During the pandemic, we were all sort of, forced into time off work due to COVID-19. My boyfriend, who worked in one of the busiest places in London at the time, was off work for around 3 months and don’t get me STARTED on how dead my inbox was for a while. COVID-19 was NOT the time for freelancers, was it? Now we’re all back to the daily grind and back to our normal schedules, you’ll want to be making the most of it and finding new things to do on your day off.
I work from home and I’m self employed, so for me, there’s quite a blurry line between my working days and my time off work as I’m in the same environment for most of my life (although having a garden office has helped massively). I’ve always been one to struggle when I’m not working through a to-do list of work related tasks as I find all that free time a bit…
Overwhelming.
A bit like how sometimes you’ll go on Netflix and all the choice is overwhelming, so you don’t end up watching anything. That would be me on my day off.
There’s obviously no right or wrong way to spend a day off. And aside from the unavoidable boring things to do on your day off (like putting the bins out and stocking up on milk), it’s also a great chance to play around with your personal growth, try some new things or help you re-charge.
So whether you’re looking for things to do on your day off alone or things to do on your day off at home, I’m sure you’ll find some ideas in this post!
Need help utilizing your time off work? Here are 10 things to do on your day off!
Why not start that new hobby you’ve been thinking about?
Thinking about writing a book? Want to start a vegetable garden? Pottery? Well your day off is the perfect time to get stuck in. If you don’t do it now, you never will because you’ll be back to work before you know it. Set yourself a goal to make the first step into starting that new hobby on your next day off. Whether that’s visiting the library for some more information, researching online or just biting the bullet and starting! Starting is always the hardest part.
You might also think about adding home renovation to this point (as decorating and home interiors can definitely be a time-consuming hobby that require a few days off!) Your day off could be the perfect time for revamping some old furniture, a bit of painting or even switching up your flooring. Laying a range of mixed colours of carpet tiles, is a great way to experiment with covering your floor. Carpet tile wholesale offers very good value.
Spend your day off de-cluttering your space
Of all of the points I’ve mentioned here, this is the one that I’m the most likely to do. I love a de-clutter. Like I love it an ODD amount. If de-cluttering doesn’t come as naturally to you, here’s a handy list of things to de-clutter, categorized by room, to make that sometimes overwhelming task a bit more manageable! And here are some valid reasons to remove clutter from your life.
Try volunteering for a cause you’re passionate about
If like me, you enjoy being go, go, go all the time, then this could be a great option for you. I know it’s your day off from work BUT volunteering is so rewarding and benefit, for both you and your mental health and the person or worthy charity you’re volunteering for. In my neck of the woods, we have Hopefield Animal Sanctuary – an incredible place that takes care of ill or abandoned animals. I’d love to volunteer there one day!
Get outside and spend some time in nature
And if that’s not an option, at least just don’t spend the entire day stuck in the same four walls. Which you probably end up doing a lot of the week if you work in any type of building! Spend some time in your garden, going for a walk at the local park or even a National Trust Site if there’s one near you.
Hit up some local small businesses and charity shops on your day off
I think it’s super important to support small businesses and charity shops. So perhaps on your next day off, set yourself a budget and a to-buy list and see what you can pick up in thrift stores! Then finish off the day at a small, family-run café!
Organize a full-on self care day
I can imagine this will be a popular choice but what better time to have a full-blown self care day that your day off? Heck, you deserve it! Think long bubble baths, face masks and all your best creams and oils. If you can, perhaps book a nail or hair appointment. Or even head to a solo spa break! Go wild!
Embrace your creative side
Exploring your creative side is another way to spend your time. Getting creative doesn’t mean that you have to be an artist. It can be as simple as designing a pin badge. Pin badges are an easy to use fashion accessory that look good wherever you put them. It’s cool to turn your designs into real pin badges with Pinbadges.co.
Get those boring jobs done that need doing pronto
Okay back down to Earth, you might have no choice but to FINALLY get those boring ass jobs done on your day off. The grocery shop. The tax return. The visit to the bank. Those jobs you don’t really have time for on your work days. I’d hate to spend a WHOLE DAY OFF doing these jobs so perhaps get up a little earlier than usual and get them done before lunchtime, so the rest of the day is free!
Experiment in the kitchen
During my time in isolation (that sounds ridiculous to say but hey-yo, 2020!) I found myself experimenting loads in the kitchen – particularly for breakfast and dinner. I tried to re-create the bacon and honey pancakes I had at The Ferry House Inn restaurant, as well as throwing some things together for dinner. So on your next day off, instead of immediately reaching for the takeaway menu, why don’t you try some experimenting? Check out this page for some amazing kitchen gadgets!
The Lord of the Rings movie marathon and a takeaway
And to finish off the list, just for lols, you can’t go wrong with a marathon of The Lord of the Rings on any day. That’s exactly what Carl and I did when we headed to Pod Hollow last year! If The Lord of the Rings isn’t your cup of tea, there’s plenty of other long-ass series to choose from!
So I hope you enjoyed this array of ideas, from relaxing day off ideas to productive things to do on your day off and more. Obviously there will be some days off that will require you to do certain things and that’s just life but on those rare occasions where you find yourself with a wonderful free day to yourself, I hope you make the most of some of these meaningful ideas!
How do you like to spend your day off? Will you be trying any of these points I’ve mentioned on your next day off? Let me know and share some ideas of your own!