What to do on your off day to really recharge

Ahh… the absolute joy of taking a day off from work. We’d be lying if we said that we don’t enjoy taking time off from work to invest in ourselves. Even the people who are the most passionate about their work need a day off once in a while. Be it a weekend, vacation, holiday, or a personal day, those 24 hours away from the stresses of work can be truly rewarding if you use them right.

It isn’t unusual for most people to come out from their off day feeling worse than they did the day before. If you do all the wrong things on your day off, the mere thought of having to go to work the next day will have you groaning internally. So, what should you do on your off day to really recharge your energy to tackle your job for the next week?

Get those errands sorted out the first thing

Whether it is a grocery run, repairing the leak in the kitchen sink, or doing a teetering pile of laundry, you need to get it completed earlier in the day. It would feel tempting to keep putting your errands off till the evening. But that will only end up getting your whole day clogged with errands which will leave you less relaxing time than ideal.

Eat good food

If you have been ordering takeout the whole work week, cooking your own meals can be a fun thing to do on your day off. You can even explore a new recipe you haven’t tried out yet. Don’t feel like cooking? Maybe it’s time you visit the new pizza joint that you’ve been following on insta. Keep in mind that eating well is a good way of letting your body relax. Also, remember that overindulging is only fun until the waiter clears the plates away.

Find the relaxation methods that work for you

Some people relax and unwind by getting together with a large group of family and friends for the evening. While others can only relax when they are snuggled up on the living room window seat with a good book and a steaming mug of cocoa. You don’t have to adhere to anyone’s idea of “relaxing”. Find what you find mentally stimulating and go for it!

Do some morning prep

Not a morning person? Why don’t you do some meal prep and clean the kitchen for the next morning? That way, when you wake up on the day after your break, you can start the day afresh and in a better mood.

Discover the power of a good nap

Did you know that short naps help people improve their attention span, give them stress management, and a sense of being more present? You can break your one day off into days by taking a short 20–30-minute nap and emerge more relaxed.

Do some physical activity

Have you been wanting to take a walk to the park for the last five days? Or maybe visit the hip new yoga studio on the block? Using your day off to exercise yourself and get out of the house is a great way to boost your mood. You even get to be a bit healthier!

Keep the alcohol and caffeine down to a low

As tempting as it might be to say, “It’s five o'clock somewhere" and pour yourself a glass of wine after brunch, you should hit the brakes. Five espressos will not make you more active by noon. Instead, you might find yourself hitting a crash and spending the whole day in bed.