So you either (A) got bounced from the first-round of the fantasy playoffs or (B) failed to qualify for postseason fantasy football. Whatever will you do with all the time you previously spent sweating over start and sit decisions?

The reality for more than half of the fantasy football population this week is the end of the season. No more trades, no more waiver wires, no more pulling the trigger on a risky starter.

Now is the time to catch up on all the things you missed because of the fantasy football season. Surely there are things in your life that have been neglected these last few months. As sad as it is to see the football season come to an end, other aspects of your life will benefit with all of your new-found free time.

1. Stop neglecting your significant other. You have neglected her long enough and probably — if you are like me — are very near her breaking point. She is tired of all the football-watching, numbers-obsessing Sundays (and Mondays, and Thursdays) and ready for some friggin’ attention. She probably reminds you of that every day, too.

So now is the time to start suffocating her with all the attention previously reserved for fantasy football. Take her out to eat, to the movies or your favorite bar. Accompany her to do some Christmas shopping. The more you do for her now, the more she will tolerate all the football-watching, numbers-obsessing Sundays (and Mondays, and Thursdays) next season. And that is what you really want, right?

2. Decompress. Fantasy football is taxing on the mind and sometimes the body as well. The pain of a tough loss can affect your mood for days at a time, and losing at this time of year always is crushing.

Get away from fantasy football for at least a week. Do not think about it, do not read about it and do not talk about it. The more time you give yourself away from the game, the more you will be able to recover and come to appreciate how fun and exciting it actually is to play fantasy.

3. Unplug yourself from the digital world. This goes along with decompressing. Chances are good that you spend most of your time on the computer researching fantasy statistics, getting roster advice and setting starting lineups.

But staring at the computer for hours upon hours a day can be stressful even without the anxiety of fantasy football. Turn the machine off and get outside if the weather is good. Read a book, hit up a coffee shop or take a walk through the mall to get away from the screen.

4. Take a weekend vacation. Want to accomplish Nos. 2 and 3 in one fell swoop? Get away for the weekend. If you are not glued to any of the teams in the playoff hunt, escape football for a weekend away with your best buds or significant other.

Find a local getaway with some interesting attractions that you have not yet enjoyed. Hit up museums, casinos or just a nice hotel with all the amenities. Be a tourist in a city close to home, or take a jaunt across the country. Learn something new about your favorite city that does not relate to touchdowns, interceptions or rushing yards.

5. Catch up on movies, television and/or reading. Football has consumed your life since August, which means your favorite television shows are wasting away on the DVR. Or you missed a few good movies because of the time-consuming nature of fantasy football. Maybe you even failed to pick up a book — and no, your fantasy football magazines do not count — since last summer’s beach vacation.

Chances are you have neglected one of the three more popular forms of entertainment here in America, so now is the time to do some catching up. Hit up Blockbuster for some new releases and settle in for a movie make-up marathon. Grab a bestseller off the racks at Barnes & Noble or, even better, find a book at your local library. Stop avoiding the work chatter about your favorite TV show by making up ground on this season’s best shows so that you can contribute to a conversation that does not include MVP or Rookie of the Year talk.

6. Go outside. Seriously. Even in cold weather, some outside time can really wake up the senses and get the blood flowing again. If you are like me, most of your Sundays since August have been spent on the couch watching football or near the computer checking stats.

Show the sun some love by getting out during the short winter days. There is plenty of time in the evening and at night to catch up with everything that happens on TV during the day.

7. Spend some quality time with your family. If you have been neglecting your significant other, than you most definitely have been neglecting your family during the fantasy football season.

Reconnect with your siblings, parents and grandparents for a weekend dinner. Catch up on the latest happenings in everyone’s life, play some board games together and try to enjoy some down time with loved ones.

8. Video games. If you have trouble with the season coming to an end and unplugging yourself completely, fire up the old video game system and start your own season. It does not matter what kind of system you have — PlayStation, XBox, Wii, old Nintendo or Atari — because all are good choices with lots of games.

Grab some buddies and host a NCAA 2009 or Madden 2009 tournament, or fly solo with some of your favorite war, stategy or role-playing games. Despite the common misconceptions about video games, most will keep your mind sharp and provide hours of entertainment.

9. Pick up an offseason hobby. There has to be more to life than fantasy football. While it is a great hobby and one that you can maintain all offseason with keeper and dynasty leagues, the offseason is for exploring your other talents and passions.

Take up a new sport. Ultimate frisbee is my sport of choice during the offseason, but there are many other club teams and leagues in every city waiting to be explored. Try for an active, outdoor hobby like hiking, biking or rock climbing because so much of the fall and winter months are spent indoors.

10. If you absoultely, positively must have fantasy football in your life, consider a fantasy playoff league. Or better yet, start a dynasty or keeper league with some friends. I will always advocate leagues with friends because I think they are more competitive, respectful and vigilant than random public leagues. So if you want to play fantasy football year-round it may as well be with guys you know.

There are a number of places to get involved with fantasy playoff leagues when the NFL postseason arrives. Stay tuned to The Hazean for links to some of the leagues available on the internet.

And if you need even more fantasy football after the end of this season, keep coming back to The Hazean. The season never ends here at the blog and we have some big plans for the offseason, including expanding our NFL Draft coverage, in-depth free agency analysis, keeper and dynasty advice and much, much more.

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