How would you use this time?

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I'm about to be made redundant. It's been an exhausting, horrible, stressful couple of months but there is finally light at the end of the tunnel as I have been offered another job.

I'm about to be in quite a good position of having a couple of months off work (March + April), fully paid, plus a bit of a financial cushion from leaving. I want to be sensible with most of that (pay off mortgage) but also put some mental and emotional space between the shitshow that has been the end of my current job, and starting a new one.

I've literally never had this much time off work before (apart from maternity leave which - ha - obviously wasn't downtime). I don't want to waste this time, and I can spend a bit of money but I don't want to spend too much. I'm going to take a 'wellness holiday' for a week or so, just to get my head back in the game, but I'd quite like some ideas for things to do so I don't just waste these precious days I have.

Obviously the weather is likely to be unpredictable. I live in London, in case that helps.

Any ideas? Cultural, DIY, learning cooking, etc? I'd love to hear them.

Id make a little map of interesting free things to do and be a tourist. Or go round on the tour buses for a day, jumping on and off.

Do the museums, see some shows. See if you can ride every single tube line (not end to end). Or pick random stations and look up things to do nearby.

Create a good daily routine- sleep well, good breakfasts, yoga, take yourself out for coffee, walks/sightseeing, just enjoy your time x

I'll spend the very first week decluttering and spring cleaning my place so it's perfect and more enjoyable.

I'd be planning to see all the friends and family I never have time to see, especially the ones who don't live in London.

Couple of months go quickly, but I'd go into an exercise routine as well.

What a great position to be in!

I'm going to tell you what I do in the school summer holidays and see if that gives any inspiration. I really valued (needed) the time off when my children were younger/at home but now it isn't 'necessary' its harder to fill the days sometimes.

Of the 6 weeks, I just rest the first week. Lazy lie ins, lying in bed reading and looking out of my bedroom window at the garden and listening to the birds. If I get up, it's to sit in the garden with my book instead, drinking tea. It's a week of pure indulgence (and recovery!) No 'busyness'; just 'being'.

I spend the last week and a half working either at home or in school so we'll ignore that one other than to say mental preparation, getting clothes sorted, planning what you'll need, buying anything new, I always buy a new lunchbox/bag because it's a mental thing and a bit more of what I did in week 1.

Then the intervening weeks, I tend to go away for a week's holiday or a couple of shorter breaks; deep clean the house; do some batch cooking; do the little jobs I just don't have the time/headspace for during term time; clear out cupboards; reorganise my wardrobe; meet up with friends for lunch; go to gigs on a school night 😱; day trips on the train to nearby places; have a day of being a tourist in my home town/city; tidy the shed; do a bit more sitting in the garden; start new habits I want to embed before September. It's my New Year basically.

So a balance of self care and peace; organising, tidying and DIY; time away from home and doing a fair bit of thinking of future me.

I love these. Especially the 'make a map and be a tourist' idea!

Also, just being. I never do this. So bad at that. I just wish the weather was nicer so I could 'just be' in some sunshine! fingers crossed.

Sounds dreamy, I’d go to the gym every day, do one hour of productive stuff (cleaning, decluttering and life admin) and try to finish Netflix 🤪

Cartier exhibition at V&A
Definitely London tour bus
Walk through London parks on a lovely spring day / go to Kew Gardens
Try something new
Afternoon cinema or theatre show
For rainy days my kindle and lovely coffee followed by wine and just reading while it tips it down outside
Really good massage or facial
Going round Libertys

You could either break it into weeks so a block of doing nothing, a block of DIY etc or break each week into a day of jobs, a day of chill, a day of fun etc.

I think I would do

Week 1: Complete tidy/deep clean of the house. If you have money you could employ a cleaner for a day to do the deep clean bit for you. You then have a lovely tidy, orangised house as a clean slate and those niggly jobs arent hanging over you for the rest of your time off.

I assume if you have kids then a couple of weeks will be taken up with the Easter holidays so use those to have some fun family time and days out.

The other weeks I would have:
a chill day - watch films, read a book, nice snacks etc
a me day - go for a treatment, swim, gym, long walk, face mask at home, window shopping etc
a household day - any errands, general weekly cleaning (to free up the weekend so can spend more time with the kids)
a fun day - museum, enrol into an art class or a cocktail making class, go to a roller disco, do an escape room or whatever floats your boat.
a cooking day - baking, go to a nice food market, experiment with a nice recipe etc

The chill day/fun day / me day is such a good way of structuring it!

Are you sporty at all?
My work is quite seasonal and I have November-March "semi" off every year. I have actually found over the years that it makes me quite anxious; the sudden lack of structure and the feeling that I have to actively appreciate and enjoy every day while it lasts.
This year I decided to train for a marathon in April and have been following a training plan. I've been absolutely loving it; it's giving structure to my days and a huge sense of achievement.
Obviously it doesn't have to be a marathon or even running; there are lots of "challenges" going on around April/May to aim for.