To ask for tips for not spending your evening on your phone

[MustardAndKetchup]

I get home from work each day wanting to read and relax and do something nice for myself…instead I just find myself slumped on the sofa, exhausted, mindlessly scrolling through my phone. I’m so fed up, and feel like I’ve forgotten how to relax and unwind.

For those of you that have refreshing and relaxing after work routines, how do you do it? Do you have any tips? Please share! I want to break out of my after work rut.

Plug it in to recharge in the kitchen while you make a cup of tea, then leave it there while you go to the sofa where you've conveniently left your book

Put it on airplane mode and in another room - you’ll get used to life without it

Yes to putting it on charge - upstairs if you are downstairs, downstairs if you are up. Turn it off.

Do something else - go out and exercise, watch something on tv, read a book, take up a hobby that means you are using your hands for something else: knitting, sewing, drawing, painting, woodworking, gardening.

The first week is really hard but it gets easier.

Following because you've basically described my life. I want to change it but seem unable to do so. I'm properly in a rut.

On silent and in another room.

I quite like an app called Forest. You set a time when you're not going to use your phone and at the end of that time you get a nice virtual tree in your forest. If you use your phone you get a withered dead tree. I can't have any dead trees in my forest so I never use my phone during the time I've set, evening I'm itching to.

*even if I'm itching to

The real question is what do you like/want to do.

You mentioned reading, does that have to be a physical book (some people really enjoy that feeling/smell nearly as much as the reading itself) or would reading on your phone count? I love reading and is my main relaxation/escape/chill and I read A LOT.I do it on my phone though, but I don't see why that's any different if the goal is just reading. Plus it's handy to keep me entertained when I have mind numbing chores to do . I read doing the dishes,prepping dinner,folding laundry and so on.

Make the plans to do the something else. So instead of the day schedule to be
Finish work
Dinner
Free time - which is where the phone scrolling happens

It would be

Finish work
Dinner
Read book/knitting/yoga/whatever hobby you want to do.

You're more likely to do it because you've prepped your mind into doing that instead of trying to think of doing something when the free time starts.

Do something else with your hands for relaxation. I knit, sew, make things, read a physical book. I can do any of these things while watching tv as well.

Ironically, I am reading this slumped on my sofa after getting in from work.
Definitely need to follow with interest!

Bath with snacks and a book. For me it's either chocolate or a plate with a few crisps and a few bits of cheese!
Door locked. No dc. No ddogs. And no dh!!

@User280905

I quite like an app called Forest. You set a time when you're not going to use your phone and at the end of that time you get a nice virtual tree in your forest. If you use your phone you get a withered dead tree. I can't have any dead trees in my forest so I never use my phone during the time I've set, evening I'm itching to.

This is amazing

I love these suggestions. Thank you, everyone - keep them coming! @User280905 with the forest app, is this the one that costs £3.49 on the App Store? And if you set it, can your phone still receive calls/ notifications? So, if you get a WhatsApp for example, can you still see it come up on your screen (but not unlock your screen to fully read it)?

with the forest app, is this the one that costs £3.49 on the App Store?

I've just got the free version. I think you can set it so that certain things like answering phone calls don't affect your forest but I haven't worked out how to do that. Maybe you need to upgrade

I use Freedom app to block social media and, well, this site 😂 after 9. Considering making it earlier! It’s paid but it’s great.

I use to love reading but failing eye sight has got me to download Audible , this means I can listen to great books while doing other stuff .
To stop me playing on my phone , I start listing while washing the pots and I leave my phone in the kitchen and spend sometime moisturising my hands , I do not do ANY other 'care' kind of treatment but one of the chemicals I use at work dries my skin out .
It is impossible to play with your phone when your hands are full of E45 !
The only problem is I doze off sometimes !

I am like this too OP

I'm having battery issues so genuinely have to charge it often and sometimes only one charger works so I have had to leave it upstairs in the day and that has helped

I'm as bad with the tv in the day and gave to make myself turn it off

Do something else! Reading maybe. I knit and crochet. It's productive and keeps your hands busy!

I leave it upstairs all evening while I sit downstairs

Problem is, DH sits there all
evening on HIS phone, so may as well just be on mine

I hate phones

I got a book called 'how to break up with your phone' from the library and it's brilliant, it's like a detox in baby steps. Since I've followed it I've taken up embroidery, read loads more, been better at housework and more organised etc.