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if you work full time, no kids at home, what would you do with an extra day off a week?

19 replies

JustJam4Tea · 21/02/2022 09:48

Thinking of dropping a day at work - probably a Friday. I'm due an increment this year and mortgage payments are dropping so I wouldn't be worse off financially.

I'm thinking in the summer I'd have not trouble filling the day, dog walking, gardening, a hike.

In the winter will I end up sitting on the sofa eating biscuits? or using the day to do chores to keep the weekend clear...

thinking of it as prep for retirement.

OP posts:
Severntrent · 21/02/2022 09:50

Do jobs so the weekend is completely free. With a bit of time for running/walking whatever.

PushingAnElephantUpTheStairs · 21/02/2022 09:52

I do this. I spend the day catching up on a the work I'd normally spend the weekend doing so that it's free to spend with my family. 🙂

PastMyBestBeforeDate · 21/02/2022 09:55

I do this but have dc at school. When I was well and pre-pandemic, I did some chores, paperwork, made phone calls or appointments that I didn't get time for in the week (hair, dentist etc), went shopping and met friends for coffee. It worked nicely.

jeanne16 · 21/02/2022 09:57

I live in London and I make sure I spend 1 day every week going to museums, art galleries, gardens, parks, etc. Find something you want to do on that day otherwise you may as well work.

ranoutofquinoaandprosecco · 21/02/2022 09:59

I've just dropped a day and I go to the gym first thing, drop the kids at school and then either catch up with house stuff or have hair and beauty appointments so I don't need to have these at the weekend. The same with opticians and dentists.

It's also nice to have lunch with friends when I'm child free as well!

Enjoy your time.

willowstar · 21/02/2022 10:00

I could spend it iny garden easily, year round probably. But also get caught up on jobs and life admin. And I would head up to the coast or in to the forest if the notion took me. Or go into the nearest city for some culture and good food. Depends

JustJam4Tea · 21/02/2022 10:11

I really must up my beauty appointments...I don't have enough to have one a day every week. That might explain a lot.

OP posts:
BiddyPop · 21/02/2022 10:27

Walking (even in winter) once I get my back and shoulders sorted - but I would have that day to go to physio, swim etc and improve things drastically!! Then get back to my beloved hiking.

Craft things - I have big plastic bins full of fabric, wool, cross stitch etc and some paper craft materials, with loads of projects in my head just no time to do them anymore. With a day per week I could set aside even just 1 a month to crafts and start to make progress.

Actual reading - curled up to go through some of the shelves of books I bought wanting to read and never getting time to. I would probably also take a book to a coffee shop for a couple of hours, and then wander around the galleries and museums in town that I love but never get to as lunches are taken at my desk now (when I am in the office) to get things done. Or cinema matinees. Or time for beauty/hair appointments that are relaxing as well as maintenance ones.

Yes, I would also do some housework (especially deep cleaning or maintenance jobs) and grocery shopping and batch cooking some of the days, to get me caught up and make life less stressful in general. Which in itself might give back some time on other days to read/craft/relax in the evenings. I would probably try to organise myself to have a big kitchen day (including early shopping, batch cooking and some baking) once a month, filling freezer with decent dinners (rather than the current "fry chicken, open jar and toss in sauce, add frozen peas if I remember for veg, boil rice/pasta, serve" dinners that are happening far too often).

Proper gardening again - I used to grow a lot of veg (I even had an allotment for 5 years and grew most things from seed), but do hardly any nowadays, just a hanging basket of tomatoes (from already grown plants from GC) and a couple of pots of salad leaves.

Oh, I would have plenty to fill my days, even in the depths of winter.

PermanentTemporary · 21/02/2022 10:34

In reality I'd probably mostly worry about work. But I did do a research project when I had some non work time. And it was amazing to be able to do all the daytime phone calls and errands without stress. We no longer have a local garage open at the weekends for example. My car needs a thing doing to it and it's so difficult trying to fit it around work.

AllTheOtherCats · 21/02/2022 10:35

Hello JustJam

I've been toying with this idea. I would volunteer at one of the local animal rescues.

deadlanguage · 21/02/2022 11:19

I really want to do the same and hoping it will become a financial possibility soon. Reading, days out (National trust, museums etc), matinees, gardening, learning a musical instrument, catching up on housework to free up the weekend are what I had in mind. Maybe writing a book!

MinnieMountain · 21/02/2022 12:39

I did it as a maternity leave cover pre-DC.
I got all my admin/household jobs done, swam, read, sometimes went for a walk.

OnlyTheBravest · 21/02/2022 12:55

I initially used my day off to catch up with appointments/chores so weekend was free to spend with the family, as the children got older I used the day to volunteer for different projects that interested me. It was from one of these experiences that prompted me to switch careers. Never been happier.

garlictwist · 21/02/2022 12:59

I have this exact scenario - Fridays off, no kids. I do whatever I fancy. If the weather is good I quite often go off running or cycling somewhere nice for the day.

Other times I might do errands or jobs, catch up with my parents, read a book and yes - sometimes sit on the sofa and eat biscuits. Why not?!

CrimbleCrumble1 · 21/02/2022 13:41

See a friend, go swimming, go to the cinema, do any hobbies you have, sit and chill.

ThreeRingCircus · 21/02/2022 13:49

I will have one day a week off when DD2 goes to school (OK, so only 9 til 3 but still I'm excited!) My plan is to get food shopping and all laundry done on that day so evenings and weekends are clear and then to do some exercise so go for a swim, walk, go to the gym etc etc.

mindutopia · 21/02/2022 14:25

I'd go for a long walk and a swim (I do this all year round, so will still be fine in the winter). Read a book. Do some cooking (which I enjoy). Gardening, even in winter, though there is less of it.

Kite22 · 21/02/2022 17:09

This is about You though, not us.
What have you wished you had time for, over the years, when WOTH ?

Do you want to start nurturing your garden ?
Do you want to start exercising more?
Do you want to start socialising more?
Do you want to go and visit museums or stately homes or castles or whatever your interests are?
Do you want to volunteer / give back to the community ?
Start reading for relaxation (or knitting or painting or anything else creative)?
Decorate?
Go away for short breaks at weekends?

Of course, you don't have to fill that day with any one activity. You can do all your housework and washing and batch cooking on that day and just take it easy in the evenings on the other days - watch some TV or go for a walk round the block or phone a friend or go to bed a bit earlier.

KleineDracheKokosnuss · 21/02/2022 17:31

Winter:
Actually sit and read
Listen to the radio
Embroidery
Art
Look for new clothes (rare but oh to have time to look properly)
Visit museums, cafes, friends

Summer:
Gardening
Walking
Swimming
Odd jobs and repairs

All year:
Maybe take a course at community college if I could find one to suit my schedule
Friends and family visits

I could happily fill the time, regardless of season.

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