Are you trying to let someone know what you do in your spare time? Perhaps you want to include it in a resume but don’t know the best ways to describe your time away from work.
Luckily, this article is here to help you! We’ve gathered some great options for another way to say “in my spare time.”
Other Ways to Say “In My Spare Time”
- My hobbies include
- When I’m not at work, I
- In my free time
- During idle time
- My leisure time
- Outside of working hours
- When not working
- I like to
- As a hobby
- When I’m free from work
- On weekends
- During non-working hours
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- “In my spare time” is a good choice in a conversational context but is not very effective formally.
- Try using “my hobbies include” if you want to list your hobbies (outside of work) formally.
- “When I’m not at work, I” is a great informal alternative.
You’ll have a lot of luck with the synonyms we’ve listed. However, we’re not stopping just yet! Keep reading to learn more about the most effective choices in different contexts.
Also, you can learn more about “in my spare time” at the end. We’ve covered whether it’s correct and how to use it appropriately.
My Hobbies Include (Formal)
“My hobbies include” is a great example of how to say “in my spare time” professionally. You should use it when you want to list your hobbies to make them clear to the reader.
For example, you might use it when writing your resume. It’s a great way to let a potential employer know what you do outside of the workplace. It’s professional and informative. Informing people about your hobbies lets them know a bit more about you as a person.
This phrase works better than “in my spare time” formally. You should stick to it when writing resumes.
Also, it’s up to you to decide whether you want to use a bullet-pointed list after the phrase or whether you’d rather include the list in a sentence format.
Why not review the following examples to show you how to use it:
My hobbies include the following:
– Diving
– Swimming
– Skateboarding
My hobbies include learning to code and playing video games.
When I’m Not at Work, I (Informal)
“When I’m not at work, I” is a great informal alternative to “in my spare time.” You can use it to let others know what you do outside of the workplace in everyday messaging or conversation.
Try using it the next time you share details about yourself with a colleague or a friend. It lets them know more about your life when you’re not at work, which could help to build a better friendship with them over time.
While it’s a good phrase, it certainly doesn’t work formally. You should not use it in formal writing. It’s also about as effective as “in my spare time” as a conversational phrase. So, you can use whichever one suits you better to mix up your language choices.
Here are a few examples that might help you:
When I’m not at work, I like to take my stresses out at my dojo. I’m very fond of Karate.
When I’m not at work, I will spend time on the lake fishing. It’s my favorite pastime.
Is It Correct to Say “In My Spare Time”?
“In my spare time” is correct and informal. It shows someone what you get up to while you’re not at work. However, you should not use it formally.
While it’s sometimes good to include what you do outside of work in formal situations (like on a resume), there are better phrases to use. “In my spare time” sounds a bit too casual, making it less useful for business emails.
Going back to informal writing, you can use the phrase as an introductory clause. If you do this, you might want to start your sentence as follows:
- In my spare time, I like to
- In my spare time, I enjoy
You should place a comma after “in my spare time.” This shows that it’s a separate clause from the rest of the sentence.
Finally, did you notice how we’ve only used the preposition “in” so far? That’s because it’s the most effective choice. “During” is another valid option, but it’s not as popular.
- Correct: In my spare time, I like to go shopping.
- Correct: During my spare time, I like to venture outdoors.
Some writers use “on,” but this is incorrect. “On” makes no sense because “spare time” is a measure of time, meaning you can’t be “on” it.
- Incorrect: On my spare time, I find things online.
You should bookmark this page to ensure you don’t get caught out by any questions in the future! There are plenty of synonyms for “in my spare time” that will help to spice up your language.