How often do you see friends? And do hobbies?

[C1239]

I feel like I’m getting a bit lazy but weekdays are so busy with work, after work I just want to crash. Then weekends I want to chill!! How often does everyone else see friends or do hobbies?

3-4 days a week. Golf and swimming.

3 times a week I go to my sports club. I don't always participate in the actual sport but I socialise with the other club members.
I also cut the grass at the sports club on the ride on mower once a week too which I enjoy.

Pre-children I was out most evenings - doing things though (choir, badminton, volunteering sorts of things, not 'out out').

When I had babies / toddlers / little ones - I ringfenced one regular evening a week. Felt it was good to have a bit of my life, when I was still 'me'. But we did things together (for example, things through Church).

Now they are all grown, it is more varied. Some weeks it is only twice a week, some weeks it can be every night. Again, this tends to be meetings or, for example rehearsal for a choir, not 'out out'.

I have some really close friends who are colleagues, so see them every weekday term time. Otherwise maybe once or twice in school hols (bit more frequent in summer)
Other friends, probably once a month, if that, currently have a preschooler and am pregnant, so tend not to do a lot of socialising term time (also see them more frequently in school hols).

Hobby wise, I'm a reader, so I do my hobby most days, either reading to ds or to myself.
Dh goes to the gym/runs 4 times a week and he's a pc gamer, so after ds has gone to bed and we've chatted/watched something on TV, he's on his pc or playing with his guitar, usually both 🤣so that's every day.

How do people have the energy to see friends / do hobbies several nights a week?!

Friends? Once in a blue moon!

Hobbies I am for 6-7 days a week but it's easily slotted around family. Mondays I'm off so do gym and running. Tuesday evenings is a half an our run. Wednesday nothing. Thursday evening gym for 2 hours, Friday evening run for half an hour. Saturday mornings is the gym for 2 hours and the kids come with me, then at some point I'll slot in another half an hour run. Sunday I will also slot in another half an hour run.

It helps that my gym is a 5 minute walk away and has childcare and that I do my running on my doorstep so I'm never gone that long.

If my husband goes out more than once a week then my exercise has to get skipped, if it's me I will try slot something in before I go out otherwise I skip it.

I can't wait until the kids are old enough to be left for half.an hour, it will only be a year or so off but it will mean I can go out even if my husband isn't home. I'm aiming to run a marathon in 3 years so I need all the running I can get!

What are your working hours OP? Do you have a commute? Kids/partner?

@C1239 I think the job that people have impacts their energy/ability/motivation to do things. Dh has an office job, so he does gym/run to get fresh air, and in his wfh days to get out of the house. Gaming and guitar, take no energy, he just sits at his desk.
Same for me with reading, I'm either laying in bed/sat on the sofa/on the floor next to dh desk so we can still chat.

Pre ds, I did a lot more, I played tennis 2 days a week and went to the gym with dh 4 times. These days when I get home I barely feel like making dinner 🤣 I also was working an office job at that time too.

Seeing my friends is my hobby! 😂
I have 3 'best' friends and see them every weekend (normally with various dh & dc too) for an evening out or in, we take it in turns to host.

I see other friends once or twice a week, mostly a coffee after work sort of thing.

I love my dc & dh very much but I am so lucky to have lots of lovely, long term friends too.

I force myself OP. I never cancel once I’ve arranged something. Moved here about seven years ago post divorce and didn’t know a soul.

I get up at 5:30, work 7:45-4:45, sometimes later but I meet someone every other evening. I’m a single parent to a teen, work full time and am doing a masters. Have a cleaner so don’t have to worry about that.

If I didn’t make an effort all I would do is work.

I’ve got a nice (small) circle of friends these days, enough for me.

I go to an exercise class three times a week, cycle with a friend or kayak once a fortnight and do a lake swim once a fortnight. I walk my dogs twice a day and walk another dog through a charity for the elderly called the Cinnamon Trust 3 x week.
I volunteer at the local food bank 1 evening a week and see friends for cinema or theatre once or twice a month. I have a catchup coffee a month with friends and do personal trainer session twice a month. I also go to weekly slimming world meeting. I run my run business and have 2 grown up daughters about to leave home. No DH so life very happy and simple and totally do stuff exactly of my own choosing
Happy days

It depends how I'm feeling, some weeks I do more than others! On a good week, I go to yoga twice a week, Pilates and a gym/ swim session. I don't normally see friends in the week but normally see at least one friend at the weekend.

