9 Ways to Productively Spend Your Holidays

If you’re like me, and most probably most employees around the world, you’re always counting down to the holidays. Now, the sad reality with our time off for the holidays is that it's like our salary. If we don't budget it, it'll be gone and we would not know where the heck it went. The adage “time flies by fast when you’re having fun” and “all good things come to an end” could not have been truer when you are just lounging around and enjoying doing nothing. 

Now that we know the holidays are right around the corner (thanks, USA Today!), it’s time to plan how to spend those days off productively. Not sure where to start? Read on! 

If you haven’t stored your summer clothes yet, now is the time. Air out your mattress, wash your pillows and change the curtains. Start your holidays with a clean room and or a clean house, especially if you do not have any plans to travel.  

Friends and family will always be there for you, even if we forget to ask them how they are. Now that we have free days spend your holidays catching up with family and friends. If your family is with you, treat them to dinner and a movie. Meet up with friends or send a message via the various social media platforms to overseas friends.  

It’s tempting to just Netflix and chill, but try to avoid using gadgets during your break. I know that it’s impossible and that I should practice what I preach. But our work often involves staring at a computer screen eight hours a day, five days a week. Give your eyes a break! Try to avoid electronics and have some good, old, traditional fun. Don’t be like those who could not survive without the internet or mobile phones. Learn how to enjoy the simple things. Spend your holidays reading a book and exercising your imagination.  

If you are tired of eating takeouts or instant ramen, why not use the holidays to learn a new dish? Watch some tutorials on YouTube. Gordon Ramsay's page even has tutorials on how to cook a meal in under 10 minutes!

Or better yet, whip up a dish with a recipe that is uniquely yours. Save that lonely carrot from withering! 

Exercise your creativity and create something. Repurpose your old sweater into an oven mitt or sew your graphic shirts into a quilt. Make organic body soaps and gift them for Christmas, or turn it into a side business. Write stories or poetry… the list is endless. You are only limited by your insecurities and fears. So, what if you are the only one who reads your novel? At least you have tried and who knows after some time you’d come up with a plot so fresh and original publishers would clamor to print it.  

When we go out and eat or drink coffee at coffee shops we usually leave after we consumed our food and drinks. Now that we have some time to spare, why not spend your holidays people-watching? Not in the creepy way of course but use this as an opportunity to meet new people, it’s a great way to expand your social circle.  

Even if you don’t have a green thumb, try gardening, but start slowly. Opt for plants that are low maintenance. When you think you already have the hang of it and you haven’t killed any of the plants you bought, try to grow some edible plants. After some time, you will soon be able to eat the literal “fruits” of your labor when you start cooking using the herbs you grew. 

When busy with work, we overlook taking care of our bodies. During the holidays, spend some time working out. You could enroll in the nearby gym or just run around your block; make your physical (not to mention mental) health a priority. Exercising is not only a healthy routine; it can also keep you disciplined when you need to develop a new habit.  

But you should still allocate some downtime! Never feel guilty for spending an afternoon sleeping. Fill up the tub and take a one-hour bath. Indulge in pampering yourself. Do an at-home facial, a manicure-pedicure or show your hair some TLC. Holidays are also a chance for you to recharge and reenergize before the daily grind starts again.