A day off can be far and few in between, but when you do have one what should you do? There can be the occasional sleep-in and couch potato mode, but what can you do that will feed back into you. Other than browsing for new jobs on a day off, how can you further personal improvement?
Below we have listed some top tips on what you can do to enrich your life and make the most of your day:
1. Learn New Skills
Try a few online courses. This will strengthen your skill set by relearning a course or learning something new. Branch out and learn coding or online marketing. There are some great digital platforms that aid further education. Explore Google Skillshop or browse some of our tools here. You can also learn from industry veterans with Masterclass. Fancy practicing public speaking? Try out Toastmasters.
2. Research Tools
There are a great many tools out there that can help you become more productive with your everyday work. We are not talking, going out, and splashing cash on an iPad or expensive physical tool. We are talking more digital tools. The Apple, Google Play, and Samsung Galaxy stores all have a library of helpful tools that can assist you. With web versions also available, you can have everything you need at home, but also on the go with your mobile. Project management tools are an example that can help you stay organised. Keep track of tasks and project deadlines with Asana, Trello, or Monday.
3. Expand Your Knowledge
Take some time out of your day to do some reading. Catch up on world news or news within your industry or field. You can read books on entrepreneurship or innovation. Or pick up an insightful magazine such as the Harvard Business Review. Watch a documentary or listen to a podcast. Learn some new insights that might become helpful with work. Or they could simply become interesting conversation starters.
4. Share Ideas
Get together with friends and organise a coffee session or host a dinner party and talk about a topic of choice. This is a great way to bounce ideas off of each other that could become the start of something exciting. How do you start? Have a casual conversation about a mutual topic. This could spark ideas or get a really interesting dialogue going. You can discuss what innovation means to you. Or talk about what more you individuals can be doing to tackle climate change. Get talking and learning.
5. Volunteer
Do good and contribute your skills to a non-profit organisation. This could be an international NGO or local charity or neither. By doing good, you make yourself feel good. Get involved in a beach clean-up or walk shelter dogs. Alternatively, you can make use of your skills to write blog posts, or help with Marketing or PR. Depending on your skills, there are a great many things you can do to give back to the community and do greater good. Check out Time Auction for interesting experiences you can be a part of.
6. Rest, Exercise & Recharge
It might seem like a no-brainer, but seldom people take proper rest. We are not talking, lounging around on the sofa and watching TV. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but not all day. Being productive with your time also means giving yourself the time to recuperate. Go outside and get some fresh air and be in nature. Meditate, stretch or get a massage to relieve yourself of tired muscles. Exercise and sweat to release some feel-good hormones. All of these will leave you feeling positive and rested as you jump into the new week with both feet on board.
The Takeaway
A good way to ensure you get enough rest is to break up your day. Do one or two of the above, but not all in one go. Getting enough sleep is just as important and so are exercising and rest. Do an hour or two of something that piques your interest and maybe take an afternoon nap. The key is not to exhaust yourself before the start of a new week. You should be going in with a fresh head and relaxed body.
