What do you do in your "free" time?

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happymommy

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My wonderful husband thought it would be a good thing for me to get out by myself at least one Saturday a month. The last year and a half have been very stressful and he feels I’m not spending enough time taking care of “me”. He’s probably right, but the problem is that I don’t know how to think like that now!

He even sat down with me and helped me make a list of things I could do on my day off.

He is so sweet for doing this for me and I feel like such an awful person. But I’m having trouble with the idea of doing things for just me.

He takes time for himself and I’m really glad he does, but he has hobbies that he really enjoys and I don’t.

Something that he is trying to do to help me feel better is really making me feel worse because I feel ungrateful!

So, do you take time for yourself? What do you do?
 
I don’t even know where to begin.

Firstly it depends on the budget:)
I would definitely love to start by a prayer in a church or a chapel.
And then I would just go go go. Anywhere, everywhere. A coffee shop to relax, a massage, shoppimg, an art gallery, a library, a walk in a big park, beach or around the neighbourhood. Visit a friend or relative… I feel like my fingers can’t keep up with the ideas… Point is, there are DEFINITELY some thimgs you enjoy. Do those!
 
Wow! What a nice husband!

What do you like doing?

Personally, I like to read…so I would go to a bookstore and browse, then get coffee…

If I had a longer stretch of time, maybe a book club or scrapbooking.

Or spend the afternoon in a museum.

Don’t feel guilty. You aren’t doing anything wrong by having some “you” time
 
I’ve taken classes, gone out places by myself, but the best are these:

Exercise…and even then, hiking or playing sports with the family is more fun
Spend time with my sister or female friends, whether for lunch or a weekend
Go on retreat at the local monastery

It depends on you, though, and what recharges your batteries. I’d suggest seeking the company of adults who either speak in sentences with long words about topics that are not in picture books or else other moms in the same boat with you!
 
I would scrap. I am so far behind in my son’s scrapbooks it isn’t even funny.
 
How about finding a retreat? Then you are not stuck finding a hobby or spending money on frivolous things or walking aimlessly around a mall, wishing for adult conversation! I try to make a retreat once a year and hubby just takes over for the weekend. I come back refreshed and ready to go for another year.
 
happymommy said:
My wonderful husband thought it would be a good thing for me to get out by myself at least one Saturday a month. The last year and a half have been very stressful and he feels I’m not spending enough time taking care of “me”. He’s probably right, but the problem is that I don’t know how to think like that now!

He even sat down with me and helped me make a list of things I could do on my day off.

He is so sweet for doing this for me and I feel like such an awful person. But I’m having trouble with the idea of doing things for just me.

He takes time for himself and I’m really glad he does, but he has hobbies that he really enjoys and I don’t.

Something that he is trying to do to help me feel better is really making me feel worse because I feel ungrateful!

So, do you take time for yourself? What do you do?
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Go for a long bike ride.
 
The budget is limited! I have some hospital bills that just keep coming:( I had a double miscarriage last month. Had a miscarriage at home, but didn’t know that there was another baby that was ectopic. My tube burst and DH had to race me to the ER…this, on top of lots of other stress has made my poor husband really worry about me:o

Our church isn’t open until 4:00 in the afternoon, so I couldn’t start there.

We live in a pretty small town. It would about 1 and 30 mins. to a museum.

We have a neat downtown. It has a coffee shop and maybe 4 or 5 stores. I could see me walking around down there for a little while, but I don’t think it’s going to be something I want to do every month. We have a park too. There is a little town not too far from here that is made up of neat shops. I go there at least once a year, usually around my birthday.

I do scrapbook, well, I used to but I’m pretty behind now. He thought I should save that for during the winter months or on rainy days when I couldn’t really be out and about. There’s a place that used to have Sat. morning crops where you could use their tables for the day, but I don’t think they do that anymore.

I haven’t been on a bike since I was a kid. I think that could be ugly:D

I was suppose to go to a retreat this weekend, but with the bills coming in and my emotions not being 100% I backed out. We are going to my in-laws camp with them this weekend, so that will be nice.

I did look on-line to see if there was something near by that I could do. There’s a few places to go walking and of course, the outlet mall:eek:

The only classes I found were for knitting.

Thank you for all of your ideas! I really do think I need to get out. It would be good for me.
 
Well. I’m no help. My husband keep trying to get me to do something alone too. Sometimes I do and it’s nice but usually I just run errands and everything is overcrowded. Or I get bored and lonely and come home. So I am really interested in the replies you get.
 
I don’t know if this will appeal to you (I’ve been told I’m odd for liking this because I’m a woman 🤷 ) but how about fishing? I LOVE sitting by the lake, line in the water and just watching the bobber. I can solve the world’s problems while I’m fishing. Hmmm… maybe I should email that suggestion to Obama… Nah, on second thought, he’d probably come up with yet another mandate. 😃
But seriously, fishing is so relaxing, or maybe golf lessons?
 
I definitely know where you’re coming from… I’ve had the same problem for a loooong time. When I do have the day off, I don’t know how to enjoy the peace and quiet. Funny thing, when I’m minding the children, part of me is longing a moment of silence. Evenings used to be a relaxing time for me, but my baby is awake till at least 11PM most of the time. Ok, enough about me!

