Lately, many of us had more days off than usual and, although taking a break feels so refreshing, after a few days you may start to feel bored and unproductive. Having a productive day doesn’t mean you need to complete all your personal projects and save the world. In my view, you can make a day off productive by staying active, busy and working towards bettering yourself one way or another.
Here are my tips on staying productive during a day off.
1. Plan it
The first step to set yourself up for success starts the night (day) before. Make yourself a list of the things you want/need to get done, even if they are nothing more than a few errands to run, or spaces you want to declutter in your house. Don’t be too specific, so as not to overwhelm yourself with unnecessary information, but try to find at least 3-4 tasks which will make you use your time in a valuable manner.
2. Morning routine
Not all of us want to wake up at 6 AM on a day off, but having a relatively early start is important. If you start your day too late you will most likely feel groggy and you will feel like you already missed out on a lot of time, which will increase the chances of postponing the tasks for another day. Try to find a good middle ground that works with your internal clock (for me 9 AM works perfectly).
Once you’re up start with an active morning routine (like taking a cold shower, applying your skincare, having a nutritious breakfast, etc.) which will get your body and mind ready for the day.
3. Exercise
Take some time out of your day for physical exercise. I don’t mean necessarily going to the gym for 2 hours. If that’s the type of exercise you like, great! If you’re like me though, you would maybe prefer other types of activities. Find a sport you can do with friends (or alone), a spot where you can hike/bike near your place, or simply follow a quick 20-30 minute workout on YouTube (Chloe Ting’s free programs were my favourite during quarantine, highly recommend!).
4. Incorporate some learning
I am of the opinion that every single day there should be some form of learning in which you are engaging. My favourite one is definitely reading a book - I like to spend 30 minutes to an hour reading an interesting book. However, on some days when I want to take it easier I will listen to a 20 minute podcast on Spotify (I love Ted Talks Daily, Today Explained, and The Daily), watch an interesting documentary or simply have a conversation outside of my comfort zone with a friend that can show me a new perspective.
5. Quality time
After all, it’s a day off! Planning and having good quality time is of utter importance for your mental health and overall wellbeing, as well as making you feel refreshed/rewarded after a long productive day. When I have other tasks planned for my day I like to spend some quality time with my family/boyfriend in the evening. Your quality time doesn’t need to be elaborate - as much as a good dinner, curling up in front of a good movie, or playing a board game will make you grateful for the people around you and the joy and worthiness they bring to your life.
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