Regardless of how busy everyone is these days, we all have at least several minutes each day where we have free time on our hands.
Whether it’s 5 minutes while you’re waiting for your coffee to brew, 30 minutes on your train ride home from work, or a few hours on Sunday afternoon, we all have free time that we could be using more productively.
While I fully condone relaxing and spending time with your loved ones during downtime, sometimes it’s also nice to feel productive and as though you’re making the most of your day.
I know that I personally always feel proud and accomplished after I use my free time in a productive way instead of just wasting it watching TV or browsing the internet aimlessly.
I’ve put together a list of 26 productive ways to use your free time; I hope you enjoy it and find this to be motivating 🙂
26 productive ways to use your free time:
- Read a book – I just picked up The Girl On the Train and can’t wait to dive in!
- Learn how to sew
- Clear your desk off – you’ll be able to think much more clearly when you don’t have clutter in your direct field of vision
- Volunteer for a cause that means something to you
- Call up a friend or family member you haven’t spoken to in awhile and catch up
- Tackle the single task that you’ve been putting off over and over again, and check it off your to-do list once and for all
- Backup your photos – I love both DropBox and Google Drive for backing up my own photos. The best part is they are both free!
- Go for a long walk
- Start a garden – plant some fruits or veggies so you’ll be able to enjoy some homegrown produce in the convenience of your own backyard!
- Meal prep or make a batch of freezer meals – a great way to set yourself up for healthy and inexpensive meals for the week ahead
- Listen to a Ted Talk – I can guarantee you’ll learn something new or be inspired
- Declutter a space in your home – wondering what needs to go? Read Keep or Toss? 12 Questions to Help You Declutter
- Do a workout video at home – Jillian Michaels – 30 Day Shred and P90X seem to be some of the most enjoyed and popular home workout videos
- Learn a foreign language – or even just a few key phrases to get you started
- Update your to-do list and figure out what your top 3 priorities are to focus your efforts on those tasks
- Set some goals that you would like to accomplish in the next week, month, or even year and then get started on achieving them
- Read Productivity Habits to Streamline Your Life
- Network – shoot off a quick email or message on LinkedIn to connect with a colleague. It’s all about who you know, after all!
- Bake a loaf of homemade bread
- Clear out your inbox – delete, file, respond, and then breathe easier knowing that’s one less thing you have to do later
- Write a will – if you are married and/or have children, you need to do this. It might not be the most fun task, but it’s an important one
- Finally finish that project you started months ago – you know the one 😉
- Plan a garage sale to clear out some unwanted items from your home and make a bit of extra cash at the same time
- Send a thank you note to show your appreciation to someone
- Mow the lawn – some good ‘ol Vitamin D, fresh air, a workout, and a chore all accomplished in half an hour or so. How’s that for productive?
- Start a blog – a fun hobby that can be a great creative outlet and a way to earn an income all in the comfort of your own home (read my tutorial here for how to start your own blog in 4 easy steps). I’ve really enjoy my blogging journey since I started 6 months ago and would recommend anyone thinking about starting their own blog to just jump right in and do it!
What are other productive ways to use your free time that you can think of? How do you fill your free time?
Photo source: Ashley Ella Design
These are great! Between the kids, the house, and my job, I don’t feel like I have a lot of free time lately. We are going on vacation later this month and I hope I get time to read! I am just such a busy body that it’s hard for me to sit still that long.
I’m the same way with reading Holly, but I’m trying my best to make time for it this summer and make it a priority so it happens 🙂
These are all great ideas. I currently don’t have much free time, but I do need to make better use of the little spare time and down time that I have. I’ve been listening to podcasts while I clean the house lately and I try to prep meals and brainstorm recipes once a week. It’s definitely a work in progress.
That’s awesome Chonce! I love podcasts for that reason too, easy to learn something new while getting something else done at the same time. Multitasking in true Mom fashion 🙂
I think every one is busy but to read your list makes you want to slow down and enjoy your list more. I have to say that my life (since the kids are young adults) has somewhat slowed down and I have started gardening, reading a few more books and cleaning out the house in the past few years. I enjoy watching a movie or a few tv shows during the week…but I don’t want to race to the couch and get in front of the tv every day. We have also started camping and although it is work to get pack and unpack the time in between walking, hiking, riding bikes and just enjoying the outside is worth it!
That’s fantastic Lisa!! I feel that way about taking little trips too. So much packing is exhausting, but it is always worth it to be able to enjoy time outside and just unplug for a bit 🙂
Great ideas!! Usually during my downtime I’m cleaning, lol. There’s always something that needs to be done around here…whether that’s laundry (which I’m doing once I finish this comment), dishes, cleaning the counters, taking out the trash, cleaning the floors or just bringing my girls’ toys back upstairs where they belong. Ay ay ay!!
