30 Crazy Productive Things to Do During Winter Break

Let’s talk about all the productive things to do during winter break…

So, winter break is finally here! Whether it’s high school, college, or work, a winter break is a perfect time to relax and refresh.

But, it is also a perfect time to GET THINGS DONE. There are so many productive things to do during a winter break.

If you’re anything like me, you can get so busy with work, school, and life that there are tons of things that fall to the back burner. Winter break is a great opportunity to get those things DONE and set yourself up for success once the break is over.

By no means does your entire winter break have to be filled with these productive things. Life is all about balance!

By mixing these productive things to do on winter break with some cozy, festive fun, you have the recipe for the PERFECT holiday break.

30 Productive Things to Do During Winter Break

By balancing productivity with relaxation, you can enjoy your break AND not feel completely overwhelmed when it ends.

Whether it be tending to your house, your work, your family, your mind, or yourself, these productive winter break ideas will feel SO good.

Be sure to add a few of these productive things to your winter break to-do list!

1. Clean Out Your Bag

For as long as I can remember, this has been one of the very first things I do when I begin winter break. I know that, as a student, our bags can get MESSY!

Whenever winter break begins, take a few minutes to clean out your bag before tucking it away for a few weeks.

Gum wrappers, pencil shavings, filled notebooks, broken pens… get it all out of there so you’re ready to start fresh!

You can even go as far as washing your backpack if you feel it’s necessary. Bonus points if you do!

2. Take Time to Reflect

If you’re a student, it can be really valuable to reflect on the past quarter or semester. Even if you’re not a student, reflection is valuable still.

Self-reflection is one of the best things you can do for yourself if you are pursuing growth.

{RELATED POST: 100 Self-Reflection Questions to Ask Yourself}

Take some time to ask yourself deeply meaningful questions regarding self-reflection so you are more connected with yourself and better understand what’s working and what is not.

3. Set New Goals

Goal-setting is a major productive thing you can do during winter break.

In fact, goal-setting around this time of year is prominent anyway. You are right on time.

After some deep reflection, it is a great idea to set some new goals. Whether these be goals for school, work, productivity, happiness, or life in general, it is important that you take time to set proper goals.

4. Work on a Side Hustle

Side hustles are a great way to stay productive on winter break. There are so many insanely simple yet high-paying side hustles you can do from home!

I was shocked by all the options when I looked into pursuing a side hustle. Even if you only invest a few hours into earning some extra cash, that’s a win!

I’ve made thousands of dollars from my simple at-home side hustles (mainly via freelance work and selling on Poshmark).

5. Listen to Podcasts

The benefits of listening to a podcast are insane! I love to listen to podcasts whenever I can.

If I’m going for a drive, taking a walk, or even just cleaning my house, I like to have a Podcast on to expand my brain.

The best thing about Podcasts (in my opinion) is that they are so versatile. There is seriously a podcast for everyone.

My personal favorites are podcasts relating to productivity or self-improvement. But if you are looking for something else, I bet you there’s a podcast for that too.

6. Learn Something New

We are so lucky to be able to learn endless amounts of things from the comfort of our homes these days.

Thanks to the internet, we are able to learn new things quite easily.

Make a list of exciting and unique things to learn that interest you and then start crossing them off one by one!

7. Catch Up on Sleep

You may be surprised that sleeping is one of the productive things to do during winter break. But it really is!

Sleeping can actually be incredibly productive.

Sleep and productivity are tied together. Being productive can improve your sleep, and sleeping well can improve your productivity.

This is why getting caught up on sleep is something productive to do while on winter break!

{RELATED POST: Ultimate Self-Care Nighttime Routine}

It can be really easy to fall behind on sleep during the school year. Life gets busy and sleep falls to the back burner. Now, on winter break, is the perfect time to get caught up and refreshed!

8. Organize Your Desk

A clean and tidy workspace is a productive workspace.

By keeping your workspace clean, you can improve focus and productivity. But, as we all know, it’s easy to fall behind on tidying up.

When life gets busy, my workspace gets messy.

As someone who works from home, it is extra important that my at-home office space is neat, tidy, and organized. It helps me think better.

Take some time on your break to get super organized in this area! You’ll thank yourself later!

9. Find a New Hobby

Even if it’s just something silly and fun, having hobbies is productive!

Hobbies enrich our lives by giving us something to do, something to feel passionate about, something to bond us with others, and by teaching us new skills.

10. Start a Habit Tracker

This is probably one of the most productive things to do during your winter break. I’ll tell you why…

Your habits are what make up your life. Being dedicated to developing good habits is what is going to determine how successful, fulfilled, and happy you are.

