DH away for the week with work, how to entertain myself !

[36plusandtrying]

Hi all,

DH is away for for work, when he is away I find it hard to keep motivated and ultimately end up lazing about eating rubbish and watching bad telly. Any ideas how I can keep motivated and productive and have a really productive fulfilling week ! HELP

Once you say this has been going on for over 6 months, it comes across differently. Anyone ought to be able to enjoy a week's change from the usual routine but it makes more sense if you've had a load of being alone and now it's getting tedious.

I think you need a routine to impose structure on things. So have a gym evening, a visiting friends evening, a watching a new film on Netflix evening, etc.

Boyfriend is away this week and although I miss him I’m really enjoying the time alone. I do better if I set timers and have a few tasks.

So far I’ve:

Sat
Attended agm for charity am involved with
spent a number of glorious hours eating chocolate, playing candy crush and listening to audiobooks
Made dinner with things that I like to eat but boyfriend doesn’t
Washed up
Taped up all the skirting ready for painting

Sunday:
Painted some of the areas needing doing
Cleared up Kitchen
Obsessively wiped and dusted kitchen
Had dinner with parents

Today:
Work
Tidying of downstairs
More washing up
Experimental cooking with more things I like to eat that he doesn’t
Journaling
Posting on messageboards

Planning to:
Sand skirting
Paint skirting
Have dinner with friends
Lie around and eat chocolate more
More obsessive deep cleaning
See a show
Do some sewing
Listen to meditation podcast in bed
Pootle about aimlessly
Cook meals that only I like
Listen to audiobooks
Organise drawers
Go to yoga

Luxuries, I tell you! I really enjoy this time. As long as I get some stuff ‘achieved’ I’m able to enjoy the pootling about.

Yes agree buttery entertaining yourself for 6 months is different to 1week out of 52 .... good your sound like you won't have a moment to yourself !!

@36plus I have scheduled in all the lying around being gloriously alone not doing anything productive :)

Currently 29 weeks pregnant and slightly alarmed by how much I like this alone time...can kiss that goodbye soon. Do I like it more than other people? I know I enjoy because it’s not usual, your situation would be a bit more challenging. But sounds like you need a new ‘on my own’ schedule. I also highly recommend doing the little things you may not do as a couple. Mine is cooking all the things that I don’t tend to use when cooking for us both....

@reet enjoy your down time Yes i think that is the issue, once in a while it's fine. But for months at a time it's challenging (you run out of things to do) So this week I've tied and arranged the laundry, sorted our downstairs linen to make space for pool toys and towels. Finished some PM for our pool, (which is being built at the minute) arranged the final trades so we can get it signed off. Tonight I'm going to try something different for supper, organise my SS's Halloween costume, liaise with my GF for what we need to make for her Halloween party. Tomorrow I'm going to put together gift lists for upcoming birthdays and Christmas! And source/order decals for SS's room. Thursday going to get the house tidy for the weekend and meal plan for a family lunch on Saturday. Friday I'm out !! Nothing like a good shamming on Mumsnet to put your butt into gear ... lol