Weekends are a brief, magical period where anything goes. How you spend all of those 48 hours is completely up to you. However, some people feel paralyzed by a total lack of structure and end up lounging away all weekend, binge-watching entire TV seasons on Netflix or watching their dog drag its butt across the carpet. Don’t be a bump on a log! Consider one of these five ways to make your weekends happier.
Exercise Your Body (and Imagination) Outdoors
You’ve probably heard this all before: Go outside, experience nature, get some sunshine, and work out. Let’s take it to another level and give your mind a healthy stretch, too. Grab a portable music player and make a playlist of some of the most epic music you have. Think movie and video game soundtracks, orchestral masterpieces, or whatever else inspires motivation and vigor. The idea here is to make physical outdoor exercise more accessible and interesting.
You could be a hero sprinting to glory through a war-torn battlefield, a puma hunting in a dense jungle, or the lone survivor escaping a horde of zombies. Whatever your fantasy, live it. You’re allowing your mind to escape the rigors of the weekdays while simultaneously strengthening your body and spirit.
Have Some Extra Time in Bed
Your bed is your very own sacred place for meditation, reflection, and relaxation. When you wake up in the morning, swim through the sheets and realize the entire vicinity of your mattress is yours and yours alone. No one is going to bother you here; no one can take that space of private isolation from you (unless you’re with a lover).
Allow your thoughts to wander as you sort out the week’s events consciously and subconsciously. The peace of mind and lack of distractions can help you recharge your mental batteries.You could also escape into your own little world and watch some TV on your laptop or tablet thanks to FiOS tv service from Verizon. Don’t waste your day lying in bed, however; just spend a little extra time enjoying the comfort, like you want to do all week but aren’t able to.
Spend Time with Family and Friends
What is happiness? What is success? Can these things be measured by material matters such as the size of your house or price of your car? Or are you more likely to find the feeling of life satisfaction knowing you’re part of a community of people who love and care for one another? “A successful person is usually one who has achieved a measure of happiness and fulfillment in their work, family, and spiritual life (however that is defined for the individual),” executive coach Dale Kurrow says, “most successful people need to feel a sense of accomplishment and are self-motivated to tackle the next challenge.” Leave your weekday life behind and focus on friends and family.
Pursue a Hobby
Day in and day out, day in and day out—weekdays are a drag. Routines can start to wear on even the most fortuitous minds. Having some sort of hobby, no matter how obscure, can be a great way for you to shake off the dust of monotony that settles on your brain five days a week. Hobbies, whether they’re based in logic or creativity, allow your brain to wander leisurely down curious avenues of thought while flexing your ability to think critically and perceive patterns.
Playing Sudoku, the piano, or volleyball are some pretty good options. Hobbies are like yoga for your brain; they help create more “flexible” thought patterns than can be used to solve complex problems in the future. Plus they’re an excellent outlet for stress.
Plan For the Week Ahead
Your work week is probably going to be full of assignments, deadlines, and a million people hounding you to get something done. Be proactive during the weekend and schedule a list of things you know you’ll need to tackle in the days ahead. It’ll save you a world of headaches down the road.
Weekends are a great time to get things done, escape the world around you, or spend time with friends and family. Whatever you do, make sure you don’t waste them