Usually, during my “me” time, I’ll go window-shopping. Although I need the exercise, it’s not the perfect fit for me. So far, my favorites me-dates involved dessert. I would find a favorite restaurant, preferably during a slow time of day, and try to really enjoy every delectable bite of my cheesecake or other chocolate-covered treat. You could also pick up a favorite treat at your local grocery store. At least this one time, you don’t have to share.

Hobbies… If time could just stop, I’d love to find one. I tend to start things and never finish them. I have a puzzle, some cross-stitching and a knitted blanket started, if you want to finish one:p.
 
taye said:
I definitely know where you’re coming from… I’ve had the same problem for a loooong time. When I do have the day off, I don’t know how to enjoy the peace and quiet. Funny thing, when I’m minding the children, part of me is longing a moment of silence. Evenings used to be a relaxing time for me, but my baby is awake till at least 11PM most of the time. Ok, enough about me!

Usually, during my “me” time, I’ll go window-shopping. Although I need the exercise, it’s not the perfect fit for me. So far, my favorites me-dates involved dessert. I would find a favorite restaurant, preferably during a slow time of day, and try to really enjoy every delectable bite of my cheesecake or other chocolate-covered treat. You could also pick up a favorite treat at your local grocery store. At least this one time, you don’t have to share.

Hobbies… If time could just stop, I’d love to find one. I tend to start things and never finishing them. I have a puzzle, some cross-stitching and a knitted blanket started, if you want to finish one:p.
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That’s really it! I don’t seem to know how to enjoy just being by myself! I used to go out for lunch or shopping alone and it was never a problem.

I have enough cross-stitch started that I need to finish, but thanks for sharing!
 
happymommy said:
The only classes I found were for knitting.
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Some of my friends have actually gotten into knitting. They do it in a group and they make really neat things. Where you like scrap booking, you might like the intricacies of knitting and it can also be a way to socialize.

Personally, I like to sew. But it is a ‘loner sport’ and I have to call my quilting buddies occasionally for lunch and sharing our latest projects.
 
What is this thing you speak of…this “free time”?

I am not familiar with that phrase.
 
newf said:
Some of my friends have actually gotten into knitting. They do it in a group and they make really neat things. Where you like scrap booking, you might like the intricacies of knitting and it can also be a way to socialize.

Personally, I like to sew. But it is a ‘loner sport’ and I have to call my quilting buddies occasionally for lunch and sharing our latest projects.
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A friend of mine just started knitting this winter. She’s making gloves and socks like a crazy woman:D I’m not sure I could get both hands working together like that! I don’t know what the classes cost or the yarn, could add up.
 
Well, I don’t have a lot of that “free time” right now, but when I do, I really just do whatever I feel like at the time. If the weather is nice, I’ll take a book with me and sit on a bench in the park and read for an hour or so. If the weather isn’t so nice, I’ll go to the library or a little coffee shop to get my reading in. I’ve got a few knitting projects started that could really use some finishing… my local library actually has a knitting club that I’ve thought about joining from time to time. I like making jewelry with hemp cord, so I spend a lot of time doing that.

I’m interested in photography, so sometimes I’ll just grab my camera and go for a walk around town taking pictures of the things that catch my interest. Then I come back home and edit them and see what I could have improved on.

Really, it’s just about me doing something that I really feel like doing. I’m very introverted, so I recharge by spending quiet time alone. You just need to find what works to recharge you. If you like being around people, you could look for a group of other moms to spend “off” time with sometimes, or find a group that does a hobby that you enjoy.
 
SummerSmiles said:
Well, I don’t have a lot of that “free time” right now, but when I do, I really just do whatever I feel like at the time. If the weather is nice, I’ll take a book with me and sit on a bench in the park and read for an hour or so. If the weather isn’t so nice, I’ll go to the library or a little coffee shop to get my reading in. I’ve got a few knitting projects started that could really use some finishing… my local library actually has a knitting club that I’ve thought about joining from time to time. I like making jewelry with hemp cord, so I spend a lot of time doing that.

I’m interested in photography, so sometimes I’ll just grab my camera and go for a walk around town taking pictures of the things that catch my interest. Then I come back home and edit them and see what I could have improved on.

Really, it’s just about me doing something that I really feel like doing. I’m very introverted, so I recharge by spending quiet time alone. You just need to find what works to recharge you. If you like being around people, you could look for a group of other moms to spend “off” time with sometimes, or find a group that does a hobby that you enjoy.
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I am introverted too. I don’t really want to join a group. I’ve joined mother’s groups before it’s just never worked out for me. I have gotten together with friends to scrapbook. We would go to each others houses, but everyone got too busy and we stopped getting together.

I do like to read. The library is on my list of possible things to do. I can’t remember the last time I was there without kids!

Our little coffee shop is only open for a few hours on Sat. morning, but I could go sit there and read.
 
happymommy said:
I do like to read. The library is on my list of possible things to do. I can’t remember the last time I was there without kids!
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I only rediscovered the local library this summer. The last time I’d gone was probably when I was still in school! I’m so glad that I found it, though. I really enjoy going there because it’s so nice and quiet!
 
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