With the way the world is at the minute, sometimes it can be hard to fill your days. When you have a free day, it is very easy to just stick Netflix on and stay in bed. However, there are a few things you can do that will make you feel better, physically and mentally. Setting aside a day each week (for me its Saturday), where you don’t do any work and just look after yourself allows you to relax and recharge for the week ahead.
Household chores: At the minute I find myself very busy during the week, so things tend to slide. For example, I always end up having a pile of dishes that need washing by the time the weekend rolls around. There’ll also be a pile of laundry; the sooner that gets done the better, no one wants to be listening to the washing machine whirring away in the middle of the night! As well as making sure the kitchen and bathroom are clean, it is important to keep your room tidy too. Take a minute to clear your desk, wipe it down (I always spill food and drinks on mine), and get it organised.
Get some fresh air: I’m not the best at going outside myself, but getting some fresh air is always going to be good for you. If you need to justify going outside, you could always nip to the shops and get a few things, because let’s be honest, everyone always forgets something when they do ‘the big shop’. You could even get a sandwich or something while you’re there, then that’s lunch taken care of. If the worst comes to the worst, and the weather is terrible or you have to isolate, at the very least crack open a window.
Cook yourself a meal: During the week you might be very busy, so you just end up grabbing some food as quickly as possible, but if you have a free day you can take your time over it. Whether you’re a good chef or not, taking the time to cook yourself a meal is not only healthy but mentally rewarding too. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, maybe some pasta or an omelette, but its better than just opening another tin of spaghetti hoops.
Plan for the future: That heading makes it sound a lot more serious than I’m meaning. Although you could try and plan out where you’ll be in 5 years, there will be smaller things that need doing in the nearer future. This could include going through the fridge and cupboard, and throwing out any food that’s gone off, or making a mental note of how long certain things have left to be eaten. Once you’ve done this, you could plan out your meals for the week ahead, making sure you eat everything before its use-by date. There could also be bigger things, like booking your train ticket so you can go home for Christmas (it’s usually cheaper the earlier you book, but who knows how it’ll work this year!)
Relax: However you decide to do this, whether it’s taking a bath or reading a book, it is important to take a minute to just disconnect from the real world. Turn your phone and laptop off if you want to feel even better about yourself. Go on – it’s been a busy week, you deserve it!