It can be all too easy to fall into a rut - a constantly repeated cycle of working before stumbling home and slowly vegetating in front of Netflix at the end of the day - only to find it all repeating the following day.
TV and online streaming platforms have certainly provided a whole new form of entertainment, but as anybody who has sat for an hour slowly scrolling through Netflix and still failing to find something to watch will tell you, it has a nasty habit of sucking your precious time into oblivion.
Evenings should be when you can relax and spend time doing what you love, but instead, we often find ourselves mindlessly scrolling or staring numbly at a screen.
Here are five evening activities that will leave you feeling fulfilled, energised, and ready to take on a new day.
1. Go for a walk
Walking is one activity we never seem to get tired of. An evening stroll is an excellent way to unwind at the end of the day, while still feeling like you’re getting out in the world and actually doing something.
Walking in nature comes with a host of potential benefits, ranging from a reduction in stress, anxiety and depression all the way up to lowering levels of cortisol and reducing blood pressure, and is a great way to round off your day in a healthy and inspiring way.
If you’re looking to add a few activities to your evening stroll, why not try Geocaching or Letterboxing, both of which are fun for adults or families and are an excellent way to get outside and start exploring.
2. Take that class you’ve always wanted to do
We live in a time of great opportunity, but too often we fail to grasp the possibilities that are around us. Evening classes not only teach us new skills and hobbies, but they’re also all a great way to meet new people and break out of the never-ending Netflix cycle.
Whether you’ve always wanted to take a pottery class, learn to salsa dance, cook Vietnamese food, or finally learn to paint, spending just one night a week on your new endeavour can completely change your weekly outlook and leave you dying to go back the following week.
3. Go to bed early
As many as 16 million people in the UK suffer from insomnia or other sleep-related disorders, and sometimes exactly what we need is an early night, without any TV, computers, or other screens.
The causes of insomnia are wide-ranging and can include anything from stress and anxiety to depression and serious physical disorders, but often even when we get home feeling shattered, we force ourselves to stay up watching TV. Then suddenly we realise it’s nearly midnight and you’re now feeling tired but also weirdly wired from staring at a screen for so long.
There are days when we arrive home from work and the best thing for us is to have a healthy meal and go straight to bed. The chances are you’ll feel so much better in the morning.
4. Have or go to a dinner party
Many of us are living hectic lives where it can become challenging to find time for those closest to us. Weekends are often crammed with activities, but why not use a weeknight to either throw or attend a dinner party.
Human interaction is essential for so many aspects of our health, and yet it is one that too often we completely disregard. It can be easy to put off a dinner party because you’re feeling tired and that draw to Netflix is particularly strong, but the benefit to our mental health is almost always significant.
5. Enjoy a sunset
Twice a day, the sky bursts with colour as nature conducts its most impressive shows. Waking up for a sunrise, especially during summer when we’re talking pre-5 am, isn’t always easy, but sunset is usually well within our grasp.
There can be few finer ways to end the day than finding a great spot to watch the sun dip slowly to the horizon before gradually disappearing with some of your favourite people around you and perhaps even some refreshments as well.
Watching a sunset is not only a beautiful experience that we probably all take for granted, it’s been shown to reduce stress, improve mood and of course supply some of that vitamin D that is so vital to our health.
Conclusion
It can be all too easy to fall into a TV or Netflix cycle, after all, who doesn’t like curling up on the sofa at the end of the day?
The problem is not actually TV or Netflix, but rather our over-reliance on them as sources of stress relievers and time-fillers. A few nights a week catching up on your favourite show certainly isn’t a bad thing, but it should be one of several activities that you can choose from at the end of the day, not the only one.
The evening is your opportunity to do exactly as you wish, so what is it you really want to do?