Haha I guess that’s why your house is always clean 🙂 Not a bad thing!! You go, girl!
Great ideas, Christina! 😀
I waste a LOT of time, and then I get productive again and feel better, and then I waste a LOT of time again. The time wasters are just SO much fun, that’s the problem. I can spend 2 hours straight watching Real Housewives of Beverly Hills! Is there a bigger time waster than that? Sheesh. :\
Thank you Kay! Haha I love my fair share of reality TV too, a habit I keep trying to chip away at until it doesn’t exist anymore. It really pulls you in though, doesn’t it?!
Great list! I think sitting down and updating your to-do list will reveal that there is a ton that you both want and have to to do. I know taking 10 minutes here and there and updating my to do list(s) always shows me just how much I want to accomplish.
Thanks DC!
Mmm.. Long walks and homemade bread? Sign me up! 🙂 I’m pinning this– I need better things to do with my free time!
Aw thank you Daisy!
Great list, Christina! I sometimes listen to podcasts and audio books while doing other things that don’t require my full focus, like cleaning and cooking. I’ve also been trying to make a habit of carrying around my Kindle and reading while riding the bus or waiting around; my first instinct is always to pull out my phone, but then I just end up wasting time on Facebook etc. Reading instead is much more productive.
Thanks Jennifer! I’ve been getting into the habit of listening to podcasts lately too and am loving it!
Great list! I definitely need to be better about catching up with family members. When someone calls me to catch up, I always love doing so, and it really doesn’t take a ton of time.
Thanks Chela!
Great tips! I love combining tasks like listening to podcasts/TED talks while decluttering. Two birds, one stone! Just as long as both tasks don’t disrupt each other.
Absolutely Lisa!
Great list 🙂 Makes me really want to be productive during baby nap time tomorrow! I find that when I keep busy and get stuff done, I am more likely to get even more done. When I take a break for 1/2 and hour, it ends up being a 2 hour break and I get nothing done. When I plow through my list of to-do’s, I am even more inspired and energized to do more. Why is that??!!
I find that to be true too Jess! Productivity breeds productivity for me. I know not everyone is that way, but I sometimes don’t do super great with small breaks either. I find it best to just plow through my to-dos and then take a break when I’m completely done. I wish I knew why we are like this, but I have no good answer for you haha!
These are such great ideas! I gain such inspiration from fellow bloggers! 🙂 Especially being new to the blogging world myself!
Thanks Rebecca! I just posted my first-ever blog income report recently too that might be worth checking out if you’re interested: https://embracingsimpleblog.com/june-2015-blog-income-report/
These are all great ideas! I don’t have much free time between taking care of my two boys and my Grandmothers. But, when I do I spend it blogging! :o)
I spend a lot of my free time blogging as well Tennille! 🙂 Love this hobby of mine!
For Christians, they read the Bible, devotionals, or testimonies.
Hey CHRISTINA 🙂 i realy loved your ideas and i’m willing to start doing some of them this week-end
i want to start bloging too but i didn’t know how to start please help me
Hi Iana! Aw I’m glad this was helpful for you! I have a step-by-step tutorial on how to start a blog that you might find helpful: https://embracingsimpleblog.com/how-to-start-a-blog/
Don’t forget to do some exercises. 10 minutes is enough to get off some pushups and crunches. Do that 2-3 times a day, and you’ve got a fit new you. 😉
Yes it is great idea to make an free time productive. I hope everyone get somthing new idea or clue when you are makeing free time more productive and i think new innovation or creative is start begin at each time during your free time….really its nice idea…
at my spare time i teach my hobbies at koocam
And making money from it, that’s great 🙂
That’s awesome, thanks for sharing!!
Great blog Christina 🙂 These are really awesome tips. Learning foreign language for one is such a genius idea. It never comes to mind when you try to be productive and now that you have mentioned it, can’t wait to try it. Thanks 🙂
http://CYBERGENIC.NET/
26 great tips!
I also study when i have few minutes! I made a program for myself and friends to study words! It works perfectly!
I love all these ideas! I am totally guilty of procrastinating things and then worrying about getting them done, so I love that you’ve included things like that on the list (like decluttering and finishing a project). https://missmillmag.com/charity/got-some-free-time-fill-it-with-these-7-activities/
I like your list, it reminded me of things I had to do but forgot about, so I immediately wrote it all down. Thank you