1. Start the new hobby you've always wanted to try
Who says downtime productivity has to be boring? Extra time off is perfect for starting a new hobby, especially if you've had one in mind for a while. This is a great time to Google, take notes, and bookmark some excellent resources that'll help you get started. If you're feeling adventurous, you can even dive right in—you can usually start hobbies such as photography, arts and crafts, right away with what you have at home.2. Organize your emails for a calm inbox
Admittedly, tackling your inbox is about as exciting as it sounds. However, once you take the time to go through and organize your emails, you'll have a less stress-inducing inbox and can set yourself up for increased inbox productivity at work. Start by grouping similar emails together, like receipts and order tracking, and take advantage of your email provider's "promotions" and "social" folders, which will automatically sort all your Facebook updates and newsletters for you! Another good tip that I personally swear by is adding a set of priority folders right at the top of your email's folder bar. It's easy, effective, and will allow you to streamline your tasks. Here's how to do it:- Create a Priority 1 and Priority 2 folder at the top of your email bar
- Sort emails appropriately as they come in. Priority 1 for the high-priority items, and Priority 2 for tasks lower on the totem pole.
- During your workday, tackle all your Priority 1 emails first, then move on to your Priority 2 folder.
3. Revamp your budget
Another way to be productive and reduce stress during downtime is revisiting and revamping your budget. In the age of everything-as-a-service, many of us accrue new paid subscriptions every few months. Those small monthly payments of $15 here or $25 there can really add up—and you don't want these charges catching you off-guard when money is tight. A good starting point is to go through a month or two of bank statements and jot down all bills, subscriptions, and other recurring charges. Write them all down in a spreadsheet or planner and subtract the amount from what you make monthly. This is also a great time to get a good look at all the subscriptions you currently have and to decide which to keep and which to get rid of, if any.4. Plan some fun activities
If you've been meaning to plan a fun date night or a family day-trip, your extra downtime is the perfect time to do so. Take a look at your calendar for the next few months. What days would be perfect for some extra fun? If you want to add some entertainment to your calendar but don't know where to start, a good idea is to gather some new ideas and see what fits with your lifestyle, family, budget, and calendar. Setting time aside for fun activities is also a fantastic way to ensure you're carving out some stress-free time to enjoy your time off.5. Set your appointments
While not as fun as planning a day trip, setting your appointments for the next few months (or even the year!) can make sure you have the time to actually get necessities like doctor and dentists appointments out of the way. Better yet, if you've been putting off a routine cleaning or flu-shot, get them done quickly during your downtime and take the opportunity to schedule your next visits in-person.6. Take a course
With sites like Coursera, Udemy, and Skillshare, learning something new has never been this easy. You can simply sign up to any of these sites, for free, and begin learning right away! While most of these sites offer free trials, they also offer a hefty variety of free or discounted courses, which makes it easy and inexpensive. If you prefer the traditional face-to-face route, you may want to check your local recreation center or community college for upcoming courses as well. When it comes to productive things to do, taking a course is one of the most useful, as several courses offer resume-boosting certifications that can help you move up in your career. Or, you can always learn a new skill just for fun!7. Discover the educational side of YouTube
Surprisingly, YouTube isn't just made of cat videos and millennial trends. In fact, the video sharing site can be an excellent resource for educational videos and even free courses. From TED Talks to learning to change the oil in your car, there are all sorts of things to discover on YouTube with a quick search. I find YouTube to be a great office companion—I often choose a TED Talk or a recorded productivity round-table to listen to while breezing through my to-do list every day.8. Documentaries: A productive thing to do while relaxing
If you've been looking for an excuse to curl up with a drink and some Netflix, here's your chance! Watching a documentary is both an entertaining and relaxing way to take in some new knowledge and learn some nifty facts. Documentaries can range from animals to unsolved crimes to the study of happiness around the world; there's always something new an interesting to learn with the added benefit of a relaxing night in front of the TV—without the guilt.9. Get in some exercise while waiting in line
When we're running errands or out and about, we're often faced with small bursts of downtime waiting in lines. These periods, while often not long enough to get a lot done, do allow time for the quick exercises below:- Calf raises - stand on the balls of your feet while keeping your legs straight, then return to your normal standing position. Repeat while you're in line—it's that easy! The benefits of calf raises include strengthening your calves, improving your jumping ability, and of course, burning some calories.((WebMD: Calf-Strengthening Exercises))
- Standing on one leg - Don't worry: you don't have to look ridiculous in line to do this one, either. Slightly raise one of your feet off the ground so you are standing on one leg. Alternate every five seconds as needed. Standing on one leg can help build muscles throughout your leg and improve balance.
