What to do on garden leave?

[RosannaRosanna]

I've got 2 months garden leave coming up and want to make sure I'm not just sat at home or doing housework! I have a four year old and am thoroughly burnt out from a stressful job, so I want to make the most of this rest.

I will be free from 8-5 each day while my child is in childcare, and don't drive, so I can get a train into London or get myself to bluewater but that's pretty much it (public transport is awful round here) No nice parks or walks that I can get to without a car. All my friends and family will be at work so I'll be on my own.

Aside from job hunting, what should I do with this free time???

Decorating? That’s what I’d do.

Also gardening

No idea what garden leave is but can you get into fitness?

@Wasywasydoodah
My thoughts exactly. What else? 😂

What’s gardening leave

If I had two months off work I'd spend it at the gym and/or doing yoga 😅

Where I’m from (Midlands) garden leave is a polite way of saying suspended, but this doesn’t seem then situation here from what you have written?

Do you mean sickness absence, or a sabbatical, or unpaid additional annual leave?

I’m not being difficult, but each of these are different
for example if you are on unpaid annual leave then suggestions might be different due to budget.

When they make you are sent home without working because you’re leaving the company or they are making you redundant but still being paid

It's paid time off work following a resignation. Due to the nature of my role, I can't walk straight into a new one, so paid leave for 2 months is a safeguard to prevent stealing clients or staff. It's all on very good terms and standard for my type of job.

If I had a 4 year old I 'd reduce their nursery hours so spend more time with them before they go to school. I'd also want to save the money I was spending on topping up their free hours.

Thanks for the clarification- the link below might show why some of us were confused

Garden leave is where your notice period is paid and you are not at work before you start your next job. Its to protect an employer if you work with sensitive commercial information. rather have you walk out of one door with a full client list and into your main competitors- garden leave keeps you out of the way at a sensitive time.

I vote decorating and doing a poncetastic christmas!

Worth remembering that in the civil service sackings could be due to a new political direction rather than the quality of work.

I’d go to loads of yoga classes, have massages, healthy lunches, nice autumn walks and read a lot.

Oh I had no idea it could mean suspension! I'll be careful who I say it to!

Yes to Christmas prep! If it read summer I would literally spend it gardening but not quite so enamoured with that thought in the winter.

Work on recovery from being burnt out. Yoga is a good shout. On YouTube try yoga with bird, yoga with Adrienne, yoga with kassandra and boho beautiful.

I’d do one day a week in London going to museums and art galleries and wandering the streets

id buy a bike and go for cycles and generally spend as much time outside as I could reading and drinking cups of tea

Id do one big house project eg decorate one room

Id get organised for Christmas and on those days I’d meet friends for lunch.

We’re in the same boat! I’m on Mat Leave and DH has been put on 3 months of GL as he’s going to a competitor. Half tempted to go do a week of winter sun somewhere but doesn’t feel much like a holiday with a 2yo and a 5mo! Probably going to use the time to get the house sorted, a few nice lunches out when 2yo is in childcare, do a few toddler friendly things when it’s quiet and cheaper - peppa pig world etc.

To answer the original question

I would do at least one day trip per week with the 4 year old (I did this with my own youngest dd the term before she started school)
I would even do some overnights that way no rush to get back for childcare pick up.
Farms, matinees, cinema, Lego land, London museums, interesting city breaks such as York…once the dc start school you will be limited to the expense and crowds of school holidays.

I love baking and cooking so I’d do some of that. Plus a project or 2 in the house.

I’m about to go on gardening leave too.

my plans

• Toy sort out before Xmas/ birthday
• early wrapping of gifts
• organising a few workmen for a few bits I need dling
• crochet oroject
• sort clothes and list outgrown ones on vinted
• organise birthday pstties
• DH holding the fort a couple of nights so I can go away
• plan on doing lots of exercise.

@ShadowPuppets I contemplated the same thing, but not too taken with just me and my kid going, wouldn't be as relaxing as I'd like (he won't go to a creche!), and husband has run out of annual leave. I might do a couple of nights somewhere, so will have a look for somewhere with an indoor pool.

I'd take my child and go to some exiting places like zoo, farm park etc.

You can take them to the different parks in London or even the British museum...
I'd also take them swimming regularly and use the time to read some of the books piling up in the corner!
I might even sneak a few days away in to visit friends/ family for a change of wallpaper.

@Rainbowqueeen I've never done yoga before, but that seems like a really good idea. I'm definitely going to plan in

It really doesn't mean suspension don't worry about that. All the best. Enjoy your time

Spring (winter) clean the whole house for me. Declutter, tip runs, charity drop offs, cut back all the Garden for winter and then decorate. I find it deeply satisfying.

Leave yourself open to issues when you go back full time though if the nursery doesn't then have space.