Living Your Best Life: How to Make the Most of Your Days Off

The secret to a joyful life is making the most ordinary moments an adventure.

Living your best life isn’t just about waiting for the weekends, it’s about living a life you love every day.

Many of us live our lives waiting for Friday or waiting for a vacation but what if you didn’t have to wait until some moment in the future to feel refreshed?

What if you no longer had to find yourself at the end of the day feeling dissatisfied with the way that you spent it? 

Picture this- It’s 11 pm on your day off and you’re about to fall asleep... as you lay there, you fight it off as long as you can, because you have this nagging feeling of dread about returning to work the next day.

You feel grateful that you had the day off, but you’re also feeling frustrated because time seemed to go by way too fast, and you’re not sure what you did with it.

This has happened to me more times than I can count. Many people work Monday-Friday and have the weekends off, but there are many others who work unconventional schedules with a random day off here and there. (If you work in hospitality, you get it 😊) No matter what your schedule looks like, there are ways to fill your cup in a way that is right for you and what you personally need. There are ways to invest in the time you have off more fully so you can make memories, rest, and get things checked off your to do list – and this is all without waiting for next year’s vacation!

I have had many days off where I returned to work the next day feeling down, regretful, and honestly, feeling just as tired as if I never had a day off.   If you relate to this, keep reading!

This is a common dilemma and I’m here to help you have the type of day off that helps you feel like you’re on vacation (except, you’ll actually look forward to going back to work).

1)      The first thing you want to do is plan the night before. Yes, things can change the next day, but planning the night before allows you to get down on paper the things that are the most important to you for your day off.

I typically pick 3 main things I’m trying to get out of my day. This depends on a couple of different things of course. Sometimes a perfect day off looks like hibernation- a cozy cup of coffee, a good book, and not leaving the couch very often. Other times, it looks like the perfect adventure day- and yes, an adventure can be anything really, as long as it involves leaving the house 😉 The important thing is that you do what truly fills your cup.

 I have found that there is a way to combine adventure, productivity, and rest, so I can truly get the most out of my free time. 

The first step is knowing what you want and need from your day off and to plan accordingly.

2)      The second step is to be as present as possible. Unplug from your phone ( if possible) and truly be in the moment. Do not worry about work the next day, instead, embrace the day that you’re in and live it to the fullest.

This can be easier said than done especially if you have a lot going on in your life at the moment. Find ways you CAN unplug even if it is for a few minutes. If worry keeps eating at you, take 15 minutes, grab a piece of paper, and write down everything you’re stressed about. Then, write next to each worry a possible solution to the problem. Is it something you can fix today? If not, remember that fixating on it and losing your peace over it is not going to help you or make things better. Unplugging and getting the rest you need will give you a clearer perspective on these issues instead of going down a spiral of stress.

3)      Remember that your time off will be what you make it.

Planning will help you make sure that you do what you truly want to do on that day and will help so you don’t let time escape you.

Planning, being present, and making time for both relaxation and fun adventures can lead to the “vacation all in a day” type of life – I don’t know about you, but you can count me in!