How to Make the Most of a Half-Wasted Day
Everyone has experienced the disappointment of feeling unproductive or uninspired when half of a day has been wasted. Unless you consciously intended to spend your first few hours doing very little, it can be disheartening to see that the time has passed so quickly and you haven’t felt like you are seizing the day. Perhaps you have trouble waking up on time or putting down your phone. Whatever the reason for your wasted day, there is still hope to recover it. Here’s how.
Complete Chores
If you have wasted the first half of the day and now feel as if you can’t be productive or creative, take the pressure off your shoulders by deciding to do some chores around your home. Instead of framing it as a major deep clean or declutter, simply wash the dishes or sweep the floors. Even completing one or two small chores can help you to feel that you have done something worthwhile with the last half of your day. It also takes little effort to stay in your home and make slight improvements wherever you can.
Do Something Good
If doing your own housework doesn’t make you feel a bit more productive, you could focus your attention instead on trying to make the lives of other people easier. You could call an old family member to check in and ask how they’re doing. You could take a walk and pick up litter. You could even set the ball rolling for some wider-reaching generosity. For example, you could volunteer or donate to a veterans charity or other charitable cause. Even if you don’t do much else, supporting a charity can make a day seem less of a waste.
Find a Way to Exercise
Finding yourself halfway through the day with little to show for it can be unpleasant, especially if you have high expectations for yourself. Perhaps you should have spent your morning reading for school or preparing for an upcoming event. Take your mind temporarily off these concerns and concentrate instead on your physical fitness. Going for a gentle run or a cycle can help to clear your head as well as improve your health. If you do nothing else, a day where you have exercised is never wasted.
Strengthen Social Connections
You can make a day feel less like a waste if you reach out to friends or family and plan something for the evening. Maybe you could go out or invite them to your place for an impromptu dinner party. Even for the most introverted people, social interactions are important for maintaining good mental health.
Allow Yourself the Day Off
You might be the type of person who finds it difficult to relax because you feel the weight of your responsibilities at all times. If this sounds like you, don’t fret about the wasted day and accept it as a much-needed rest. Put your feet up and enjoy yourself. You can always be productive tomorrow.
