I recommend trying out lots of new things and discovering if you like it and want to spend more time developing it further.. or not ..

eg I have got into cake decorating, baking, cooking complex dishes - then I got fed up of the mess. Now I am learning a new foreign language which is also rewarding. When I have more time, I'd like to learn the piano - something I have always wanted to do as a kid but never had the chance to do.

I also volunteer at helping out an extracurricular activity with younger kids. My dc are all teens, and it is nice to be around little ones again (for a short time before I can give them back to their parents!).

I've found getting involved in these type of activities give me opportunities to meet other people. I don't care if they develop into friendships, but if they do it is a bonus.

If I truly want to be on my own, then nothing beats a good book or a movie or Netflix series with a cuppa and snacks and somewhere nice and comfy. If I fancy being active, I go for a walk somewhere. Even if it is local, I set myself a goal to spot something I have never noticed before. It's amazing what hidden things you can find!

Watch TV
Read
Swim
Go for coffee and cake
Exercise
Eat too much/spend to much time here
Housework but I don't enjoy that
Xmas shopping
Decluttering

I love having time alone! I binge tv shows my partner isn't interested in, usually I will crochet while I do this. I listen to audiobooks or read, I play games on my switch, I also like making things eg. Scented candles (easier than you may think!) I also like bullet journaling and having some time to myself means I can be creative with it. I like to get lost down a YouTube rabbit hole of bullet journal inspiration videos while I work on mine

Make the lighting nice with some fairy lights, put on some music, just enjoy your self