{RELATED POST: 50 Essential Habits to Start in Your 20s}

The small things we do every day are truly what make our life what it is.

Finding a great habit tracker is the most effective strategy I’ve found to do this. There is something so gratifying about filling out a habit tracker at the end of the day, knowing you achieved so much!

Getting a habit tracker is something I put off for so long… and I regret it. Dedicate some time this winter break to starting your OWN habit tracker.

11. Plan and Organize Holiday Gifts

The holiday stress of getting, buying, and organizing all the gifts for special people in your life is overwhelming.

Jumpstart this process at the beginning of your productive winter break. That way, you can be stress-free for the rest.

10 Easy Steps for Holiday Shopping:

1. Make a list of all the people you need gifts for
2. Brainstorm gifts for each person on your list
   1. Add some backup plans, just in case!
3. Make a budget list so you know you can afford it!
4. Plan your shopping days
   1. Plan accordingly for what stores you need and where they are located
5. Take a shopping day
6. Revisit your lists and see if you got it all
7. Take another day to fill in any gaps in your list
8. Sort gifts by recipient
9. Wrap gifts
10. DONE!

Once you get all this done and out of the way, you don’t have to think about it anymore.

While everyone else is last minute stressing about holiday shopping, you can smile and relax knowing your work is done!

12. Clean Out Your Email

We’re all guilty of it… the email inbox with 50+ ignored emails. Those annoying emails just keep piling up. I get it!

Now’s the time to clean house though! Go through and delete all the emails you don’t need, reply to the important ones, and unsubscribe from the email lists you don’t need to hear from!

I don’t know why we push this off for so long. It really doesn’t take too much time!

But it makes a huge difference in your mindset. I’ve found that when my email is cluttered, I get way more overwhelmed when checking it… even if the unread emails are pointless.

Take a moment and clear all those annoying notifications in your inbox!

13. Start a Budget Planner

Starting a budget planner is one of the best things you can do for yourself! I am someone who tends to carelessly spend a bit too much if I don’t have a set plan.

However, once I make that plan, I take pride in following it. It works so well.

Set aside a few hours to plan out your budget based on your income, expenses, and other priorities and goals.

This Anthropologie Budget Planner and this Etsy Budget Planner are my absolute favorite book budget planners. They have everything you could ever need.

If you are looking for more affordable options, the budget planner in my printable Adulting Bundle offers you unlimited downloads for all your budgeting needs!

14. Deep Clean Your Closet

Forget Spring Cleaning… We’re on to WINTER Cleaning.

If you are struggling to find something productive to do on winter break, just head on over to your closet and get to cleaning.

Chances are good that, if you haven’t deep cleaned your closet for a while, you have lots of things you can get rid of. This brings me to my next productive thing to do on winter break…

15. Sell Things Online

Old clothes, shoes, household items, and more! You can sell all of that online!

I started selling on Poshmark a few months ago and I have made over $2,000.

This is a great way to be productive during your winter break by making some extra cash AND cleaning out your space!

16. Try New Recipes

Testing new recipes is both fun AND productive. It’s a win/win, really.

RELATED POST: 180+ Simple Dinner Ideas (+PRINTABLE BOOK)

It can never hurt to learn how to make a few more dishes.

Plus, it’s just plain fun to taste test new, delicious meals and treats… especially during winter break. The holiday treat options are endless!

17. Rearrange Your Bedroom

I know I’m not the only one as a kid that would get the sudden urge to rearrange my entire room on a whim.

Honestly, to this day, it is something I enjoy.

But, more than that, it can be productive…. and it is a great way to be productive during winter break.

Rearranging your room can refresh you and boost your productivity.

It’s fun too! I see no downside. Add this to your list of productive things to do during your winter break!

18. Take an Online Course

There are so many online courses available! Anything you want to learn, you can likely find a course for it online.

Honestly, I started my entire blog with the help of one blogging course.

(If you are looking into blogging, I highly recommend BySophiaLee’s courses! Some of the most affordable around!)

Do a quick Google search for courses related to the thing you want to learn and sign up! This is a great way to productively spend your time off over winter break. Always keep learning and growing!

19. Grow Your Relationships

When life is busy during the semester or standard work year, sometimes our relationships fall behind. We focus so much on other things that it can be difficult to remember to take time to foster our connections with those around us.

So hang out with friends, spend time with family, call up someone you haven’t seen in a while, reach out to classmates or coworkers, and connect with them!

(The simple act of growing work relationships can help with your productivity.)

All of this is good for your mental health, your happiness, and your overall well-being!

20. Update Your Resume

The dreaded resume that we all put off. I know it. I’m with you.

But, if you are on winter break from school, I am tempted to believe you are going to utilize your resume a bit more in the future.

