How to spend your free time with maximum benefit?

Most people repeatedly ask themselves the question of how to spend their free time with maximum benefit and what is the best way to distribute it. Of course, as a rule, many people always make certain plans for their free time, but, strangely enough, when they have it, most of them begin to forget about their plans. Therefore, in order not to waste your free time, you need to understand how you can spend it with maximum benefit.

In this article, we will take a closer look at some of the most common and popular options for what you can do in your free time.

Hobby

When you have free time, you can take up your hobby in earnest. Doing what you love will allow you not only to lift and improve your mood, but also to spend your time with maximum benefit. If you don’t have a favorite hobby or activity, then you can find your own hobby that suits you best and to which you are willing to devote all your free time. Also, over time, you can turn your hobby into a business that will bring you not only pleasure, but also additional income.

Things to do with a guy

1. Date in a cafe

This is one of the most obvious options. Choose a calm and cozy place with a romantic atmosphere. It is also important that the establishment has delicious cuisine so that nothing spoils your evening.

2. Cinema

Take your loved one to the cinema! If you want the evening to pass on a romantic note, then choose appropriate melodramas and comedies. However, some couples can be brought together well by horror films!

3. Date at home

If you are already close enough with your boyfriend, and you are not new to visiting each other, then you can have a wonderful time at home. The easiest option is to buy or prepare goodies in advance and choose a selection of interesting films. However, if you want to arrange something special, you can organize a truly romantic evening by inviting your lover for a massage. Make sure you have body oil, light candles in the room, stock up on fruits, sweets and your favorite drinks. Undoubtedly, such an evening will remain in the memory of the chosen one for a long time!

Training and self-development

You can devote your free time to your education and self-development. Thus, you will be able to gain new knowledge, master any skills, or learn a new and interesting profession. The main thing is to study independently correctly and effectively, so that the entire learning process in your free time takes place with maximum benefit for you. Also, it is worth remembering that in the first days the process of learning and self-development can cause difficulties and difficulties, so be prepared for this.

Types of extracurricular activities in universities

Options for what students can do in their free time depend on the size of the university, the areas of the faculties and the specialties of the teachers. Each university has some unique interest groups that you will not find in any other university. Most often, extracurricular organizations cover several areas: management, sports, art, discussion clubs and professional circles.

Control

Here students learn management, team organization and people management. This could be work in a student union, experience in analytical or business activities, various master classes or conferences on the topic of personnel management. If you want to develop leadership and organizational skills (an important soft skill), this is the place to go.

Sport

Almost all universities participate in interuniversity competitions in a variety of sports. You can always ask your physical education teachers or the dean’s office about recruiting newcomers to student sports teams. Almost all major universities now have their own sports grounds. Therefore, those who want to engage in physical education for health, and not for medals, always have the opportunity to sign up for a gym or swimming pool.

Art and creativity

Dancing, classical and pop singing, music, theater, cinema, drawing—student clubs in these areas exist in almost all universities. The field of art at universities is represented most diversely. Student dance and music groups regularly participate in competitions, and theaters provide performances for the entire city. If you are lucky enough to get into a circle that is known outside the university, then this experience is even worth listing on your resume if you are going to go down the creative path.

Discussion clubs

In such clubs, students discuss exciting topics, organize viewings of niche films, read classic literature together and share their impressions. Most often, such meetings are held together with a teacher, but students can organize independently. In discussion clubs you will learn critical thinking, broaden your horizons and meet interesting people.

Professional clubs and scientific activities

But what can a student do in his free time from studying if he is not interested in sports, theaters, or art? Of course, professional training! Talk to the teachers of your department - probably the university has a surgery club, a radio engineering club, or archaeological meetings. You will receive double benefits: expand your knowledge, make good contacts and gain new experience in your specialty. And teachers, seeing your desire to study, will probably treat you more loyally than before.

Part time job

A good part-time job will help you not only spend your free time profitably, but also allow you to earn money, gain professional experience and even learn some new skills. The main thing is to look for a part-time job correctly, so that the search for it does not take up absolutely all your free time. Approach your search for part-time work as seriously, responsibly and thoroughly as possible in order to find it in a short time.

Reason No. 2. You will be less susceptible to depression.

Solitude is an important way to replenish your energy. Without this, a person feels more stressed due to endless busyness and the huge amount of information that he receives every day. By spending time alone, you get to know yourself better and become less susceptible to the onslaught of other people's expectations and desires. A study conducted by Reed Larson found that depressed teenagers feel significant relief from depression when they are left alone. Additionally, teens who enjoy spending time alone are less likely to experience mental health and psychological problems than their more sociable peers.

