At some point during your medical journey, you are certain to find yourself with evenings to yourself. Call, night shifts, away rotations, conferences, training etc. will find their way into your schedule and you will find yourself alone. And being alone can be, well, lonely. So what's a girl to do to keep the loneliness at bay?
• Two words: Chick flick. Nights that Mike works are my evenings to watch movies/ tv shows that would make Mike roll his eyes. With Redbox, and the ever-growing selection at many libraries, even the tightest budgets can fit this in.
• Call up the girls and have a GNO. Have kids? Could you hire a sitter? If a sitter is not an option can friends come over after the kids are in bed for some dessert and catching up?
• If your spouse works the same night each week, could you use that evening to take a class or join a club?
• Make the nights alone with your kids special- it's date night with Mommy, pick a favorite restaurant or make a special meal.
• If the running bedtime by yourself stresses you out, have a "Pajama Party" Give the kids their baths, put on jammies, (while you have their full cooperation!) have pancakes (or cereal, could anything be easier than cereal?) for dinner, cuddle up and watch a favorite show or movie and put the kids to bed.
• Use your nights alone to pamper yourself- give yourself a pedicure or facial, deep condition your hair, etc.
• Use the time to catch up on something you love to do, but don't usually make time for. (sewing, scrap-booking, reading, exercising, etc)
• Go to bed early. (Ha! I always stay up much later when Mike is working, but I love this idea in theory!)
• Do nothing. Veg out and waste time on Facebook, catching up on blogs, etc. Sometimes you just need a break!
• Catch up on the house so when your hubby is home, you don't feel bogged down with things to do.
Those are just a few ideas to help make those nights alone go a little quicker! I want to know, what's your favorite way to spend a night alone?