Today’s post comes from Hannah, the fabulous blogger behind That Adventurer. Hannah has shared some of her top tips to bring adventure into the everyday. This is the perfect read if you’re in between trips  and you need a bit of excitement and adventure in your life!

Adventure. It means something different to everyone. Often, it conjures up images of bearded men with frosty beards and furry lined puffa jackets against a backdrop of snowy, mountainous scenery. Perhaps it’s a woman in Lycra cycling, perfectly streamlined, downhill at speed. Or, it’s those crazy stories you hear about people walking across the world.

Adventures don’t have to take years of training, planning and saving. In fact, there’s adventures to be found in the every day. You can have an adventure anywhere, anytime. All you have to do is something different. You don’t even have to travel to have an adventure; simply do something new, fun and exciting.

1. Escape the office

I’m not good at sitting inside staring at a computer everyday but since I started my 9-6 office job I’ve had to spend a much longer time inside than I’d like. I’ve managed to make this manageable though by embarking on a series of lunch time MicroAdventures.

That one hour lunch break is my chance to escape and break free. It’s a chance to escape the wheelie chair, the keyboard and the stuffy, temperature controlled climate and embrace the wind, the chill and the fresh air.

Challenge yourself to get as far away from your office as possible in your lunch break. You could walk, run, cycle or even get the bus, tube or drive somewhere. Just make sure you leave the inside and adventure somewhere else.

If you live in a city or town make it your mission to visit a current exhibition nearby. Stylist Magazine has plenty of ideas on things to do. You never know what you’ll learn and you’ll get that good feeling that comes when you do something cultural (or is that just me?).

Do you have a friend or a relative who lives or works nearby? Coordinate your lunch breaks and arrange a place in the middle. This way you can kill two birds with one stone: see somewhere new and meet a friend. I’ve done this a few times with my lunch break and have managed to meet my boyfriend for lunch. Trust me; if you’ve had a busy morning, a catch up with a friend will make your afternoon so much better.

2. Be creative with your commute

If you’re anything like me the commute to work stresses you out. I worry I’ll be late (even when I know I’ll be fine), or I get way too annoyed at that person walking in front of me too slowly. I’m that person that rolls their eyes when someone gets in my way as I try and get to the escalator first. Sorry.

It’s not just London though. Commutes of any length and in any location can stress you out. That traffic light changing just before you can drive past, or the bus driver staring at you as he drives on with a full bus. Commutes are repetitive and monotonous.

Think it’s impossible to liven up your commute and actually enjoy it? Think again.

Look at a map and plan a new route to work. This works whether you’re walking, cycling or using public transport. Mix it up a little. If you have to get the same bus route then just get off a stop early and walk some side streets until you arrive at work. Or, take it one step further and try a different mode of getting to work. If you usually walk, take the bus. If you usually take the bus, walk. You don’t have to do it every day but getting the bus every once in a while might actually be quite a fun adventure.

Slow it down and take a moment to notice what’s around you. When I commute on the tube I’m normally staring at my phone or flicking through the depressing day’s news. When I do remember to look around I see things that put a smile on my face: the young couple expecting a baby sitting hand in hand while he reads a pregnancy book for men and she rubs her belly, for example.

3. Get up Early…

I know what you’re thinking; “why on earth would I do that? There’s more important things to do, like sleep.” Instead set your alarm early, even if it’s just 30 minutes before your usual wake-up time. Jump out of bed. Don’t snooze, don’t think about it, just do it.

When traveling, the mornings are often the best time to explore a new destination. The markets are just being set up, there’s not many crowds in popular areas and it’s the time the locals are getting up to go about their daily business. The same can be said for where you live. Get up that extra half an hour early and enjoy the empty roads, tubes and buses. Grab yourself a coffee and relish the time you’ve got to chat with the barista.

4. …Or go to bed late

You may be tired when you get home from work and just want to slump on the sofa watching Netflix. I’m guilty of that, it’s all I feel like doing when I come home, but make that extra effort to stay up and have an adventure after dark. Places transform themselves when the sun goes down.

Jump in your car or on the tube, or even just walk somewhere after dinner. A few weeks ago we hopped into my boyfriend’s car and headed to Hampstead Heath for a view of London and an excuse to try out his new camera. It was cold, but we wrapped up warm. It was dark, but it’s the city lights we wanted to see anyway. And guess what? It was fun. Yes, I got scared every time I could hear voices but not see people, but even that was fun. It felt like a MicroAdventure.

Make an adventure plan to help you stick to your adventurous goals

5. Get to know someone new

It’s so easy to stick with the same circle of friends and only see the same people at work day in and day out.

My favourite site to meet someone new, and try new things at the same time, is Meetups. Just type your location, and what you’re interested in and you’ll find tonnes of groups and activities with likeminded people waiting to meet you! If you can’t find something you’re interested in near you then be brave: set up a group yourself.

So, whilst these may not be the life changing, ground breaking adventures we tend to think of they can change your day or week with little effort required. Make it your mission this month, week or even today to break free from routine and enjoy an adventure!

Big thanks to Hannah for sharing her tips for a more adventurous life.

You can find more from Hannah on her blog, That Adventurer, and also on Facebook and Twitter.

If you have any more adventurous tips, let us know in the comments below!

For me, sparking a bit of adventure in your everyday life is all about making an effort. It’s too easy to get stuck in a routine of doing the same thing every day so surround yourself with exciting and adventurous people who always want to try something new. Plan and book things in advance when tickets are cheap and so you can’t back out. Sign up to everything and subscribe to newsletters in your local area so you always know what’s going on – there’s nothing worse than realising you missed a great event that was right on your doorstep.

I also think it’s important to schedule in ‘lazy days’. I’m much more motivated to be adventurous on a Saturday when I know I’ll be spending Sunday doing nothing but baking, reading and watching movies in my onsie!