With summer right around the corner, and therefore a long summer holiday for most university students coming up, hopefully, some of us will have the privilege of having a few of what I like to call ‘A Nothing Day’. These days normally come after having worked lots of shifts at home and finally having a day off, or coming back from a holiday, if you are lucky enough, and having a few days of no plans before getting back into the swing of being at home. When it gets to this, I personally find I fill up the days with so many unnecessary personal chores that the day doesn’t end up being as relaxing as hoped, and I’m annoyed I wasted a day where I could have been relaxing before returning to work. I thought I’d make a list of summery things you can do alone which are relaxing but still feel like you are being semi-productive instead of just going on Tik Tok for hours on end.
- Have a slow morning
My parents work during the day, so if I have the day off, I have the privilege of getting the house to myself for the majority of the day. Therefore, of course, I will have a lie-in and then enjoy a slow, relaxing wake-up. My slow mornings consist of making my favourite iced coffee, putting on relaxing but uplifting music on my speaker and making a delicious breakfast because I simply have the time to. I try not to put time limits on a ‘nothing day’ as I personally find that adds stress to a day. So take however long you want with your slow morning, and if it’s a sunny, summery day and you have a garden, enjoy your breakfast out there and bask in the sun.
2. Go on a walk
Again depending on this being a sunny day, enjoy the summery sun and take yourself on a long walk. Don’t set a time for when you need to be home and just wander until you simply don’t want to anymore. Listen to your body, but if you get in the groove of walking, then don’t feel the need to go home until you’re ready. You have all day, don’t limit yourself. I will often go on a walk to a field or park near me and then just lie for an hour or so and listen to the people around me, nature or simply sit with my thoughts. I often think we don’t give ourselves time just to think, to let our minds wander. I personally find I constantly need to be doing something; as soon as I get home from seeing friends or doing uni work, I will immediately go on my phone as a distraction instead of just letting my brain settle for even just 10 minutes. Take this day to daydream for as long as you want or rest your eyes in a park whilst you hear people living their lives and going about their days around you. Pick a new album you have been meaning to listen to and actually listen to the whole thing; pick a podcast episode you have been meaning to listen to and enjoy it without being distracted by anything else. Enjoy resting your mind and body.
3. Read a book
I find it difficult to make myself read when I have a lot going on in a day because I often need a solid couple of hours to get into a book rather than 20-minute sittings. Therefore a nothing day is a perfect time for this, you could do this as a break from your walk before heading home, or go to a nice café. I personally enjoy just sitting in my garden and reading, especially in the sun, and just taking a couple of hours to really get into a book. I also find with reading, even if it’s not a scholarly book or a critically acclaimed one, that I’ve achieved something nonetheless and find it very fulfilling. Therefore for me, reading is key to a nothing day.
4. Music, Music, Music
As I happen to often be home alone, I can play my music loudly from a speaker, and I like to spend an hour just playing my favourite songs and dancing around my room. I find it really boosts my serotonin levels and also helps me dispel any pent-up energy from not specifically doing anything on the day. Also, music just improves everyone’s mood, in my opinion. If you can’t play your music out loud, then headphones, of course, also work; I do find that my singing is much worse when wearing headphones as I can’t hear myself at all, but as long as I’m having fun, I don’t care.
5. Waste time
‘Nothing days’ are also very much made for wasting time, scrolling aimlessly through your phone guilt-free because this is a day to do nothing. It also means you can spend time on your phone without it being the only thing you do because you surely can’t spend a whole day on your phone. However, don’t feel guilty if you do want to waste a bit of time scrolling on Tik Tok or Instagram. My personal favourite that I can spend hours on finding ideas for outfits is, of course, Pinterest.
I hope some of these ideas are helpful over the summer when you find yourself with lots of time on your hands or with a very free day every so often when you need to recharge your social battery.
Image Credit: Isabelle Brower