TGIF, right? We’re all thanking God for Friday – and rightfully so, as most may think, after spending countless hours trying to finish off their checklist of worldly responsibilities throughout the week.
But come Friday night, what exactly are we looking forward to for the weekend?
Are you excited that you’re finally going to be able to get done with all of the pending chores that you’ve been putting off the entire week? Or perhaps you just want to hit the couch and tune into Netflix to catch up on that show that you just haven’t had the time to binge-watch. It’s mostly the latter, isn’t it?
We’ve all heard the little nagging voice badgering us while we laze around, reminding us of all the tasks left unchecked on our to-do lists. The truth is there’s really only one way to silence that voice: just get through the list. And no, it’s definitely not easier said than done, and you’re about to find out how and why you need to do so.
1. Get everything out of the way to open your mind to creative thinking
It’s hard not to get caught up with worldly thoughts during the week. Our brains are wired to prioritize, and when we’re actively molding our intentions around, say, professional ambitions, it becomes particularly challenging to take time out to focus on other passions.
Mostly, our weekly routine and responsibilities barely leave us with enough time to delve into creative activities that might get our imagination going. This hinders a big part of your life, one where you could be pursuing an interest outside of your responsibilities.
When you’re not thinking about the things that you have to do, you end up envisioning all that you can do. Therefore, making it a point to get all things done by a hard deadline of Friday night so that your weekend is purged from any bugging reminders of what you need to do, is key.
The simple reason behind this is the ample amount of time and mental space that you will then be able to allot to your brain so that it can tap into your creative juices and get them going. This helps you focus all your thoughts on new ideas and self-reflection.
2. Personal and professional self-reflection
Weekends symbolize the end of the week (quite literally), and this is almost always a professional week. That being said, being a workaholic, then, does not necessarily mean working overtime, seven days a week, and not “wasting” the weekend while others are “slacking off”.
For both your personal and professional development, self-reflection is key. The more you prioritize it, the higher the results and rewards will be.
For people running their own businesses, it is even more important to be sure to remind yourself of why you started the hustle in the first place.
In a video, motivational speaker and author of The 5 Second Rule, Mel Robbins posits that simply setting out 30 seconds of your day to visualize a scenario that you’re aiming to achieve in the future can practically push you into working towards it. She also provides scientific backing to this statement.
So it’s easy to imagine the significant impact that utilizing your weekend to take out an hour or two specifically for quiet self-reflection and visualization of your future goals can have in the way of professional prospects.
3. Quality time with quality people
Peace in your personal affairs will translate into all areas of your life. When you feel that you’re amongst people who cherish, love, and inspire you, it serves as a great boost in confidence to encourage you to do just that well in all that you do.
Not to mention, it also makes you emotionally strong enough to know that no matter how you fare on a professional scale, you will always be surrounded by the people who matter.
It’s hardly fair that work-life balance is seemingly such a challenging task to uphold, but it is certainly not impossible to achieve.
Weekdays are for work, be it six, eight, twelve, or even 20 hours of grinding and only focussing on your job or your business. But the weekends should strictly be reserved for family.
It is crucial to flip the “work” switch off and unplug for a day or two. This will allow you to pause from your endless activities and get together with the people around you who will help get you back on track with reality and remind you why you value them in the first place.
While we’re working ever so hard, day in and day out, and putting in all those hours, let’s not forget the adversity that is mental burnouts. Gathering with friends and family over the weekend to catch up on each others’ lives serves as a refreshing change from your daily routine and gives you the little break you need to shift your perspective and get inspired towards your goals.
4. Wake up early – even on the weekends
Those millionaire-routine posts that you may have come across on social media aren’t just for show; they’re the real deal.
If you’ve already set a good, productive routine for yourself – one that you’re 100% sure is working to maximize your productivity in life – then you’re already halfway to being a successful person overall.
But, if I may speak on behalf of the other tribe of people who cannot seem to live out that perfect daily routine, it’s easy to think you’re getting into a good habit when you’re really not. Just like your New Year’s resolution, you can end up only practicing a habit for a couple of days and then getting over it.
However, to build a habit, all it really comes down to is execution. Execute healthy habits and know how they’re going to impact your life in the next few months. Then, visualize this future version of your life before you go to bed every night from the first day you execute that habit. Rise the next day, make sure to execute all your thoughts, and repeat.
Most importantly, you need to build momentum. A set routine of healthy habits is always facilitated by consistency and momentum, and anything that disrupts the cycle may hurt your overall progress.
The weekend may seem like the perfect excuse to take time off from your daily routine, but a good habit takes days to build – so you need to realize the cost of taking that break.
A good routine isn’t a responsibility – it is a lifestyle. And the weekend is the perfect chance to brainstorm ways to make your life better and more organized instead of letting all the effort you’ve already made go to waste.
One of the most basic but sure-fire ways of developing good habits is to make sure you get a headstart in the day. If you’re waking up early every day, not only does that give you ample time to implement new changes into your daily life, but it also gives you a sense of purpose to look forward to the rest of your day.
Even Tony Robbins advocates waking up early as a key indicator of success. You need to have an end game that is so important to you that you can’t help but wake up early to start working on it.
5. Plan ahead
Finally, the cherished couple of days you get in the week when you don’t have to go to work can be utilized to think about your next strategy and plan ahead.
Sundays are best for reevaluation. Once you’ve had to time reflect upon your current standing in life, you can spend the rest of your free time planning and preparing your next steps in the coming week.
While it may sound ridiculous to many, your weekend mood can potentially be very productive – if you utilize your hours correctly.
At the foundation of it all, you need to look at the weekend like this: its 48 hours of your life every week that can prove to be valuable, which you’re otherwise just wasting away. When you think of the long-term, habit-building impact that it can have on your life, it’s hard to look past the value-added benefits of utilizing the weekends optimally.