Trust me, it’s best to just stay up on it and keep it up to date. It is way more work if you have to go back in a year or two and recount everything.

If you are already at a job you plan to keep and don’t feel that you need a resume, there are similar things you can work on! Maybe it’s a portfolio. Maybe it’s a pitch to your boss for a new position you are hoping for.

Whatever it may be for you, take some time to update your work resources, resumes, and portfolios.

21. Work on Your Physical Health

This can mean something different for every single person. Maybe it’s drinking more water and getting more exercise. Or maybe it’s eating more food to fuel your body and getting more rest!

Whatever your individual body needs is unique to YOU.

With that, decide what you need to become a healthier, better version of yourself and DO IT.

Poor physical health can account for an 84% decrease in productivity. Keep yourself healthy AND productive by tending to yourself now.

22. Start a Journal

Starting a journal is an incredible option for something productive to do during winter break. In fact, journaling has been found to help increase your productivity.

There are so many options for things you can journal about. Whether you start a specific productivity journal or just take some time to journal about various topics, you will feel the benefits of it!

I personally do a mix of both. I have a guided productivity journal to help me stay focused and driven. Then I also have my regular journal to write about other things.

My miscellaneous journal is filled with my thoughts, emotions, and mental health journaling. However, this boosts productivity too because a healthier mind equals a more productive life.

23. Read Inspiring Books

One of the best ways for me to get motivated to boost my productivity is to read inspiring books.

During winter break, you likely have some time off from any mandatory work or readings that you may be assigned. Take this as an opportunity to read your own books to guide you toward self-improvement.

Top 3 Self-Improvement Books You NEED:

1. Untamed

I have mentioned this in so many posts and I recommend this to all my friends. I am not being the slightest bit dramatic when I say this book changed my life. To this day, I listen to Glennon Doyle’s Podcast religiously. Untamed is a game-changer.

2. Mindful Self-Discipline

This book is great if you are looking to read more about productivity and achieving your goals. It teaches you how to take actionable steps to avoid distraction and create the life you want.

3. ‘You Are a Bada**’ Series

This series will motivate you like no other. I linked the bundle of all the books here because I think they are all valuable in their own unique way. If one, in particular, speaks to you more, then, by all means, get that one!

24. Make Productive Lists

You may not know how helpful and productive list-making can be.

Take some time to make some productive lists to get yourself more organized. Yes, it’s really as simple as it sounds.

25. Apply for a Job

Of course, this only applies if you are looking for a new job. If you are, taking the time to fill out some job applications is a great idea for a productive thing to do during winter break!

Do your research, build a strong resume (see #20), and then put yourself out there! You’ve got this!

26. Deep Clean Your House

We’re talking bathroom scrubbing, fridge organizing, and pantry clean-outs.

Now, this isn’t the most fun thing… but it sure is a productive thing you can do over winter break!

Even if it sounds unappealing, trust me… you will feel incredible once it is done!

Bonus! A clean environment naturally boosts productivity!

27. Do Some Self-Care

Self-care is productive.

If you’ve read any of my self-care posts, you’ve heard me say this before.

Taking time to care for ourselves has been deemed as lazy or unproductive. But that couldn’t be further from the truth!

The truth is that self-care is essential to our productivity. Without making time for it, we will inevitably burn out and lose motivation. Taking time to slow down, reset, and refresh is an essential part of being productive.

After all, that’s what winter break is for!

28. Make a Bucket List

Creating a bucket list has many benefits. One of the main reasons I love is how much it reminds you of your goals.

RELATED POST: Ultimate December Bucket List

When I create a bucket list, I feel a resurgence of motivation and energy to work and achieve my dreams.

Sometimes looking ahead and imagining yourself living the life you want to live is all you need to regain focus and energy!

29. Plan Ahead

Oftentimes, I’ll luck out and my professors will post the syllabus online ahead of time. If that is the case, I love to jumpstart my planning and write major due dates in my planner.

I currently am using an Erin Condren academic planner and I swear by it for staying organized!

If you don’t have a syllabus, don’t stress! You can still plan ahead! Write in all your class times, important dates, days off, etc.

This helps you get an idea of what’s coming so you are prepared and organized for when winter break ends!

30. Work on Your Mental Health

One of the best things you can do for yourself is to tend to your mental health. Your mental health is at the root of all you do. If you aren’t right within your own mind, you will struggle with nearly everything else you try to do.

I recommend doing some deep self-reflection and asking yourself what you need the most.

Taking care of yourself mentally is one of the most productive things you can do at any time. You will notice a shift in every other area of your life.

How do you stay productive during winter break?

Leave a comment below letting me know your favorite productive things to do during winter break!