National No Excuses Day

“I need to wash my hair.”

“I have a headache.”

“My pet fish is feeling stressed out and needs me to stay home.”

Sure, sometimes these things are really happening, but oftentimes they are simply excuses that are made up to keep people isolated and alone.

It’s time to set aside those excuses, get out of the house and join in on some super fun times with friends or family. It’s time for National No Excuses Day!

History of National No Excuses Day

Founded by the Canadian organization, SCENE, National No Excuses Day is meant to promote social interaction among people. Instead of letting those worries get the best of you, get out of the house and be social. Rather than opting to stay in, No Excuses Day is the time to join in with some friends to watch a movie, go out to dinner, take in a live music performance or simply hang out.

Surveys conducted by SCENE showed that around 90% of people had made excuses to get out of social events with friends or family. The poll also indicated that 75% of people believe that social interactions are healthy and good for their well-being, but they also agreed that most people aren’t getting enough in-person face time.

As it turns out, Millennials seem to be the age category that most often makes excuses to avoid going out. And the most common excuse? “I’m too tired.”

So if someone has issued an invitation for National No Excuses Day, then it’s time to say yes. And if no one has made the first move to get together? That’s no excuse! It’s perfectly fine to be the one who initiates getting together for social activities. Plus, if they say no, it’s easy to remind them that it’s National No Excuses Day!

How to Celebrate National No Excuses Day

Celebrating National No Excuses Day doesn’t need to be complicated. Try out some of these ideas for celebrating the day:

Go Out and Be Social

Meet up with friends for coffee or cocktails. Accept that invitation from a coworker to get a beer after work. Or just head out dancing and see who you run into! The name of the game for National No Excuses Day is simply to enjoy being with people.

Laugh at Some Ridiculous Excuses

Whether it’s going to grandma’s funeral (for the 15th time) or simply that the weather is bad, here are some of the silliest excuses people have tried to use to get out of things they don’t want to do:

• I fell over in the shower and knocked myself out.
• I had a dream that my cat died and now I’m afraid to leave her alone.
• A cow broke into my house and I have to stay home to wait for the insurance man.
• I was sitting on the toilet so long that my legs fell asleep. When I stood up, I immediately fell down and broke my ankle.