Whether you are a student or are employed, it is likely that you have a few days off for the holiday season. Sometimes, it can be difficult to find ways to spend this chunk of free time as most of us are used to being perpetually busy. But don’t fret, here are 10 ideas for how you can pass this spare time:

1. Catch up on some sleep-- It’s almost guaranteed that you are not getting enough sleep during your usual busy routine, so now’s the time to catch up on it! Take a nap, sleep late, and don’t worry about setting an alarm when you go to bed. Your mind and your body will thank you.
2. Spend some quality time with your family and friends-- When you are busy, you often sacrifice your friendships, bonds, and relationships. Make up for this during your time off and call up that friend you haven’t seen in ages or have a family movie night. After all, the relationships we have are some of the best things about life.
3. Listen to some of your favorite tunes or discover some new ones-- If you’re anything like me, you love music, but don’t get to listen to it as much as you want to when you are following your normal schedule. During your time off, though, blast and jam out to your favorite songs and discover some new ones on Spotify or Apple Music.
4. Laugh till you cry with some quality YouTube videos-- James Corden, Mirandasings, and Glozell have some of my favorite YouTube videos, but there are a plethora of options a click away on this wonderful website. There’s absolutely nothing like some quality laugh therapy!
5. Binge watch Netflix and binge watch Netflix some more-- Grab some popcorn, a comfy blanket, and get ready to enjoy some amazing shows. I won’t judge you for watching a whole season in a day (don’t worry I’ve done it too)!
6. Pick a good book or magazine-- Reading is good for you and it is also immensely pleasurable if you find the right book. Pick up that great book you’ve been meaning to read for ages and spend your day curled up on the couch enjoying it because you deserve it!
7. Connect with the great outdoors-- Even though most of us walk outside on numerous occasions in a given day, we are usually so preoccupied with our current, past, or future tasks that we do not truly savor the beauty of the world around us. With more time, though, there are no excuses. Get outside and realize what a beautiful world we live in (this will require many layers at this time of year for most).
8. Get some exercise-- Almost all of us wish we exercised more, but usually find it difficult to fit it in. When you have more free time, hit the gym, the running trail, or the yoga mat and get ready to feel amazing.
9. Teach yourself something new-- Whether it’s a new skill like sewing or a more complex task like learning a new language (even if it’s just a few words), it’s always fun to pursue a new endeavour. The added perk, is you can show off what you have learned to all of your family and friends you see over the holidays.
10. Update your to do list and plan for the future-- Although you do deserve to live in the present and recover from all of the stresses you have likely recently faced, time off is great for setting goals and planning for the future. If you are in college, winter break is a great time to start thinking about internship opportunities. If you are employed, you can set goals for how to enrich your time at work or for how to live a more balanced life.

These are just a few of the things you can do to make the most of your time off so you are ready to get back to your daily routine when that time comes. However, different things work better for different people. Do what you like most and treat this break as a time to treat yourself. Happy Holidays and I hope you are able to find some free time this holiday season!