15 Things to Do After Work for Creatives
Can’t believe this is controversial, but…your identity and happiness does NOT live fully within your career. Yup, even you perfectionists! I lived within this narrow way of thinking for so long and still struggle with this to this day. Stop the Sunday scaries, burnout and weekend warrior tendencies and fill your weekdays with the things you enjoy most in life. Here are 15 of my favorite things to do after work that help me pace out my week.
Why is it important for creatives to do other things outside of work?
Finding downtime after work is crucial for creatives. It not only provides you a little fun throughout your work week but giving yourself rest allows your creativity to flow and provides you the energy for the following day. Like I mentioned before, burnout is SO real. And the scariest part is that you (usually) don’t realize you’re facing burnout until it has fully taken over your life, both mentally and physically. You need to find ways to enjoy the present to allow yourself to be fully present in the future. Scheduling in time for “fun”, even if it seems silly, truly is an act of self-care.
15 Fun Things to Do After Work for Creatives
In no particular order, here are some of my favorite ways to fill my 5-9 after my 9-5.
1. Journaling
Decompress from your day and unload the good, bad and ugly in a safe space. Once you brain dump, you’ll have more space for ideas to flow to you.
2. Happy Hour
Whether you’re attending your work’s happy hour or you’re grabbing a few pals, attending happy hour is a fun way to switch up your work week. They’re also a great place to network!
3. Meditating
Clear the mind with any meditative activity. I recommend meditating right after work or right before bed to calm the nervous system and alert your body that it’s the end of the workday (or the entire day).
4. Passion projects
Dedicate your free hours with your latest passion project. (After all, there are only so many hours in the day!)
5. Walks
What better way to get fresh air, move your body and free the mind all at once? I challenge you the next time you take a walk to fully take in your surroundings and make it a meditative experience.
6. Exercise classes
Get your sweat on and feel empowered by attending an exercise class. They’re a great way to step outside your comfort zone.
7. Facetime a friend
A few of my friends don’t live in the same city as I, so I love to use the weeknights to catch up and make plans for a future weekend together. This activity is especially important for those who just moved to a new city or live alone.
8. Reading
Escape for a bit and dive into your latest read. (May I suggest one of my favorite books on intuition for creatives?) Better yet, join a book club and keep yourself accountable on your reading goals.
9. Try a new recipe
Switch up dinnertime and try out something new. If you live with a partner or roommate(s), invite them to join you and make it a bonding experience.
10. Yoga
Connect your mind, body and spirit with a little yoga practice. It’ll do wonders for your creativity!
11. Thrifting
If you find shopping therapeutic, like me, give thrifting a try. Shop for yourself or scout out a new piece for a friend.
12. Attend a community event
Support your local community while having some fun. Follow your neighborhood associations on social media or look up local Facebook events to see what’s going on in your neck of the woods.
13. Dance party
I have plenty of Taylor Swift dance parties in my apartment, many of which happen while I’m tidying up. And that my friend is what I call multi-tasking.
14. Gardening
Okay, this isn’t one I can do personally just yet, but I can’t wait to have my own garden one day. What better way to blow off some stress than to tend to a garden?
15. Grab dinner with a friend
Try a new restaurant and grab a friend for some fun during the work week. Who says the weekends are the only time to schedule a night out?
Find more ideas on my latest podcast episode on how to have fun on weekdays with Nicole Castillo! Listen on Spotify or Apple podcasts.