10. Find a new favorite podcast
When thinking of new productive things to do, sitting back and listening to something might sound counter-intuitive. However, enjoying a good podcast is a great way to add some extra productivity to your time off. Podcasts can help you learn about your industry, hobbies, and get you more involved in your community. In addition to being easy entertainment, podcasts can also help to inspire you and aid in self-improvement, which in turn raises productivity all around.11. Learn a new career skill
While we touched on using courses to boost your knowledge and even your resume, there are a few other ways to add a new skill set to your career toolkit. First, of course, you'll need to find a good skill that will aid you in your career. Then, the real fun begins with these methods:- Volunteer - While you'll be hard-pressed to land a job using a skill you're just starting to learn, often you can find volunteer opportunities that will let you learn within their organization. Learning in this environment is beneficial as it allows you to make a change in your community, looks great on a resume, and can even provide unique networking opportunities (but more on that later).
- Use a multimedia approach - Don't be afraid to collect any and all resources pertaining to your new skill. In fact, reading books, articles, listening to podcasts, watching videos, and attending events centered around the skill are all great ways to develop the skill in a well-rounded manner. Of course, don't forget to practice!
- Use your resources - If a friend or family member has your new desired skill, reach out! Chances are, they'd love a helping hand with their own projects and don't mind teaching a few tricks along the way. A bonus to this method: Family and friends might give you a deeper or more unique insight into the skill, unlike a book, event, or course normally would.
12. Network
Networking isn't just for entrepreneurs. It can help you get ahead in your career, build and strengthen skills, introduce you to new hobbies, and open yourself up to new opportunities. The best part about networking is that it isn't exclusive to conferences and meetings either. By introducing yourself to the people around you, be it at a coffee shop or playground while watching the kids, you never know who you'll meet and what opportunities they can provide to you. Even if a new connection doesn't lead to a new opportunity or skill-building, it still allows you to build new friendships and flex your social muscles which are often lacking in today's digital age.13. Set some goals to improve motivation
Setting goals is one of the most motivational and productive things to do during downtime. This is the time to get real about what you want in life and set some goals to achieve it. These goals don't have to be career-centered either. They can be places you'd like to live, vacations you'd like to take, and hobbies you'd like to try. While we mostly think of vacations, dream homes, and leisure activities, we'd like to pursue as "dreams," putting these dreams onto paper with an action plan can turn them into highly-motivational goals. Even better, the more motivated you are by your goals, the more likely you are to boost your productivity in order to achieve them.14. Start a blog
If you have a knack for writing (or want to learn), then starting a blog is the perfect time to use those skills and get productive on your day off. Why? Because it allows you to utilize and hone a creative and desired skill and can even add extra income to your wallet, all from your keyboard. The best part about blogging? You can write about anything your heart desires. Whether you want to blog about raising kids, fly-fishing, or the best restaurants in your city, it's your blog, so anything goes! Writing for your own blog is the perfect way to learn by practicing, and also provides an opportunity to build a community of readers and other writers as well. Bonus: Many employers see blog writing (aka content marketing) as a highly valuable skill that can often help their companies or even their clients. It looks great on a resume and can even give you an edge over colleagues when it comes down to a competitive promotion process.15. Build your brand
Who says branding is just for businesses? In today's digital age, it seems as though everyone has a Facebook, LinkedIn, and/or Twitter account. So what does this have to do with branding? Everything! Chances are, you don't want to be a lost face in a sea of digital profile pictures. This is why it's crucial to develop your own personal brand. Your personal brand is all about how others perceive you, whether in person at work or online. Now, you don't have to start a website, blog, or business to have a "brand," but some things to consider are shown below:- Determine what you want to be known for: Do you want to be known as an expert in your field? Or do you simply want to show the world your baking chops? Either way, what you put out to the world online can and will be seen by many users, including the people in your company and community, so make it something great!
- Decide where you need to be: Though they seem to blend together on occasion, every social media platform serves a different purpose. Decide which purpose will help you build your personal brand and stick to it for best results.
- If you're showcasing career-centric blogs and trying to connect with other like-minded experts, communication-heavy LinkedIn and Twitter are for you.
- If you're showcasing your unmatched cat-training videos or cake decorating process, then the visual-heavy platforms Instagram and Facebook are where you should focus your energy.
- Keep things consistent: Consistency across your social media platforms is key to establishing your personal brand. By demonstrating your personality through consistent and relevant posts, users will be able to quickly identify your posts from the crowd.
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