We’ve all been there. You have a day off from work or school and there is not a single thing you can think of, that you could possibly do. Last week I had one of those magical days. After working full time for three months whilst blogging and maintaining a social life, I was so excited to have one day all to myself. A day, where I didn’t have any appointments, commitments or assignments. When that day came, though, I had no idea what to do with myself.

Being busy all the time, it’s almost like we have forgotten how to use our free time. We are wired at all times, sometimes doing three things at once. Therefore “just” sitting on the couch or “just” reading a book seems like wasted time. We don’t realize, that doing nothing can actually be quite productive at times. In this case, though I was so annoyed with myself because I really wanted to be productive. Get all the things done, that I never get to do during work weeks. On the other hand, though I also wanted time to slack off. I didn’t know how to cope with this day, so I just sat in the kitchen waiting for a magical To-Do list to pop up in my head and tell me where to start.

To make your life a little easier and spare you from this horrible feeling of not knowing what to do with yourself I created a list (because that’s apparently what I know and do best). A daily schedule to make your day off count and give you a feeling of productivity and accomplishment whilst also taking the time to relax like a pro.

 

A Daily Schedule to make your Day Off count

 

9:00 a.m. – Time for Coffee

This is your day off. You deserve to sleep in a little and take some time for yourself to really enjoy your morning coffee and get started with the day. Since 9 a.m. is still considered one of the morning hours you are not sleeping half way through your day off. On the other hand, it’s also better than your usual wake-up time, am I right?

So take your cup of coffee and enjoy an hour of “me-time”. If you are a breakfast person, this will probably be a good time to also get a little something in your tummy. For me, Morning-Coffee-Time is usually the part of the day, where I pop open a magazine (since I just never actually have time to read a magazine) or browse through my Pinterest.

 

10 a.m – Do some chores

Remember that sweater you wanted to wear last Thursday or the cute flower dress that would have been perfect for last Saturday? Catch up on your washing. The machine does the work for you, therefore it will only take a couple of minutes. But you will thank me later when it’s time to find something to wear to work. 😉

While the washing is on, how about 30 minutes of bathroom cleaning? I realize this is not a fun thing to do on your day off. But believe me, it’s so much better than having to do it after a full day at work. So let’s buckle down and get to it.

This chore can obviously be followed and/ or substituted with other tasks, such as doing the dishes, vacuuming and dusting the living room, cleaning out the fridge etc. Whatever your little heart prefers. I personally love changing the bed sheets on those days. Don’t get me wrong, I hate changing bed sheets. But the reward at the end of the day is always worth it.

 

12 a.m. – Enjoy your lunch

After all this cleaning it is time to get some real food in your stomach. Remember, today you actually have time to eat and enjoy your lunch. So be good to yourself and prepare something nicer than those sandwiches you usually get across from the office. Maybe something a little bit more healthy, maybe not. But definitely, a meal that has you sitting down and relaxing for a while.

 

1 p.m. – Nap time

This is my favorite part of the day. I LOVE taking naps. It is such a luxury to be able to lay down in the middle of the day and just sleep for an hour to recharge your batteries. Especially after a big and yummy lunch, this is gold. I genreally take the book I am reading at the moment and cuddle up on the sofa. After max. 30 min I often can’t keep my eyes open anymore and am happily snoozing away.

 

 It is such a luxury to be able to lay down in the middle of the day and just sleep for an hour… Click To Tweet

 

 

3 p.m. – Clean out your closet

Alright, break time is over. Time to be a little more productive again. You wanted to make your day off count, remember? 😉

Cleaning out my closet is something I NEVER have time for. And to be honest, when I do I really, really dread it. But we all know it needs to be done once in a while, so why not today? And just think about all the space you will have for prettier, new clothes … 😃

Depending on how big your closet is, this can take a while. However, it’s not like you have anywhere to go, so no excuses.

 

5 p.m. – Coffee break

Before we tackle the next task, it is time for a short coffee break. After all, this is a day to relax. So finish the article from this morning, or play some Candy Crush while sipping your coffee.

 

5.15 p.m. – Manage your personal documents

This is one of those tasks I always wish I would’ve done. Do you have those? A task I never truly want to do, but every time I look for an important piece of paper or try to do my taxes I just hate myself for never taking the time to get a little organized with my personal documents.

Consequently, this is what you will be doing right now. Get out your folders and some cute stationary out to make this task a little more fun and then start organizing bank statements, old post, cell phone bills etc. etc. Your life will be much easier afterwards, I promise.

 

6 p.m. – Make a nice dinner

We all have those days, where we get out late at the office and just grab something on the way home, or eat yet another frozen pizza. Well not today my friend. Finally, you have time to cook something really nice for yourself. It doesn’t have to be fancy or hard, but just take the time to prepare a good meal. It will be worth it.

I also think that cooking is a great way to wind down and relax. You can put on some music, dance around in the kitchen and really let loose.

 

 Put on some music, dance around the kitchen and let go of all stress. Click To Tweet

 

 

7 p.m. – Organize your month

Before we get into the relaxing evening mode, let’s do one more productive task to finish up the day on a high note. Take 30 minutes and plan out all you have to do for the next month. Appointments, meetings, calls, trips. Put it all to paper (or whatever digital device you prefer). It will give you a sense of clarity and calmness to know that you have your life figured out.

 

7.30 p.m. – Watch some Netflix

Finally, time for fun again: This is also a part of the day that I thoroughly enjoy. I am addicted to TV shows, so I always have something to catch up on. To me, it’s just a great way to rewind, and switch off from my own daily problems. So magical. I generally go overboard with watching Netflix, hence the following time stamp. But you can obviously do this as long as you enjoy it. It’s your day off and you schedule it however you like.

 

10 p.m. – Take a bath / or steamy shower and get ready for bed

The best way to end the day is taking a bath or a really hot shower. Washing off the day and relaxing for five minutes will help you get sleepy and is always good for body and soul.

After you are clean and comfortable, get out a fresh pair of pyjamas and cuddle up in your new, clean bed sheets. Isn’t it the best feeling in the world?

Now go to sleep, you had a big day. 😃

 

I hope you enjoyed my daily schedule for a maximised day off. It has definitely helped me over the helpless feeling of not knowing what to do with myself. Let me know if you tried it out and what you think about it. What is your daily schedule to make your day off count? Any tips? Let’s chat in the comments.

xx
Nico