In first year, I thought I was lucky to have Mondays off from school. It was like an extra-long weekend, every weekend. I would go home for three- and four-day weekends and postpone my weekend responsibilities until Monday nights – it was pretty great. Now that I’m in fourth year, days off are sacred – especially if they’re in the middle of the week. You can use them to catch up after a busy few days or to get ahead on some readings or assignments. They can be used to finally do your laundry, wash the dishes, and clean your room. Or, you can use the time off to relax, sleep in, and catch up on your favourite TV show. In fact, you can do all of these things on your days off. This is how I make my days off from school productive (and fun!).
For me, the best way to make good use of a day is to plan it. I might be biased because I’m an avid bullet journaler and a big fan of micro-scheduling. However, I think if you don’t maximize your time on your days off, you’ll waste most of it hanging out in bed or scrolling aimlessly on your phone. When planning out your day, be realistic. Don’t ruin your morning with an annoying 6 a.m. alarm if you don’t have to. What time do you want to start your day? I’m an early riser, so I like to wake up without an alarm, which is usually around 8 a.m. If you tend to wake up at 11 a.m., that’s cool too.
This might sound counterintuitive, but I like to pretend like I’m going to work or school on my days off. Waking up at a decent time and getting dressed helps “trick” me into being more productive – seriously! If I don’t change out of my pajamas, it’s almost impossible for me to sit at my desk and get anything done. Sometimes, I will even go to a library or a café and work there so I physically can’t lay in bed. If you leave home and dedicate a few hours to work, you can come back home feeling accomplished so you can relax for the rest of the evening.
If there are things you know you want to finish on your day off, write them down and estimate when you want to do them. In the morning, for example, you might want to spend some time doing some chores. Give yourself a few hours (depending on how long it will realistically take you) to do that before moving on to something else. If you have a lot of small tasks to complete, allot 20- or 30-minutes time slots for them. Make sure you give yourself breaks! If you pack your day planner with homework and chores you won’t want to do any of it. Give yourself time for fun things too – it will motivate you throughout the day.
If you’re not in class or in an office, it can be hard to regulate your phone time when there’s no one restricting you. On my productive days off, I don’t keep my phone on me, so it’s easier to forget about it. I can’t get any work done without music, but it’s so easy to get sidetracked changing songs on your phone. That’s why I like to play music from my computer or record player so I can listen to music without distractions. Your phone’s ‘Do Not Disturb’ setting is your best friend.
Mid-week days off of school are golden. You can sleep all day, plan fun activities with friends, have a ~self-care~ day or be productive. It might feel overwhelming to not have a structured schedule for the day, but when it comes down to it, you can use your day off however you want – so make the most of it!