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???

Watch Netflix

Learn to drive??!

If you live somewhere with terrible transport then learning to drive is indeed a very good idea, unless you can’t for some reason.

Exercise would be my next priority. Something daily. Couch to 5K is great, takes 9 weeks total so almost perfect. Runs are every other day so could do yoga or weights on the alternate days.

In general I would try to incorporate into every day

• something purely for you (eg coffee with a friend, reading, trip to town)
• something that will benefit you/the family in the future and doesn’t get done when you are working (eg decluttering, fixing things that have been broken for ages, trying new recipes). This would include driving
• spending more relaxed time with the DC

Yes, you can go to court and sit in the public gallery. There are some restrictions and closed hearings but it’s definitely a thing.