You finally made it to the weekend! But your two days off go by faster than you think, and before you know it, you're confronting Monday morning and a burgeoning list of to-dos.
Weekends are days of respite for many of us, an opportunity to unwind, spend time with loved ones, and take a break from work. It ought to be a treat for making it through the previous week, but they are also an excellent opportunity to start planning for the week ahead. While it may be the last thing on your mind, making the most of your weekend will help your workweek go much more efficiently.
Weekends, though, can be a downer for so many people. The notion of having to return to work the next day and relive the sights and sounds of a familiar work environment casts a shadow over what should be a pleasant day. But, with the proper method, they can be days of regeneration to replenish our batteries and prepare ourselves for a good week.
You can do some activities on the weekend to establish balance and return to work at full strength on Monday morning.
On waking up
It's enticing to sleep in on the weekends to catch up on sleep. While it may feel wonderful in the short term, having an unpredictable wake-up time disrupts your sleep cycle. To wake up refreshed and rejuvenated, your body goes through a series of complex sleep phases. One of these stages entails training your mind to be alert and awake, which is why people commonly wake up shortly before their alarm clock goes off. You will feel sluggish and tired if you sleep beyond your typical wake-up hour on the weekends. This disrupts your day off and makes you less efficient on Monday since your brain isn't prepared to jump out of bed at your usual time. You may go to bed at an earlier time if you need to catch up with sleep.
On exercise
We already regular exercise is good for your health, your brain, and your mood. If you exercise five days a week, it might make sense to take one or perhaps both weekend days off to regain strength. But if, like most of us, we do not have as much exercise as we'd like Monday through Friday, it's a good idea to spend some weekend time compensating, if only because exercise makes you feel good.
In a perfect world, you should also spend a little time outside in nature, which has many physical and mental benefits. A stroll with or without your dog, a bike ride, or even hard yard work can all be therapeutic. What's important is to do something you enjoy.
On mornings
"Me-time" is time set aside for oneself. It's time you can spend accomplishing everything you want without worrying about being distracted. On weekends, it might be challenging to find time for oneself, especially if you have a family. However, figuring out how to do something you enjoy first early in the morning can pay outrageous returns in terms of happiness and mental clarity.
It's all too simple to spend your weekends appeasing others or conforming to some vision of a spotless house, cooked to perfection meals, or highly educational diversions. Don't. Yes, you have social and household responsibilities, and you must ensure that your loved ones are well cared for and happy. However, you must also take good care of yourself and keep yourself healthy. So, if at all feasible, set aside a few hours to do anything you know you'll like.
On chores
Chores have such a strange knack of entirely swallowing up your weekends. When this happens, you miss the opportunity to unwind and meditate. Worse, many chores feel like work, and if you spend all weekend doing them, you've just completed a seven-day workweek. Few people enjoy doing these duties, and it will be much less stressful if you do them on the weekends, so they don't loom over you the whole week. You should organize your chores as you would anything else throughout the week, and if you don't accomplish them in the allowed time, you should then go and fulfill them the following weekend.
On planning meals
Preparing meals for the week ahead not only saves a lot of time but also motivates you to eat healthy on those hectic days when all you want to do is order pizza and collapse on the couch. Having a collection of pre-prepared meals lessens temptation throughout the week when your motivation is at its weakest. It's fast, nutritious, and simple to prepare. In addition, it ensures that you adhere to your diet plan.
On quality time
If you want to recuperate and unwind over the weekend, you must spend quality time with your family. Weekdays can be so stressful that the whole week might pass you by. Don't let this affect your weekends. Make up for that discrepancy by doing something entertaining with the people you care about the most, even if it's just drinking coffee while tackling a word search.
On passions
You might be shocked at what transpires when you embrace a hobby on the weekends. Partaking in your passions is a terrific approach to de-stress and open your mind to new ideas. Playing music, writing, painting, reading, or even playing catch with your children can help encourage diverse modes of cognition, which can pay tremendous benefits in the next week.
On planning tasks for the coming week
The last thing you want to focus on during the weekend is your upcoming week's duties, but Mondays will go much more smoothly if you aren't hurrying to recall all you have to get done. Instead, take a little time each weekend to write down your task list for the upcoming week and update it when you think of new tasks. You may do this on a Friday before you leave the workplace so you wouldn't have to waste your weekend time on it. Sunday evenings work nicely, too, since it allows you to start Monday morning without figuring out where you left things the previous Friday.
Weekends should be tranquil and enjoyable, with time to accomplish activities you don't regularly have time to do. Try some or all of these practices to boost your productivity and minimize stress during the workweek. Trust us when we say that you'll feel a lot more at ease on Sunday night knowing that you're all set for the week ahead, and you'll face Monday feeling great and ready to tackle your remaining tasks.
