Today I have a guest post from Alexandra. Alexandra is the owner of Real Simple Finances, where she writes easy financial tips for real people. You can find her on Twitter @RSFAlexandra.
The other day, I did something I haven’t done in a while. I took my coffee into the living room, sat on the couch, and enjoyed the silence of my own company.
All too often, I find myself bored on days off. I’m used to the hustle and bustle of balancing full time work with full time graduate school, and the moments of downtimes make me uneasy. I feel as though I’m being lazy when I’m not rushing around!
My solution, unfortunately, is frequently to spend money. Whether I decide to go clothes shopping, or to finally buy photo prints to fill the empty frames I have, or to run to the store to buy fabric for the skirt I’m totally going to make (6 weeks later, still haven’t made it), it’s clear that I have a problem.
Here is my completely unprofessional, based on observations only, idea as to why this is: When teenagers are bored, they typically go to the mall. Because they have just started earning money, they like to spend money when they get there. The feeling of freedom – between being unsupervised and being able to spend money on whatever they want without asking their parents – is something that we enjoy, and we take it with us into our adult years. Boredom = spending money.
Spending money on my days off doesn’t increase my quality of life, though. I have I’ve slowly realized that I’m neglecting my oldest and dearest friend when I don’t give my best self to myself. After all, who has known me longer than me? So, in the spirit of celebrating the company of myself without running to the store for the next project, I’d like to share some of my favorite alone time activities that don’t cost any money.
I love to read. I’m an English literature major, so I kind of have a lot of books. If I’m really so bored that I need a project to feel productive, I could start powering through Orgoglio e Pregiudizio (translation: Pride and Prejudice) to reactivate the Italian I’m starting to forget. I also have plenty of light reading (Hitchhiker’s Guide To the Galaxy, or The Chronicles of Narnia) if I’m not feeling masochistic like doing something that feels like homework.
I suppose spending time walking my dogs doesn’t quite count as “alone time,” and when Jillian Michaels is screaming at me in her kickboxing DVD I definitely wish I was alone! (Just kidding, JM. Love you and the butt you’re giving me!) But when I spend time doing physical activity, I get a chance to reflect on myself and my body. What better way to spend time with yourself than to do something that’s good for your mind and body? Yoga and Pilates are also great ways to get your mind in tune with your body. Both help you stabilize yourself in your everyday life. Whatever your exercise preference, there are sure to be free videos online that you can access.
De-cluttering is a weird one, I know, but I love the feeling of getting rid of stuff. You can also earn money from selling things you don’t use anymore! This is an activity best preformed alone, or at least away from people who have a hard time throwing things away.
It would be amiss to not mention writing! Writing anything – poetry, blog posts, a book – is a great alone activity that only requires a pen and paper (or your writing tools of choice).
The things you choose to do to enjoy your own company will vary based on your interests. Maybe you like hiking, or cooking, or swimming. Maybe you meditate or pray. Either way, being comfortable without the bustle of activity around you is great for the body, soul, and wallet.
Do you spend money on your days off or when you’re bored? What are some of your favorite free ways to spend your downtime?
Image courtesy of Sira Anamwong at FreeDigitalPhotos.net