A day off or a day of leisure is a necessary break you need to give yourself. Rest from weeklong work helps us de-stress, rejuvenate, and reconnect to our purpose. Here’s how to make the most of your day off to recover the physical and mental resilience you need to be effectively productive the next week.

Get Chores Out of the Way

Your day off could be a time for catching up on mundane personal tasks like laundry and deep cleaning the oven. Do these as soon as you start the day; don’t put these off. The earlier you’re done with them, the more hours you have for leisure.

Indulge in Doing Nothing

An old 1911 quote from author Marthe Troly-Curtin, "Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time," hits the mark. It benefits you to simply lie somewhere and let your mind wander.

Allow yourself to breathe and be lazy for an hour or even the whole day. This is one way of finding new inspiration, breakthrough ideas, and some inner wisdom.

Ditch the FOMO and Embrace JOMO

Most of us tend to be very milestone-oriented. You may have this unwarranted fear of missing out (FOMO). You fear that if you miss the boat on something, you won’t accomplish anything. So every day and hour of working counts.

But this fear only stresses you out. You need a day off from it, a day where you embrace JOMO or the joy of missing out, instead. Switch off from work activities and thoughts. Instead, focus on your emotional well-being, relationships, or what you enjoy most. You’ll find yourself physically and mentally rested, ready to tackle another work week.

Entertain Yourself with De-stressing Activities

Your day off is “me time.” Do what you want to do, not what you should do. Garden, read, cook, journal, or redecorate if these activities give you pleasure. Even tidying or decluttering your home can be an activity you do if it brings you joy.

Your day off is a day to take care of yourself. Practice self-love by pursuing hobbies, doing things you enjoy, reconnecting with friends and family, or simply just “be.” You owe it to yourself to rest, relax, and unwind.

Photo Credit: Pollyhey