Not sure what to do on your day off? We’ve got you covered!
It’s finally here – a highly-anticipated day off of work! But how should you spend your long-awaited free time?
Many of us feel restless and struggle to think of things to do when we’re not working. But free time is essential to our wellbeing.
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to spend your day off lounging around the house and watching TV.
In fact, doing this will often leave you feeling no more relaxed and refreshed than before.
The goal of a free day should be to have fun and feel rejuvenated by the end of it, not to feel lazy and sluggish.
So, what can you do to have a relaxing yet productive day off? Here are ten ideas to help you do just that.
1. Start A Side Business
One of the most fulfilling things to do on your day off is to work on a side business.
These days, more people than ever are supplementing their income and interests with side businesses.
Starting your own side hustle will help you set meaningful goals, make a positive difference in the world, earn extra money, and grow as a person.
It’s hard to beat that return on investment!
To think of an idea for your side business, start by considering your unique skills and interests. Then, try to apply these skills and interests to a particular problem or need people have.
Identifying a market you can serve will help ensure your business idea is worth pursuing.
There are plenty of different types of side businesses you can start.
For example, you could freelance, start a blog, create a YouTube channel, or start an Etsy shop. Get creative with it!
Starting a side business will take a lot of hard work, but speaking from personal experience, it can also be fun and rewarding.
Do you love the idea of running your own business? If so, we think you’ll love these:
- 7 Ways To Make Time For Your Side Hustle (And Crush Your Goals!)
- 15 Ways To Make Money With A Laptop And Internet
- 18 Proven Ways To Make Money With A WordPress Blog
- 21 Legit Ways To Grow Your Blog Traffic
- 22 Summer Side Hustles [Earn $1,000+ Per Month]
- 11 Best Side Hustles For Passive Income [Not For Lazy People]
- 5 Ways To Make Money Online (For Beginners)
2. Exercise
During the workweek, it’s easy to get swept up by your responsibilities and forget about exercising.
Beyond that, during long workdays, most of us spend hours at a time sitting at a desk.
So, give your mind and body a break from this sedentary routine!
One of the best things you can do for your body and mind during a day off is to work out.
Sometimes, all it takes is a single workout to reset your mindset or start an exercise habit.
So, even if it’s been a while since you last exercised, set aside at least a little time to get moving.
On your day off, you don’t have your typical excuses to stop you from exercising.
In other words, you have the time – so take advantage of it!
In case you need some exercise ideas, here are a few different types of activities you can try:
- Sign up for a group fitness class (in person or online)
- Go for a long hike
- Walk or run around your neighborhood
- Do some yoga
- Lift weights
- Follow along with a bodyweight workout video on YouTube
- Turn on some music and dance
- Ride a bike
Exercising is sure to make you feel happy and productive during your day off!
3. Read Books
When was the last time you sat down with a good book and read for pleasure?
Reading is one of the best things to do on your day off because it’s an active form of entertainment.
Unlike bingeing Netflix or scrolling through social media, reading requires you to be attentive. You can’t zone out while reading – you have to be alert.
For this reason, most people notice they feel refreshed after reading, not drained as they do after sitting in front of the television.
There are countless benefits of reading on your mental health and mood.
Through books, you can learn new things about the world, improve your vocabulary, and improve your creativity.
Also, reading forces you to slow down, making it the perfect activity for people who have difficulty relaxing.
4. Start Learning A New Skill
Another great thing to do on your day off is learn new skills.
And just to be clear, these skills don’t have to be related to your career.
Seriously, you can learn how to do practically anything you’re interested in.
The internet is full of valuable resources and information about just about every subject.
If you’re not sure what skill you’d like to learn, just take a look at Udemy. There are countless categories of online courses ranging from graphic design to self-care.
Taking the time to learn something new will broaden your horizons and enrich your life.
Plus, it’s a great way to break free from the normal routines of your daily life and add some variety.
5. Work On Your Finances
A day off is the perfect time to take a step back and get your finances in order.
Regardless of your financial goals, you should take the time to assess your progress and make any necessary adjustments.
First, reconcile your budget.
Make sure you’ve accurately recorded all of your expenses for the month so far. (And, if you’re not already budgeting, we recommend using a zero-based budgeting method.)
Also, set aside some time to learn about personal finance.
The more you know about saving, investing, and financial freedom, the better you’ll be able to cater your lifestyle to your financial goals.
Finally, be sure to check on your progress toward your financial goals.
Have you been hitting your savings targets? If not, what can you do to get back on track?
Getting your finances together on a day off will make you feel much more put together and organized when it’s time to return to work.
It’s one more worry you can check off your list.
Want to take control of your finances? We think you’ll love these other posts:
- 7 Killer Ways To Simplify Your Financial Life
- 10 Financial Tips For Young Adults [Build Wealth Early]
- Zero-Based Budgeting: What Is It? And How To Do It?
