19 Productive Things To Do On Your Day Off

I feel like so many of us go through each week waiting for our day off. “Working for the weekend,” right?

And we think to ourselves, this weekend I’ll get this done and that done.

But then our day off arrives and we don’t even wanna get out of bed. We don’t want to go anywhere.

We just wanna scroll on our phones or game or watch our current show.

Does any of this sound familiar to you?

All through the week, you’re doing things for others and your day off is a chance to do things for YOURSELF. To make yourself happy, to improve your life, to energize yourself.

Today I thought I’d share some ways we can maximize our days off and make the most out of them, to improve our lives. <3

Here are 19 productive things to do on your day off!

 

 

1- Get some chores done

Chores aren’t always fun, but neither is having them hanging over our heads and knowing that we should get them done. Spending a few hours at the beginning of your day off getting some errands done will leave you feeling productive, energized, and free for the rest of the day!

You could also create a sort of chore schedule. Schedule them like you would do with anything else during your week. Do one chore a day and keep them from completely taking over your days off!

 

2- Pursue a passion

One of the most fulfilling things we can do in life – not just on our days off, but in life in general – is to pursue a passion. This is a great way to relax, open up your mind, find joy and purpose, and improve pretty much everything! This passion might be art, learning, taking care of a kid – whatever brings you true joy.

 

3- Practice self-care

You probably don’t need me to tell you how important self-care is, but it still might be something you let slide way too often! The definition of self-care is “the practice of taking action to preserve or improve one’s own health.” So if you feel like your physical health, your mental health, your social life, or your spiritual life are lacking, make some time to rejuvenate it!

You might like: The 5 Areas of Self-Care + Examples

 

4- Review (and work toward) your goals

Setting goals for yourself gives you the direction and motivation to help you create the life of your dreams. That’s why writing down a list of goals (along with steps to achieve them) is so important. It’s also important to review your goals from time to time and also take steps towards actually achieving them. Sometimes we get so caught up in the day-to-day hustle of our lives that we let our goals go ignored for too long. So, make sure to review them and take steps towards them regularly, even if they’re baby steps.

You might like: 8 Steps for Setting + Achieving SMART Goals

 

 

5- Read a book

Soo many people say that they’d like to read but they just can’t ()find the time. If that’s you, then your day off is the perfect time! Make reading a new book (or an old favorite) a priority on your next day off. There’s nothing like the escape of a good story, whether it’s historical fiction, a murder mystery, or whatever else catches your attention. Plus, reading is such a healthy hobby for your brain.

If you’re looking for good book suggestions you can check out the “books” category here on my blog, or be my friend on Goodreads! (:

 

6- Create a weekend routine

If you’re reading this post, it’s probably because you want to improve your days off. The best way to be consistent about doing this is to create a productive routine for your days off! My perfect day off routine includes something that improves me, something that makes my life easier, and something that helps me relax/recharge. For example: physical exercise to improve me, meal prep and grocery shopping to make my life easier, and relaxing with a good book to recharge!

 

7- Declutter

Decluttering means more space, more productivity, more calm, and less mess. This goes for your home, your schedule, your digital life – everything. Every form of clutter can eat up your time, energy, space, and peace of mind. Spending time decluttering your life is a great way to spend a day off!

You might like: 15 Ways to Simplify + Declutter Your Life

 

8- Spruce up your living space

Our environments play a role in our mental state and energy levels. It’s important to surround yourself with things that you find beautiful. Buy yourself a new plant, rearrange your furniture, organize your desk, and/or hang up a new painting. Sprucing up your space may seem like a small thing but trust me when I say that it will make a difference and you’ll be glad you took the time to do it!

 

9- Move your body

Moving your body is a great activity for your day off. You don’t need me to tell you that exercise earns you endorphins that will leave you feeling happier, more energized, and healthier!

 

10- Spend time with loved ones

Relationships are some of the most important things in our lives. Spending time with loved ones is extremely beneficial because it helps us bond, build a support system, and feel connected. If you can’t spend time with them IRL, you can always video chat or talk on a phone call. This is one of the most rejuvenating activities you can experience, so it’s definitely productive!

 

 

11- Prepare for the upcoming week

One of my favorite things to do when I’m looking for something productive is to spend time planning. Planning and preparing for the upcoming week – or month, or even quarter – can help you stay focused and be more productive. As little as 30 minutes of planning and scheduling can do so much to help. Here is a great (undated) weekly planner if you’re looking for one!

You might like: How to Be More Organized in Life (Free Planner!)

 

12- Volunteer or do something nice for someone

Volunteering, giving back, or doing something kind for someone is always a great idea. There are tons of great causes that deserve attention and if you don’t have a ton of time to donate, you can also donate items. Animal shelters are usually looking for new blankets, food banks could use canned food, or you could give bottled water to homeless shelters. Giving back helps literally everyone.

You might like: Making a Difference With Random Acts of Kindness

 

13- Learn something new

Learning something new is one of the best things we can do to improve ourselves. Think of something that you’re interested in – whether it’s a new hobby you want to try, a new language you want to master, a new skill you want to learn, or a topic you want to know more about. There are many ways to learn new things from home. You can use a course platform like Skillshare or Coursera. Or you can search for YouTube videos or documentaries on the topic. You can also purchase a book or check one out from your local library.

 

14- Create a master to-do list

This one is easy and super productive! Create a master to-do list of everything that isn’t urgent but still needs to be done. You can brain-dump different areas of your life. What things do you need to get done for work? Around the house? For your kids? Your hobbies? Etc.

 

15- Do something creative

I feel like being creative is so important to humans, and it’s never a waste of time. It brings us great joy and stress relief, and it makes life interesting. I also believe that we’re all creative, we just have to find what fuels our creativity. If you have a creative hobby, make sure you spend time on it. If you don’t, you can find a list of 30 creative hobby ideas and how to get started with each one in this blog post right here!

 

16- Plan a project

Taking time to plan a new project is always fun and it’s productive. Any project will do! Do you have ideas for a new creative project? Is there something in your house that needs fixing? Do you want to do any renovations? Do you have a side hustle idea? Pick something that’s important to you but that you will also enjoy. Create an outline, plan a timeline, and develop a budget. This way, you’ll know exactly what to do when the time is right and you won’t be stuck deciding what to do next.

 

17- Have a solo date

Have you ever gone on a solo date? Spending time on yourself is a great form of self-care, especially if it’s something you never do. You can take yourself out to the movies, go on a picnic, or whatever floats your boat.

You might like: Me Time: 26 Fun Things to Do Alone

 

18- Work on your finances

It’s always good to check in on our finances from time to time. Eyeball your budget and see if everything is how you expected it to be. Is there an expense that you should cut back on? Is there something you should stop spending money on altogether? Do you need to build up your savings? Do you need to CREATE a budget? Doing this a couple of times a month is super helpful!

 

19- Make a 101 in 1001 bucket list

If you’re not familiar with “101 in 1001” lists, the idea is to create a list of 101 things you’d like to complete in the next 1,001 days or roughly 2.75 years. This is different from regular goal setting because it’s more of a shorter-term bucket list. Think of fun things you’d like to do or bigger things you’ve always wanted to do. Day Zero Project is a fun and free way to create your 101 in 1001 list and document your progress during the challenge! (:

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What’s your favorite way to spend your day off? Can you think of more productive things to do on your day off? Let’s chat in the comments!

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