Sometimes the work week can feel really long when we fail to
be productive with our evenings. So here are some hints and suggestions to make
your weeknights more invigorating.
Don’t just veg
I know after a long day at work sometimes you just want to
veg in front of the tv. However, take it from an ex-vegger (is that even
word?) don’t do it! With Netfilx
it’s oh so easy to just watch five episodes of your latest favorite show. Don’t you just feel blah afterwards? I know I do. One or two episodes of
something is nice, but what about trying something different?
Get Active
Start exercising. If you're into sports (God bless you - I am not) join
a team. I have a girlfriend who plays basketball every Thursday and loves it.
If sports are not your thing try dancing. Sometimes I go to a
swing club with some friends and dance the night away. Or grab a friend
and plan to have a zumba evening every Thursday. Or get a gym membership. Or if
your wallet is feeling empty try exercising with a youtube video. I try and do an easy kick boxing video
every evening. It’s only 20 minutes but it’s movement that boosts
your mood and health. So try every evening to do some sort of physical
activity.
Get Creative
You probably have some artistic talent. For me it’s music I
try and play and sing a piece once a week. I also cross stitch, crochet, make
perler bead creations, and joined the adult coloring book bandwagon (because I
can’t draw to save my life). I also try and cook one new recipe a week and bake
different creations. I also have friends who do pottery, draw and
paint, knit, felt crafts, write, or have little herb/flower gardens (I murder
plants in my spare time so I don’t recommend that hobby). These are just a few creative outlets
you can try because it really makes a difference if you even do ten minutes a day of
something creative and enjoyable to you.
Get Reading
Now I know some people hate reading (which is weird in my mind). Mark Twain once said, “The person who won't read has no advantage
over the one who can't.” You don’t have to read a book a week, but even just reading a poem in the evening with a glass of wine will help you feel so much
better, both intellectually and emotionally.
Reading is the gateway to compassion in my opinion, because whether you
read fact or fiction, the reader is forced to encounter characters
and imagine how they feel - what drives them to make the good or bad choices
they make within the narrative. I
recommend trying to read a few different things: something spiritual, something intellectual, and something fun, yet interesting to you. Reading expands your mind, heart and
vocabulary so get a library card or go to a second hand shop and get some
books!
Get Prayerful
This is one I definitely don’t do as much as I should but
even 15 minutes a day of prayerful silence - saying the rosary, reflecting on
scripture, etc. - can make a world of difference.
I think it’s always good to try and aim to go to daily Mass when you can, however, if you work full time, sometimes your hours just don’t work with Mass
times or your location of work. So
try maybe once a week to get that extra time for Christ in your life. It
will make your evenings so much more productive. Trust me.
Get Social
So there you have it, some ideas to make the most out of your Febrary evenings and help you make not just the most of your time but, also make you a better woman.
Thanks for that! I've gave up tv for Lent and actually this had been such a blessing in terms of how I spend my evenings, now I have time for exercising and reading.
ReplyDeleteAll the best!