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7 Things You Should Totally Do Alone

7 Things You Should Totally Do Alone
Carly Jacobs
M

y life with my partner is pretty weird. We live together, work together and travel together. We’re certainly not one of those couples that can’t do anything apart but circumstance has brought us to this weird place in our lives where we spent like 99% of our time within arms distance of each other.

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I’m not complaining – I quite like Mr Smaggle. He’s a top bloke. I never need a break from him. Occasionally though, he’ll have to go away for a work trip or he’ll spend the day with a mate of his and I suddenly get this amazing pocket of time and I can spend it any way I like. I freaking love it. He ran some errands with a mate of his on the weekend and I had the whole of Sunday to do whatever I liked. I went for a walk to the markets, I bought veggies to roast for dinner. I crocheted on the couch. I drank tea. I took myself out for lunch. It was splendid. If you happen to find yourself with a spare hour or two, here some lovely things you should totally do alone.

Take yourself out for breakfast

Some people are quite funny about dining alone but I love it. Take a magazine or the paper, order eggs just the way you like them and start your morning with a perfect coffee. It’s just such a civilised and grown up thing to do isn’t it? It always makes me feel like Audrey Hepburn, even if I’m just wearing my gym gear.

Go shopping on a trendy street

You don’t have to buy anything, it’s just lovely to wander in and out of the shops. I live in between Smith and Brunswick Street in Fitzroy but I rarely ever walk down those streets for pleasure. On Sunday, I bought a takeaway coffee and I went to every single one of my favourite shops, the ones I usually speed walk past on my way home from the train station. It was so pleasant and I managed to mentally book mark about half of my Christmas presents for this year. Bonza.

Take a picnic blanket and read a book outside

Honestly, I think it should be mandatory to do this. Especially if you live near a park – pop on your walking shoes, grab a picnic blanket and settle in for an hour or two of total escape. If you’re struggling to find a good book to read check this post – it’s a list of my most recent favourites. Make sure you take a thermos of tea. You won’t regret it.

Have a very, very fancy bath

Get one of those beautiful scented bath bombs from Lush (not the ones with glitter – Why Lush? WHY???), maybe some bullshit rose petals and set yourself up in the bath with a book, magazine or TV show. I will often watch a TV show on my iPad in the bath and it’s the best thing ever. It makes your skin all soft luscious (the bath, not the iPad)and I swear it makes stress just melt away.

Go to an afternoon movie or matinee

A solo movie or show is the ultimate indulgence isn’t it? Make sure you get yourself a glass of bubbles or a choc top. It would be rude not to.

Take a class

I’m a class fiend – I’ve done every kind of class. Knitting, crochet, macramé, improv, twerking – It’s always a bit of fun. Sometimes people get a bit funny about spending money on classes but I always think they’re a bargain. I once paid $30 for a crochet class that included afternoon tea. It was insanely awesome value and you’re also supporting local businesses. It’s also a great way to meet people who are into the exact same things as you. It’s like a group of ready made mates.

Have a glass of wine at a bar and read a book

My actual favourite thing to do. You can choose the wine you like, the table you want to sit at and you don’t have to share your olives with anyone else. Boom.

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Do you hang out alone often? What’s your favourite solo date activity?

 

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Are we mates on Facebook yet?

11 Comments

  1. JessB 8 years ago

    Love it! Smaggle, how did you know I have next week off, and am going to be spending a lot of time on my own?!
    I’m going to make sure I do at least a few of these activities, including a trip down Brunswick Street and Smith Street, breakfast out with a pile of comics, and an early movie followed by a treat at Pancake Parlour. I can’t wait!
    I’m also going to go to the National Gallery of Victoria, to see the Degas exhibit, and linger as long as I like, and I’m going to start a little project I’ve been thinking about for a while.
    Also, spring cleaning and decluttering.

    • Author
      Carly Jacobs 8 years ago

      Oh that’s so wonderful you should! It’s such a lovely place to hang out. Have a wonderful week off you totally deserve it!

  2. Amanda Hoffmann 8 years ago

    I will admit Carly that 20 years married and with four kids spending time with myself is something I cherish.
    There is nothing like taking yourself out for lunch and reading a new book in peace, eating food I didn’t have to cook or prepare. I love taking off once every few years to spend a weekend in my own company and do things by myself, for myself.
    This wasn’t always the case, I do recall being extremely sad with my husband concerned over my preoccupation. He thought it was post natal depression. It wasn’t, it was me grieving over a disconnection of self. I was a mother, wife, friend, daughter, sister and no longer knew “me”.
    While my baby boomer parents feel that this behavior is selfish, I know from life experience that happiness trumps obligation.
    Great article xx

    • Author
      Carly Jacobs 8 years ago

      Oh definitely it’s so hard when you have kids, especially if you don’t have a lot of family and friends around for support. I think it’s so important to make it known that you need time for yourself – you should have to, it should be an assumption but if you’re not getting it take it! xxx

  3. Missy D 8 years ago

    I do all those things alone anyway – even if my partner is around. ;D I almost never get the house to myself so when he’s away I want to be inside the house – alone! Weirdly though, I find myself doing things like cleaning the whole house, because I find it easier to do that alone than coordinate with someone else. Or clean out my wardrobe (try on all my clothes and see if I still like them etc).

    • Author
      Carly Jacobs 8 years ago

      Yes! Me too! I don’t know why but I’m so productive when my partner isn’t around. I can’t figure it out. He’s really productive but I think we just spend a lot of time kind of talking and being together which is nice, but obviously time consuming!

  4. Melanie Lindner 8 years ago

    Definitely with you on the matinee thing – one of my favourite indulgences is taking myself to the theatre (hubby’s not into Shakespeare or most of my other theatre choices). I dress up in my fancy layered-tulle ball skirt or silk jumpsuit and always get a glass of bubbly. If I’m attending a theatre in Civic, I pop into one of the local cafes first and get a single hand made chocolate to have as well. Totally indulgent.

    Where possible I plan 4-6 months at a time – I book in Dec/Jan as a birthday treat, then again in June/July in anticipation of a tax refund 😉 I have friends in local productions (on stage and behind the scenes) who sometimes get me comps as well, which is great!

    For the record, last week I saw my first live opera (Opera Australia’s performance of Marriage of Figaro) and on Saturday just gone I attended a wonderful local production of Funny Girl (a friend was in the orchestra). My next solo indulgence will be Bell Shakespeare’s Othello in October.

    • Author
      Carly Jacobs 8 years ago

      I bloody love a single decadent chocolate. I love teeny tiny treats. Like a little macaron! Bell Shakespeare stuff is awesome – haven’t been to a Bell since I was in high school. Must get along to their next one.

  5. Annaliese 8 years ago

    I go camping by myself for a couple of nights. Perfect way to unplug from the world and recharge myself. I especially enjoy the back to basics tasks like boiling water on a meth fuelled camping stove to make a cup of coffee ?

    • Author
      Carly Jacobs 8 years ago

      That sounds amazing but I honestly thing I would freak out if I went camping alone. I read too many stories about serial killers… if you don’t already do that, don’t do it! I do love making camp coffee and tea. I can’t wait until the weather warms up and we can go every weekend like we usually do in summer.

  6. Kat 7 years ago

    I had recently separated and felt strange going alone to dinner. But a new place opened in Kingston called Otis dining hall and I wanted to go opening night. I had the best time, people watching, checking out the food, ordering what I wanted and really enjoyed the night. So glad I did it and realising the enjoyment from doing things and being more mindful. Not to mention the food was amazing and they now remember me as their first customer.

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