What do you do after you get off work every day? Have you ever thought about what to do with your time? Do you have newfound free time after making a job switch? I know I have and oh what possibilities there are. So, I decided to research more about how to spend your time after getting off work.
Relationship building, value creation, and learning are some of the overarching ways that you can spend your time after work productively. Of course, you can always go for simple relaxation.
Let’s dive into this in more detail!
Relationship Building
Co-Workers
One of the best things you can do after work is taking the time to build and nurture relationships. This is especially true for us new working adults who have probably moved cities and don’t know many people.
You should take the time and initiative to reach out to your new colleagues and see if they might want to get together after work. It will show them that you are an agreeable person while helping you get to know your colleagues.
Now, you don’t have to do anything elaborate. Simple will probably be best.
You can go to a happy hour together to grab drinks and a quick bite of food. This will often be your most affordable method since the happy hours usually have cheaper drink and food options.
Spend an hour or two there with your co-workers. Get to know them and their perception of the workplace. You might be surprised by how much information you can learn in a happy hour meetup.
I will advise you though to not get plastered in any of your first few meetings with your co-workers. You don’t want to build a reputation for yourself that might hinder your professional development later.
Personal Relationships
Shifting to more personal relationships, be sure to nurture those as well, especially if you are in a committed relationship. Be deliberate and proactively make plans with friends. Try to do at least one thing a month together if you have a friend group.
Remember, whatever you like to do as a group be sure to do your best to not flake on them. In fact, remember that in general. It is tough to maintain relationships once you become known as someone who doesn’t show up.
New Found Friends
If you are looking to make new friends try exploring local events. You can experience new things and meet new people all at the same time.
If you don’t know where to look for local events search your location’s official government page. For example, say I want to see what local events are going on in Virginia. I can search visit Virginia on google. One of the websites that come up is virginia.org. On the website, I can click the events tab and it will show me a list of events going on in Virginia. You can filter through city, date, and a few other options to find something that might interest you.
I say all of this because most states have a website like this. Most cities do as well. So you can use them as a method to see what is going on in your local area.
Value Creation
Have an outlet for yourself with something that you have dominion over. You spend most of your day creating value for someone else. When you come home you can create value for yourself.
What do I mean by this?
Do you like to knit or build stuff?
Do it. These are things that you can do just to bring you joy. There is no deadline or unwanted stress with this. It is an outlet for you to relax and feel like you are doing something with your time.
As an example, I like to write to you. I work on Adulting Starts Here in my free time. It gives me a sense of fulfillment and serves as an outlet for me.
Plus, I am creating value for people who want to learn about adulting. It is a win-win in my book.
So, reflect on some things that you find enjoyment in doing. Then make an effort to do them in your free time after work.
Learning
Spend your time after work learning something new. You can spend 30 minutes a day learning something. This can span from a language to a card game.
You can learn whatever you want. The choice is yours.
Now, be careful about how you think about the learning. It is not meant to become a chore or a burden. It is meant to nurture your curiosity and help you find enjoyment in new things.
I’ve heard and witnessed that curiosity wanes as we get older if we don’t actively seek out new things. And being curious is one of the best traits to have as we transition into adulthood.
So, think about those things that you have been telling yourself you want to learn. Now’s your chance to learn a little something after work!
Plain Old Relaxing
Sometimes you just want to do nothing and that is okay. Simply watching TV is perfectly fine. I really enjoy the movie theater, so I make time to go see movies as often as I can. It is a simple activity. I arrive, sit, watch, and enjoy.
I am able to recharge and be entertained in the process.
Additionally, if you like to play video games or board games, do it! Do what you need to do to allow yourself to recuperate from a hard day’s work.
You know best. So go forth and make those hours enjoyable and refreshing!
What are your thoughts? How you spend your time after work? Let us know in the comments below!
Best of luck adulting!
And Remember,
Adulting Starts Here
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