how do you fill your time?

[lemons]

I'm finding tv is getting boring and I didn't have time for hobbies or anything while I was late H's caregiver. Now I have all kinds of time and want to keep boredom away. How do you fill your time?

[katieido]

Don't get me wrong, I watch plenty of television. .. but I also enjoy reading, doing jigsaw puzzles, coloring, going on walks, browsing consignment/antique/boutiques, record shopping/listening, seeing live music. I'm also a single mom with full physical custody, so that also takes up a great deal of my time.

[bg]

Hiking, yoga, running, photography. Also volunteering for a couple of different organizations.

[Deleted]

Yoga, dogs, cooking/baking.I work 50ish hours a week so I feel like it eats into free time. I wish I had more time/desire to read in the bathtub. I also knit basic scarves and am working on my first inappropriate cross-stitch.

[alleinesein]

I read a lot. Anywhere from 5-7 books a week. If I didn't have evil cats I would do jigsaw puzzles but since they like to eat cardboard I can't.

I also have a small stash of coloring books that I whip out at night.

[flatlan]

I do cross stitch while I watch tv. I also try to watch shows that I am truly interested in rather than just mindless stuff. So I dvr things, Netflix, or rent.

[FormerlyRR]

Read, walk, garden, I always have a furniture refurbishing project I can work on, homework, clean, look for the end of the Internet.

[TR]

During the week I go to bed fairly early so I don't have time for much, but I volunteer one evening a week & kickbox two evenings a week. I take my dog for walks/runs and to the dog park. I read. I also watch a fair amount of TV

[doglove]

Running, walking my pup, hiking (I try to spend a lot of time outdoors, I volunteer for a local dog rescue doing work with members and also fostering dogs, reading, yoga, hanging out with friends and TV for some down time.

[jojoandleo]

My kindle is my most prized possession. Then my library membership where I get free kindle books.

[Serenity9]

I play soccer, sing in a community choir, joined a charitable organization and work on fundraisers, go to small local live music concerts with friends even if I've never heard of the bands - it's a fun way to hear new music and meet new people. I go out to (far too many!$$!) restaurants with friends. When the chance comes up I also like hiking, going to plays, and driving to and exploring small towns within a few hours of home.

[riverpestie]

volunteering, triathlon training, soccer, kickball, reading, walking my dogs, hiking (I bought a state park pass), working out at the gym, hanging out with friends, visiting family, traveling

[bl]

Reading, watching youtube videos, bubble baths, theme parks, concerts, walks, bike rides, music, movies and breakfast with friends. If there are local craft or art shows outside I like to just go walk around at those and be outside with cool things to look at.

[cuddlyevil]

I started doing the things I enjoyed before I met xh. I joined meetup and joined a couple groups that were social oriented--so we did beerfest and a couple random other events.

I also started trying new things, going to new restaurants, meeting new people (from here and elsewhere), and joined a church.

It's a process and not everything worked for me, but I've had fun figuring out new things to do/see in my city.

[stephreloaded]

I read a lot and got into watching TV again. I am in school again so my time is pretty limited.

I am a nerd and I like learning about a lot of stuff. So I take free courses on Coursera about topics that interest me. I have taken several Finance ones, time management and my favorite of all, A life full of happiness and fulfilment. I am planning to take a calculus course so I can refresh what I knew because it got so so so rusty.

[pinkdutchtulips]

I read, hike w the dogs, do things w dd (park, farmers market), volunteer w my church, book club, DD's school's PTA and Girl Scouts

If I didn't have dd, I'd be living at the gym, hiking w the dogs, book club, volunteering at my church, cross stitching and possibly look into joining the Junior League

[glitzyglow]

My goal is to really explore my area this year. For example, I went for a run on my day off, but then stayed another hour walking around and found a river I didn't even know ran through the park. There are lots of attractions I have yet to see after living here 2 years, but I'm hoping to change that up. Also, I want to try new things like kayaking, group hikes (listed on Meetup.com), etc.

I also use the library a lot. Sometimes I go in, grab a magazine, and just relax while flipping through the magazine.

Utilize friends of friends. I became friends with a girl who was a friend of my friend. New friend likes to throw get-togethers and even though it was uncomfortable for me, I went alone to the first one she invited me to and surprisingly I made a few new friends. New friend has started up her party-throwing again now that it's getting nicer out, and I plan to go to all of them...fun atmosphere and I always meet new people!

I also joined a networking group for my field and have met great people. I ended up going to an art showing of one of the girls I met at the networking event. She was so appreciative that I stopped by, and it was a new experience for me to visit that art event.

