We all know the feeling, it gets to Friday and the world is full of possibility, and then, in the blink of an eye, it’s Monday again. Sometimes you reflect on the weekend passed and wonder where it went, what you achieved and how you can make it last longer next time.
There are lots of different ways to make your weekend feel longer and to help you get the recuperation you need, but they involve some planning and sometimes, some sacrifices (wine I’m looking at you).
- Wake-up early
I know it’s hard. You’ve been awake at 6am for 5 days, why would you want to do that on your weekend too? But our bodies are biological clocks and if we wake up at the same time every day, we can reinforce our circadian rhythm and be prompted to go to sleep at the same time every night, building a better routine (1). Not only will this help you feel less tired when you wake up, but it also gives you more time to do the things you love.
- Plan
Many people see the weekend as a time to be impulsive and do whatever you feel like, but if you really do want to get the most of your weekend, having some plans can help this, allowing you to fit more into the time you have. That doesn’t mean the plans you make have to be boring though, why not schedule a coffee with a friend, or host a dinner party?
- Chill on the alcohol
If your weekend is built around drinking, then this may be a struggle for you. However, even just reducing the amount of alcohol you drink by a little can mean that you don’t spend most of your day in bed nursing a hangover and eating your body weight in carbs. Alternatively, you could try and limit drinking to one night, leaving you another night and day to something new and exciting.
- Avoid jobs
So, there definitely are certain jobs that need to be done on the weekend, but if you arrange your time well in the week, a lot of jobs can be completed then (2). If you put a wash on as soon as you get home from work and lay it out to dry overnight then that’s one job you can avoid at the weekend, or maybe get up a little earlier midweek and clean your bathroom or kitchen. This once again will give you even more free time over the weekend.
- Reclaim Sunday
One thing that we often do is allow thoughts of Monday to creep into our Sunday, taking over our ability to fully enjoy the end of our weekend (3). If you are already dreading the next day, you will be in a negative mindset, preventing you from making the most of the time you actually have. One way to help combat this mindset is to have enjoyable things planned for your Sunday so you preserve the weekend mentality and are too busy to obsess over work the next day.
- Get outside
It can be tempting, especially as it’s getting colder, to hide in your house and keep warm, but getting out and enjoying some fresh air, can really help you make the most of your weekend. Walking without a purpose, such as around a local park, can give you time to think if you are on your own, and time to catch up and have valuable conversations if you go with someone else. If you bring a hot drink with you this can make the time feel even more special.
Even though it can be hard to find the motivation to do things on your weekend, it’s so important to enjoy yourself and experience new things to feel fulfilled and avoid the Monday morning sadness hitting quite so hard. So, try to make the most of your weekend and see how this effects your week, do you feel more positive at work? Are you filled with anticipation for your next weekend? Either way, hopefully finding small ways to make your weekend feel longer will also help you get through the week!