Reading books

In your free time, you can read books of completely different genres and directions. A book is an excellent tool with which you can discover a completely new world and take something new and useful from there. Also, reading is one of the excellent ways of self-development and self-knowledge. With the help of the book, you will be able to develop your imagination much faster, since in the process of reading, you will be immersed in a certain world that was previously unknown to you. While reading, you will be able to feel the atmosphere of that time, put yourself in the shoes of the main characters or characters, etc.

Remember that almost any book is a secret key to completely new knowledge. That is why, with the help of reading, you can spend your time with maximum benefit.

Rules for organizing free time

In order not to waste the already small amount of free time, we recommend following the following principles:

The SV should work for the student, not the student for him.
SV should be limited.
SV should be dedicated to your favorite hobby or business.
SV is a great opportunity to learn something new that was previously unavailable.
SV helps to take a break from studying, but not always.
SV allows you to devote yourself to family and friends.
SV must be carried out in such a way as to remember it.
SV should not be tiring.

Watching a movie

In your free time, you can watch some interesting film, from which you can highlight a lot of new and useful things. Almost the same as in the process of reading a book, while watching a film, you can immerse yourself in a certain world, put yourself in the place of the main characters or characters, and feel the whole atmosphere of the film.

The main thing is to choose the right and interesting film in order to spend your time with maximum benefit.

Tips for students

During these years, try to do what seems fantastic and impossible to you. Your goal is to get out of your comfort zone, and you need to do this as often as possible. It will be scary, but there is no reason for this, since this is purely psychological discomfort. If you succeed, your shackles will fall away, and you yourself will discover new horizons for yourself.
Choose the type of activity that gives you positive emotions: joy, laughter, a feeling of satisfaction.
In no case do not forget that the body needs to rest. No matter what important task you have, schedule enough time for sleep. Otherwise, both hobbies and studies may suffer.
Learn to establish contacts and useful connections. Your task is to learn how to make contacts. This skill will help you out more than once in your adult life.

Journey

If you have a lot of free time and want to make the most of it, then you can start traveling. Thus, you will be able to see cities and countries live, look at how other people live, what they do. During your trip, you will also be able to gain new knowledge and experience that you can successfully apply.

Life7 tips on how to relax over the weekend alone

Text: Ksenia Tatarnikova, author of the Smart Cookie blog

WONDERZINE is launching a new section on how to properly relax over the weekend in different life circumstances. Simply put, we give advice for all cases - what to do so that by Monday morning you don’t feel overwhelmed and ashamed of a pointlessly wasted weekend.

What to do on the weekend if you are alone? Not lonely, but alone and with a great desire to restore the strength spent during the week. There are a lot of plans, but every time the everyday stagnation spills over into the weekend and repeats Groundhog Day. One day it's worth trying to act according to plan. For example, like this:

Change your appearance and social circle for a short time

When you live according to the same algorithm for years, the picture of the world becomes blurred, and the joy from every day you live goes away. Wait with the accusations of banality: psychologists have found that even clothes can completely change our mood and behavior. For example, if you ask a person to put on a white coat, he will automatically perform the assigned work more carefully. A timid girl dressed in tomboy style straightens her shoulders and feels more confident.

Dramatic reforms can be made not only in clothing, but also in behavior and social circles. If among your friends and acquaintances there is a person whom you openly or secretly admire and would like to learn something from him (for example, making connections and easily communicating with people, running a household or business) - become his partner for a day. Observe, learn and help.

Digital detox

A typical weekend scenario: as soon as we open our eyes, we go online and spend the entire day on it. Researchers talk about real addiction - every new photo, text, status update stimulates the release of the pleasure hormone dopamine, and it encourages you to log into the social network again and again. As a result, the brain feels crowded and chaotic, memory suffers, the ability to create and plan, communicate live with loved ones, friends, make new acquaintances - we become autistic, withdraw into ourselves. Mood swings, fears, phobias, depression are also the price to pay for the habit of being “stupid on Facebook.”

Digital detox (temporarily eliminating all electronic devices from life) is a proven way to protect the brain from information intoxication. The rules are the same as with food detox. Start early by reducing your time online by 15 minutes every day of the week. Don't take your phone with you when you go to lunch, and don't put it next to your bed - buy a regular alarm clock. It is better to schedule a digital detox on a day free from work, when you belong to yourself and can relax. Pick the sites or apps you spend the most time on and ask yourself: what is it about them that draws you to them? Try to find a replacement for them in real life. If you're inspired by artistic photos on Instagram, go to an art gallery. If you spend hours on fitness blogs, go jogging or skiing.