Check out your area's tourism website/event calendars. I find out about lots of things my signing up for emails and notifications through these sites. They are also great resources when I need information on what I can do at that moment. I just received an email notification about an event that I missed last year, but getting a head's up allowed me to already invite a group of friends to go with me to the event in June.

[Deleted]

Apr 6, 2016 9:45:52 GMT -5 cuddlyevil said:

I started doing the things I enjoyed before I met xh. I joined meetup and joined a couple groups that were social oriented--so we did beerfest and a couple random other events.

I also started trying new things, going to new restaurants, meeting new people (from here and elsewhere), and joined a church.

It's a process and not everything worked for me, but I've had fun figuring out new things to do/see in my city.

Yes. So my XH thought paying 40 bucks a month for yoga classes was a waste of money and we had to get approval for alll purchases over 20 because we were broke. (yet I "allowed" gun purchases and video games at 60 a pop...likely the reason we were broke). So two months after I moved out, I signed up for yoga and it was bliss. And a giant "fuck you" in my mind. 

[pinkdutchtulips]

Apr 6, 2016 9:45:52 GMT -5 cuddlyevil said:

I started doing the things I enjoyed before I met xh. I joined meetup and joined a couple groups that were social oriented--so we did beerfest and a couple random other events.

I also started trying new things, going to new restaurants, meeting new people (from here and elsewhere), and joined a church.

It's a process and not everything worked for me, but I've had fun figuring out new things to do/see in my city.

the first thing I did when I left xh was start going to book club again. Who knew he'd feel totally insecure about me attending a book club w women a good generation (or 2 !) older than me sponsored by my church !

[cuddlyevil]

Apr 6, 2016 10:26:43 GMT -5 pinkdutchtulips said:

Apr 6, 2016 9:45:52 GMT -5 cuddlyevil said:

I started doing the things I enjoyed before I met xh. I joined meetup and joined a couple groups that were social oriented--so we did beerfest and a couple random other events.

I also started trying new things, going to new restaurants, meeting new people (from here and elsewhere), and joined a church.

It's a process and not everything worked for me, but I've had fun figuring out new things to do/see in my city.

the first thing I did when I left xh was start going to book club again. Who knew he'd feel totally insecure about me attending a book club w women a good generation (or 2 !) older than me sponsored by my church !

Ha! The first thing I did was go see a band play (I loved doing that before xh decided that since I was wife I wasn't allowed to) and I got a guy's number! So not only did I rediscover something that I loved, I also disproved xh's declaration that no one would want me because my "body isn't what it used to be" and I was 37 so "older". 

[glynn]

I go to the gym 6 days a week which takes about 1 1/2 a night. I have DD2 also. I watch Netflix when TV is crap. I hope to spend a lot of time outside and reading this summer.

[hocus2]

Apr 5, 2016 23:03:27 GMT -5 alleinesein said:

I read a lot. Anywhere from 5-7 books a week. If I didn't have evil cats I would do jigsaw puzzles but since they like to eat cardboard I can't.

I also have a small stash of coloring books that I whip out at night.

  Place a yoga mat over a jigsaw puzzle for cat protection when you're not working on it.. 

[alleinesein]

Apr 6, 2016 15:24:23 GMT -5 hocus2 said:

Apr 5, 2016 23:03:27 GMT -5 alleinesein said:

I read a lot. Anywhere from 5-7 books a week. If I didn't have evil cats I would do jigsaw puzzles but since they like to eat cardboard I can't.

I also have a small stash of coloring books that I whip out at night.

  Place a yoga mat over a jigsaw puzzle for cat protection when you're not working on it.. 

The cats have discovered that they can jump down from the top of the china cabinet onto the dining room table and if they land just right they can 'surf' on whatever is covering the table.  Evil evil creatures.  They also think that yoga mats are a tasty snack.  My cats are weird!

[jenstar]

I waste a lot of time planning for things that never happen lol

I wish I used my time more effectively, it's something I'm working on!

[spedrunner]

Yoga, hiking, walks, cooking, shopping, coffee or wine w friends, read.  Audiobooks. Boutiques.  BOok stores. 

I dont own a TV

[greysgirl]

I am a single mom with full custody and I work full time so I don't have tons of free time. I like to run though, I just ran my fourth half marathon and I am going to find something else to train for soon. I love spin class. Time with friends. Hiking. I do watch TV sometimes, it's usually trash tv like real housewives, etc.