- 15 Ways To Save Money In College
- 7 Budgeting Tips For Singles [Save Money And Enjoy Life!]
- How To Stick To Your Budget: 21 Simple Tips
- The #1 Key To A Successful Budget
6. Catch Up On Errands
Do you have a laundry list of errands you’ve been meaning to run, but you just haven’t been able to find the time to get it all done?
If so, your day off is the perfect time to catch up on those to-dos!
When you’re busy with work and other obligations, it’s easy to put chores and errands on the backburner.
And, if you’re anything like me, if you let your to-do list get too long, life can get pretty overwhelming.
To get ahead of the stress, use your day off to get as many of those little errands done as possible.
Some example tasks you might take on include:
- Doing the laundry and dropping off your dry-cleaning
- Cleaning the house
- Watering the plants
- Getting your car washed or oil changed
- Returning library books
- Renewing your driver’s license
- Scheduling a hair or nail appointment
- Scheduling an appointment with your doctor or dentist
Knocking out these chores and errands will make you feel productive and accomplished on your day off.
When you return to work, you’ll no longer have to think about when you’re going to take care of them.
Speaking from personal experience, this will free up a ton of mental space, allowing you to live a more peaceful, present life.
7. Get Organized
Do you have a lot of clutter in your life?
Whether you have piles of physical stuff lying around your home or mental to-dos floating around in your head, now is the perfect time to organize it all.
One of the best things to do on your day off is to bring order to the areas of your life that are in disarray.
This could be as simple as cleaning out your junk drawer. Or, you might decide to re-organize your entire house.
It’s entirely up to you!
Ask yourself, which areas of your life feel cluttered or overwhelming? Then, create systems to bring order to those places.
For example, if you have a mental list of all the things you’d like to get done, write everything down on paper, then put those tasks in time slots on your calendar.
Or, if a room in your house is a mess, go through the clutter systematically, deciding whether to keep, donate, or throw away each item you come across.
You’ll feel so much better when you’re surrounded by a clean, organized space (or mind!).
8. Cut Out Time-Sucking Distractions
There’s no quicker way to burn through your day off than to numb out with distractions.
Television, social media, and video games are fun in moderation, but if you spend your entire day on these time-wasters, you’ll probably regret it.
The average person spends 76,500 hours of their life looking at the screen of a mobile device. That’s almost nine years! Imagine what else you could be doing with all that precious time.
Most of the TV and social media we consume don’t add much (if any) value to our lives.
Since time is your most valuable resource, you should spend it in ways you won’t regret later.
And while it’s not a crime to unwind at the end of the day with some screen time, it’s not a good idea to spend an entire day plugged in.
Do your best to plan some of the other activities on this list instead of letting distractions claim all of your free time.
That way, you’ll be free to actually experience and enjoy your time off.
9. Plan/Prep Your Meals For The Week
Another great way to spend your day off is to set yourself up for success during the coming week.
Planning and preparing your meals ahead of time will create even more free time in your schedule throughout the workweek.
On your day off, you have time to do any necessary grocery shopping and really think about what you want to eat during the days ahead.
Depending on how much preparation you want to do in advance, you can cook full meals and freeze them, or you can prepare some of the ingredients you plan to use in your meals.
Chop up vegetables for salads, cook grains for side dishes, and prepare any dressings or sauces you plan to use.
If you need some inspiration to help you think of meal ideas, YouTube and Pinterest are full of recipes for every type of diet.
Not only is cooking at home healthier than going out to eat, but it will also save you money.
By devoting some time on your day off to preparing your meals, you’ll be one step closer to a more productive, stress-free week.
Want to get started with meal planning? Be sure to read our recent post: 11 Tips For Meal Planning On A Budget.
10. Spend Quality Time With Family/Friends
Finally, one of the best things to do on your day off is to spend time with your loved ones.
Chances are, you don’t typically get to spend much time with your friends and family during the workweek. Or, if you do, you may only have time for a quick drink or bite to eat after work.
Our relationships are some of the most important things in our lives.
They allow us to feel connected to one another, and they give us opportunities to care for other people.
Investing time in your relationships is so important if you want to live a well-rounded life.
Think of a family member or friend you haven’t seen in a while or have been meaning to connect with. Then, make plans to spend time with them, or schedule a phone or video call.
Spending quality time with a loved one can be one of the most rejuvenating activities you can possibly experience.
Final Thoughts
With the help of these tips, you’re ready to have a productive, relaxing, refreshing day off.
Whether you choose just a few of these ideas or build your entire day around them, they’re sure to put you in a positive mood.
Just have a plan, and approach your day off with a sense of enjoyment and purpose. And remember, if you want to be productive, put down your phone, eliminate distractions, and do something that brings you joy.
What do you like to do on your day off? Drop your answer in the comments below!