In the evening, when you turn on your phone again and are flooded with filtered photos from your friends' fun weekends on Facebook, remind yourself that social networks reflect only the most beautiful moments in the lives of others. Most of them are not so shiny and remain behind the scenes.

Sport

Most of us view exercise as a bitter medicine: hard physical labor in exchange for health and a slim figure. Few people realize that the body is initially programmed to enjoy movement (hence the expression “muscle joy”). After 40–50 minutes of intense exercise, the brain begins to produce cannabinoids, substances similar to those found in marijuana. They relieve anxiety, pain and create the so-called runner's high. Athletes describe it as a feeling of complete relaxation, pure delight, harmony with oneself and nature, “as if you were rocking on the waves of happiness.” Women between the ages of 18 and 63 can experience orgasm during exercise. Here is a ranking of fitness types in order of increasing pleasure: race walking, running, cycling, yoga, strength fitness, abdominal exercises.

This coming weekend, try doing your workout as if it were a reward in itself. Concentrate on the pleasant sensations while doing the exercises. Finally, another inspiring argument from Jane Fonda in favor of sports: “Perhaps the fastest way to clear your mind is to get your body in order. Get your thoughts out of your head and take care of your body.”

Creative date

If the words “going to an exhibition” or “excursion to the theater” make your cheekbones ache, try creative dates. The author of the term, American director and screenwriter Julia Cameron, wrote a bestseller on this topic, “The Artist’s Way” (by the way, a great idea for weekend reading). Choose one of your favorite activities (a visit to an art supply store, a spa, an Italian lesson, an outing, a regular walk in the park) and go on a date with him. It is important not to take anyone with you for company and not to force yourself out of control. Instead, a creative date should include spontaneity and time for yourself and what you truly love. You don’t need to look up to anyone or look back; the more you behave like a child, the more ideas and insights come to your mind.

Do some spring cleaning

Cold, darkness, dirt and chaos in the house, lack of sleep provoke bouts of gluttony - proven by scientific research. Moreover, on weekends, as a rule, overeating reaches its peak. Start your weight loss program not with a diet, but with spring cleaning. Give away or throw away unnecessary items. Buy beautiful bedding and try to sleep at least 7 hours a night. If you are cold, wear more soft clothes.

Listen to the music

Ten minutes of good music can play the role of the most effective meditation and, in addition, acts on the brain as cardio training: it strengthens blood vessels, improves the functioning of memory and imagination. Develop a sense of music - there is melody in all the sounds around us, we are just used to thinking of them as noise.

Cosmetic procedures

A day off is the ideal time for spa treatments. If the budget is very small, you can limit yourself to a massage. In a good salon, along with a massage, they offer free access to the hammam and swimming pool. You can carry out a full cycle of cleansing and nourishing the skin, relax muscles, relieve stress, reduce cellulite and swelling. To enhance the effect, on the day of visiting the salon, eat minimally (give preference to light dairy products, vegetables and fruits) and drink more water. After the massage, spend the rest of the day in relaxation and tranquility - no urgent meetings or parties.

Illustrations: Masha Shishova

Finding a good job

You can use your free time to find a good job. If you have a good job, then you can look at much better options to increase your financial wealth. Remember that it is always possible to find a good job, the main thing is to search for it correctly and constantly analyze new offers from employers. Thus, your free time will be spent with maximum benefit.

Reason No. 5. You can get ready for work faster

According to research, being close to others causes a person to devote a certain amount of attention to the other person, which makes it more difficult to complete work tasks. In other words, people practically steal our concentration and focus. Your brain can't keep its focus on two things at once, so it has to switch constantly. As a result, both your work and your conversation with the other person suffer. So, if you need to do something that requires concentration, such as answering an important email or writing a report, it is better to stay alone and refrain from communicating while working.

Assess financial capabilities and prospects

Choosing a hobby is not only a matter of time and desire, but like other activities - money. Only you can decide how much you are willing to spend on your pleasure, development and relaxation.

There is good news - as you master it, you can turn your hobby into a source of income or make it your main activity. In other words, if you feel that your level can already be called an expert, it’s time to start earning money.

Almost every hobby can be monetized. Here are some examples:

Sports, dancing - work as a coach, online courses, online marathons;
Travel - organizing tours, compiling guidebooks;
Cooking - cooking dishes to order, books with your own recipes, checklists with dishes from certain ingredients;
Music - releasing your own songs, selling beats;
Beauty - production of own products, sessions;
Reading, writing, journalism - writing articles or works on various topics;
And much more