7 ideal tips on how to spend free time with benefit

Working 9 to 5, raising kids, maintaining a house, paying bills — all those basic things take lion's share of our lifetime leaving us very little room for self-improvement.

That's why most of us forced to combine pleasure and benefit, finding ways not only to entertain ourselves but at the same time become a little more skillful, smarter or healthier.

So today we will share a few tips on how to spend free time productively — with some profit to your soul, body, and mind.

Learn a new language

It may sound pretty corny, but nothing works best for self-development as learning languages. Do not rush to roll your eyes and jump to the Facebook page — we know what we’re talking about.

Besides, it’s not that difficult. For example, if you want to improve Spanish, nowadays you can start taking lessons online in the blink of an eye, thanks to the huge leap of technology. But that’s not even the point.

Today learning languages emerged into a playful, surprisingly amusing free-time activity with lots of engaging games, themed quests and even augmented reality. So why not mix business with pleasure?

Start practicing meditation

Meditation has been a buzzword for quite a long time and there is a good reason behind it. It works. And it definitely should be on the list of the things to do in your free time.

Fist of all, it doesn’t take much time — 10-15 minutes would be enough for starters. Second, it’s a perfect way to calm your thoughts and relax after a stressful day.

Not to mention it has been proven to have a variety of neurological benefits and cure lots of disturbing diseases.

Start a blog

In today’s technological age blogging is a powerful form of self-expression and self-development. It can help enhance writing skills, boost creativity and build a network of like-minded people. Or even establish oneself as an expert in some field.

Just speak out on anything that interests you, whether it is cooking, sports, literature, politics or cinema. And who knows, maybe one day this fun hobby will grow into a full-time business.

Watch TED Talks

Another tip on how to occupy your time with benefit — watch TED Talks. They cover a wide variety of topics and can be a great substitute for pointless binge-watching TV shows.

TED speeches predominantly focus on technology, entertainment, and design, but it’s also a perfect source of life hacks, insights, and just interesting facts.

You can choose from over 2000 themed talks with subjects ranging from how to spot a liar to what’s the future of capitalism. And even if you won’t become an expert after watching a couple of videos, you’ll at least learn the basics of public speaking.

Learn a team sport

Team sports are free-time activities that many people associate mostly with childhood or college years, but they are still can be applicable for adults. Do not overlook them just because of your age — once you get involved in a team, it will quickly awaken those skills you haven’t used for decades.

Playing sports in a team is a good opportunity to escape the pressure of daily life and make new friends. Plus, you know, getting some exercise on a daily basis never hurt anybody.

Volunteer

We rarely see volunteering among the fun things to do in your free time, which is too bad.

It can give you fresh perspectives on how to solve problems, bring to life interesting ideas and interact with new people.

Moreover, volunteering reduces stress, combats depression, keeps you mentally stimulated, and provides a sense of purpose. So if it seems like you have been leading a pretty meaningless life lately, it’s a good time to think about helping others.

Improve your home

Home improvement can be a great way to become happier and gain some useful skills in your spare time. Make yourself a nice little nest you’ve always been dreaming of: clean that messy attic, update the kitchen, organize your clothes.

There are so many ways you can improve your home without spending a lot of money. Just look at Pinterest and you will be shocked how you could live in this uncomfortable cluttered apartment for so long.

That was only a small part of useful activities you can spice up your life with. As you can see, there is no problem with how to spend your free time. The main question is when.

Life without any passion is like food without salt. But we hope that with our little tips you can easily transform the dull monotony into a happy, rich and meaningful life.