What’s the last time you had a weekend – like truly? Deep cleaning the house, running errands and forcing to yourself to work on your side hustle do NOT count!
If you’re like me, your weekends have become an extension of your week: You use your weekends to finish whatever didn’t get done during the week. An while I love taking my weekends to prepare for the upcoming week and catch up on my studies, it can easily become draining. Why? Because I started treating my days off as an opportunity to get even more done instead of what they’re really there for: rest. Friendly reminder: Weekends are not just for cleaning and catching up on your tax declaration 😉
But some of these things really need getting done, right? Your meals won’t cook themselves and you do need to finish that assignment. True. We all have busy lives and stuff needs to get done. My point is: You can still do (most of) it all while also actively claiming your free time for yourself. Here’s some ideas how:
1. Start the day slow
When there’s a lot on my to do list, I struggle to relax before ALL of it is done. To start my day right, I like to take it slow in the morning. Instead of waking up and getting into the hustle mode immediately, try blocking the first 30 minutes (or however long ou like) of your morning for yourself and do whatever you enjoy: Have your morning tea on the balcony, read a few pages, ave breakfast at your favourite café or just stay in bed for a few more minutes without feeling guilty. The point is to appreciate the new day without tackling your to dos right away.
2. Leave for house (yeah, for real)
What’s the best way to get caught up in errands and stress over whether the floors are mopped? Exactly, by staying at home and being in your head. The one thing that’s guranteed to make you feel better is going out there and enjoying the real world for a bit. Most of us spend SO many hours in front of a screen, and we need that balance. Get out there, ride your bike, go out for dinner, hit the gym, whatever you like. Just make sure you leave the house and get your head free. Bonus points if you do it with someone you love.
3. Socialise
If you’re an introvert like me, your first instinct on the weekend might be to stay away from others people as far as you can – after all, you’ve already dealt with fellow humans at work all week. While it can be fantastic to enjoy your own peace and withdraw yourself for a while, don’t forget to connect with your loved ones and to enjoy some quality time with them. You dont’ need to hit the club (unless, of course, you want to), a movie night with your bestie, a brunch date or even just a friendly chat with your favourite neighbour will make your (and their) day so much better. Don’t feel like leaving the house? Call your parents! For real, what was the last time you talked to them?
4. Set realistic expectations
During the entire week, you look forward to the weekend but once it’s there, you plan every waking minute of it with errands and and stuff you’d like to do. Every little thing that didn’t get done throughout the week has to get done on those two days, right? WRONG! I do that to myself all the time and then wonder why I don’t feel relaxed at the end of the day.
Instead of listing every small thing that could possibly need your attention, write down only the most essential things that really need to be tackled and then do only those. Be realistic about how much time they take up in your day and about your energy levels. Chances are that most of the things on your list don’t need to get done with immediate urgency – so if you’re exhausted, rest. Don’t push through, you already do that all week.
Also, set realistic expectations about the fun stuff you’d like to do. It’s great that you have so many things you want to do, but don’t forget that the day only has 24 hours. Squeezing in yoga, the farmers market, a walk, coffee with your bestie and going out for drinks at night might not be the most realistic or at least not the most relaxing plan. Not every weekend has to be filled with a ton of exciting activities. Don’t let FOMO tell you differently. Be intentional about what you’d like to do and then do it.
5. Plan something fun in advance
My favourite thing I like to do in order to make my weekend extra fun is to plan something I’m excited for in advance. During the week, already think about how you’d like your weekend to look like and plan accordingly. You’ve wanted to try that new restaurant for a while? Make a reservation already! You’d like to go for a hike? Plan with the girls in advance to make it happen! Having those activities on your agenda before the weekend even starts helps you to actually make the time for something fun. Plus, you have something to look forward to all week.
I hope my ideas will help you reclaim your weekend and make the best of you your days off. What’s your favourite way to really enjoy your free time and leave the stress from the week behind?
Love,
Carola
