We all love a day off. Most of us work five days a week and find it hard to fit everything we want to do in the weekend before the cycle starts all over again. That’s why making the absolute most of your day off is super important. Here are seven tips to do just that:
Give yourself that much needed sleep in.
“Don’t waste your day off by sleeping it away” is a phrase that’s all too common when it comes to taking some time for yourself. But do you really want to be hearing your 7am weekday alarm blaring bright and early on your day off? Of course not, and the good thing is you don’t need to.
So put your phone on silent and let your body wake up naturally to give yourself the best start to your day off. Don’t be scared that you’ll sleep through the entire day either. Your body is so used to your regular routine that you’ll really only get a couple extra hours in, but your body will love you for it.
Make sure your log off the night before.
In today’s world the concept of being totally unreachable seems pretty scary, but logging off is totally more than ok to do. It’s unrealistic and unfair for any employer to expect their employees to be logged on all the time – even on the weekends and on their days off.
So delete your email app for the day, put your phone on Do Not Disturb, mute all Slack notifications and log out of the company Instagram. It’s called a day off for a reason. Don’t stress – the office can definitely function without you for a day and if it can’t, well, that’s a conversation that can happen when you’re back in the office.
Do all the errands and chores you never seem to have time to do.
It’s finally time to clean out that section of the pantry that’s always giving you a headache because you can’t ever seem to locate that jar of smoked paprika you know you have. And that flatpack side table that’s been sitting in the corner of your living room for weeks? Yeah, it’s time to build that too.
Days off are the perfect time to take all those dirty dry clean only clothes in and to go to all those rescheduled doctors appointments. It’s hard enough to keep up with the regular errands of everyday life, so tackling the seemingly-daunting tasks that have piled up over time is a great way to help out your future self.
While you’re at it, get your taxes out of the way.
Tax time is always a stressful time of year and it always seems to go the same way. You say you’ll do it next week when you get more time. Then that week turns into the next, and suddenly it’s October. Figuring out your taxes yourself or knowing what documents to take to your account is a pretty confusing thing to wrap your head around.
Spending your day off getting organised to tackle your taxes is a great way to eliminate unnecessary stress. If you’re confused about what you can and can’t claim, want to know how to get the most out of your return or if you’re unsure on the best thing to do with your return, Business Chicks are running an online masterclass on How To Get Your Best Tax Return Yet with Mel Browne this coming Wednesday.
Then go and treat yourself.
What is a day off without a little rest and relaxation? Whether you choose to get that massage you’ve been wanting for ages at a spa or if you want to pamper yourself at home, treating yourself to some self-care is a day off must-do.
It can be as simple as finally giving your hair that 30-minute deep condition, having that long bubble bath that makes your fingers all wrinkly or even ordering yourself that food you thought was far too sinful for a normal day. Do whatever you want to do because it’s your day off!
Find your pleasures and fulfil them.
It can be pretty exhausting having to spend time with people when all you really want is some time to yourself – you do spend all week with people after all! For others, being alone is super boring and not an ideal way to spend a free day.
So spend some time figuring out what type of person you are then decide how you want to spend your day. Maybe your ideal “me time” activity is hanging with family and friends at a park or perhaps you’d prefer lazing out on the couch alone with chocolate and Netflix. Whatever it is that brings you joy, make sure you do it.
And make life easier for yourself tomorrow.
Post-day off blues are amongst some of the worst. Help yourself by making your transition back to the office smoother by doing a couple of little things that’ll make your life easier.
If you’re someone who usually makes their lunch the morning of work, try making it the night before. If you normally scramble to put together an outfit five minutes before you head out the door, try picking out your clothes before you head to bed. These little changes can give you a few more snoozes on your alarm in the morning which is always a good thing.
