TGIF, am I right?! By Friday (or Wednesday if I’m being honest) everyone’s ready for it to be the weekend again. We spend a lot of the week anticipating a break from work, looking forward to spending time with friends and family, and—let’s face it—staying in bed as long as we desire. But with that being said, a lot of us don’t take full advantage of our time off and by the time Sunday night comes around again, we’re wishing we utilized our time more wisely. So how can you have a relaxing, yet fulfilling weekend at the same time? This can be quite the conundrum—but lucky for you, I’m going to share some genius tips that will allow you to have an overall more satisfying and enjoyable weekend:
1. Set an alarm.
But the weekend is for sleeping in!! I’m not saying you have to wake up at 6 am. But I am saying you shouldn’t go completely rogue by sleeping in until noon. Instead, set an alarm for a reasonable 9 or 10 am. That way, you still have a full day ahead of you, the motivation to make it a great one, and the chance to make it a great one.
2. Jot down a plan.
The weekend welcomes so many opportunities and possibilities, which is what makes Fridays and Saturdays such magical days. But despite this truth, I often end up just cooping out in my apartment. Why? Probably because I’m indecisive and easily overwhelmed. It’s only when I outline a plan for my weekend that I actually make the most of my time off and feel revitalized at the start of the work week. So while there’s nothing wrong with things taking a spontaneous turn, I recommend at least having an idea of how you want to spend your weekend by the time Friday rolls around—that way you won’t end up doing nothing.
3. Make that plan a good one.
Okay, so you might have to pick up your dry cleaning or clean the house at some point this weekend, but the rest of it should be about doing what you love, trying new things, and prioritizing what makes you happy. That could mean taking a cooking class, going to see a new movie, running by the river, exploring your town—whatever it is that leaves you feeling accomplished and a smile on your face.
4. Spend time with your people.
I know, I know—sometimes you just want to sink into your solitude, which often leads you to canceling plans with friends or rescheduling trips to visit your family. And you might feel good about it 30 minutes into Friday night, but then the loneliness and guilt creeps in. So I’m here to tell you not to cancel or reject those plans! Spend time with the people that you love, the ones that truly make weekends so worthwhile. You won’t regret it.
5. Don’t put your health on the backburner.
The weekend isn’t synonymous with eating junk food and laying on the couch all day—at least it shouldn’t be. Friday’s and Saturday’s sins don’t just disappear come Monday. So, keep your health in mind: continue to fuel your body with nutritious foods and fit in a workout here or there. Don’t get me wrong, this doesn’t have to mean eating a salad for every meal of the day or going to the gym for two hours. It can instead mean ordering vegetables on your pizza and walking to your friend’s house a few blocks over instead of driving.
6. Allocate time to decompress.
The weekend is, after all, about taking a break. So make sure you set aside some me-time to simply relax. Maybe take a nice long bath, read a couple chapters in your new book, or watch an episode or two of your favorite Netflix show. I know I said it’s important to leave your bubble, but it’s just as important to unwind and rest up before another week of work.
7. Befriend Sunday nights.
Most of us spend Sunday night wondering where the weekend went and wishing tomorrow wasn’t Monday. But if we instead use Sunday night to prepare for the week ahead, we’ll set ourselves up for a much better few days that we won’t have to dread. So get ahead on whatever demands tomorrow will bring: set out your outfit, prepack your lunch, maybe even read over tomorrow’s work. The more prepared you are, the better you’ll feel tomorrow and for the rest of the week—trust me.