I go out with friends one afternoon or evening every weekend. See friends on weekend mornings to swim together and/or have coffee/walk dogs.
Sometimes once in the week as well to meet up for tea. My hobbies are sea swimming and walking/running so aside from those I'm pretty busy with two school age DC, a dog, full-time job and currently doing a Master's. When I write it all down I'm amazed I get out as much as I do!

Before dc LOADS. Now I have a 9 month old I do pilates twice a week and see friends either one evening or once at the weekend.

It sounds like I’m definitely becoming too lazy!

I think it depends on a few things- how much you work (and if you commute), how much energy you have and how motivated you are to do activities. I have friends who are out every weekend, often go away, the mum works part-time and they are always up for an adventure. I would never have had the energy to go away on the weekend after working all week, I usually see friends one day and chill the other day, so it's a combination of being tired, and having used a lot of energy to get through the working week.

That said, I still try to see friends about twice a week, but this is a bit of a cheat as I am friends with my work colleagues, so we often have a coffee/catch a lunch and discuss both personal and work issues at the same time. I love Sun brunch with a friend- early, as then can lounge the rest of the day.

I am in awe of the up at 5am, at the gym all the time, but I know I can't be one. I work hard in a full-time job, keep the household running, spend time with the kids and see the odd friend as time allows, that's my limit and pretty much always has been.

I don't really have friends, I don't really mind as I'd have no time for them. I'm focused on my family for now as my youngest is 1. I've taken a break from hobbies until youngest is in preschool, then I'll probably do it 2-3 times a week. Our weekends are family focused with time spent together as a family so I don't want to spend time on hobbies or socialising and miss out on that.

I have one DC age 5 and work 4 days per week.

Do hobby 2/3 times per week (one weeknight, one weekend slot, & on my day off during term time)

don’t have many friends apart from acquaintances who I see at my hobby

I work in hospitality and events and see many people enjoying life. Seems am shattered after all of that and just spend time with family and online zooms

I have 3 DC. I see friends at least 1x per week, and participate in hobbies 3x per week. Usually seeing friends will also be on the same days as hobbies, something like going for dinner afterwards.

I swim 3 times a week during the session times. Now is not a session time so I mostly just walk and exercise my dogs. I have three set of friends I get together with after work about every 4-6 weeks.

However, I completely understand being tired when you get home and not wanting to rush around on the weekends.

I've always been a busy person.
I also had the example of my parents being busy people.

Crucially, I also get a lot out of the things I go to.
Singing, sport, volunteering, running, crafting - whatever is your 'thing' - gives a real lift if you feel you are in a bit of a slump. It re-energises you.

I think the key is for it to become a habit, or, for other people to be relying upon you.
In the first instance, arrange to do something regularly with someone else, then when you don't feel like it, they will still come and pick you up, or you know they are waiting for you so you wouldn't let them down.
I think the worst thing is to get home from work, eat, and then think "shall I do something now?" - as many of us probably wouldn't then. But if you are committed, then you go, enjoy whatever it is you are doing, and feel glad you went.

Just as balance, in a regular working week I might go for a run, but rarely see anyone other than my DP (at home) until the weekend. I’m happy to get in from work, have dinner/do household task stuff, then read my book with the TV on in the background. I usually try to meet a friend for lunch or coffee at the weekend, but my job is very people-y and sometimes I just want to knock about in my pjs!

Never I have 3 kids and a husband and family. There literally isn't a spare day or hour to meet friends and even if there was I'd rather spend it alone tbh. My hobbies are cooking and walking and I do them every single day.

Up the stables every day and ride 4/5 times a week. Easier now I’m part time but also did this when full time.
Also see one friend once a week for coffee and another group of friends in the pub for food once a week.
DC adults living away from home makes it easier.