Are you short on time but still in a mood for something fun to do after or even before work? More than once I found myself without ideas for what to do when all I had was around 40 minutes, maybe 1 hour of free time. Sounds familiar?
I hate that feeling. It triggers my FOMO massively and it makes me feel that I am not using my time well. And that, the fear of never even trying, is worse for me than trying and failing or realising that I didn’t actually like the activity. That’s just how I am wired as a person.
It’s also very much in the spirit of Revity and the community we are building on here. After all, adventuring is not only about the big and exciting adventures which last multiple days or involve high risk and high effort activities. It is also (or maybe MOSTLY) about the daily dose of something new and daily play time to remember how great it felt to be a kid. From the nerdy side of things, having that regular dose of playtime and complete disconnection helps our brains recover and access the flow state more easily, doing marvels for our mental health and productivity in the long term.
Okay, sounds awesome. But what fun activities can we do when faced with the 40 min – 1 hour window?
Below is my list. Let me know if you would add anything!
Surf skate
My new favourite past-time. You can rent surf skates in various places for as little as €5 or €10 a day. It’s a more nimble version of skateboarding and much easier to learn. It was invented to help surfers train when out of the water, so if you’re into watersports it will also help you improve in those other sports!
Spikeball
This new game is for people who like the idea of a volleyball game but never quite learnt how to play it (like me) or don’t like all the faff involved with setting up the net or finding the place to play. Spikeball has similar rules, but it can be much more relaxed and fun. The set is also small enough to take in a backpack, so you can play anywhere (there is even a version that floats and the one with lights on the rim to play in the dark!). It’s a great workout and it’s also an awesome socialising activity.
Roller skating
Another easy to learn sport which can be enjoyed with as little as 30 minutes if you live somewhere close to decent pavements and a road. Just mind the traffic. It’s a great workout, can serve as a gym session or a gossip time out with a friend.
Rope skipping
A serious workout which is also fun – there’s something about jumping that makes our brains particularly excited. Easy to take with you (also when travelling) and you need barely any space to set it up. I love picking a spot overlooking nature and then jumping it out. If you need to clear your head and get seriously tired in the shortest amount of time possible, rope skipping is a great bet.
Slacklining
An amazing park game. The rules are simple: put the rope between two trees (or something else that behaves like a tree) and see who manages to walk across. Some people get very good at this and actually learn tricks. It’s an amazing core and leg workout and a very social activity, as only one person at the time can be on the rope, so the rest of you will be chatting away (or cheering the walking person to take that one extra step!).
Volleyball – beach or park
If you’re lucky enough to have a beach or a park with enough space for a game of volley, this is a great post work activity. It will likely be at the longer end of 1 hour, but it’s a full body workout and a great game to meet new people.