The weekend is meant to be a period of relaxation. It’s when you can let your hair down. And you’re meant to be able to put your feet up – but sometimes, we can feel like we do a little too much of that.
Sure, we work a full week, and need the time for a break, but we can start to stagnate during those off moments.
We can feel like we’re wasting time. We can feel like we should be doing something, and specifically, something a lot more productive. Ultimately, we can get bored with sitting back and relaxing, and we feel we need something a bit more from life.
Don’t worry, it’s quite common to feel like this. After all, if you’re used to giving your all 5 days a week, it’s only natural that jitters set in when you’ve got nothing to do! You’ve trained your brain to get on with things, and that comes full circle when the weekend rolls in.
But now’s your chance to turn these negative feelings (and associations) into something a little more positive. You need to take a break from working, and being productive, and Saturdays and Sundays are perfect for fostering a bit of creative thinking.
So let’s try and find you something enjoyable to do, that you won’t mind spending a bit of energy on during the weekend.
GET COMFORTABLE WITH THE DIGITAL WORLD
We live in a digital world, and when you’re feeling a bit alienated by it, getting comfortable with the way it works is a great way to spend time on the weekend. It’s something that doesn’t take too much energy, and you can walk away from it anytime you like, and that’s perfect for winding down at the end of the week. And seeing as being tech handy, and knowing your way around software can guarantee you an edge in the job world, you’ll certainly feel very productive as you go.
So, why not spend a bit of time learning how to code? Or maybe how to put a top of the range PC together? There are a lot of courses online, and most of them are free. And there’s always an interesting Youtube video or two you could get invested in!
GO ON A SPONTANEOUS ADVENTURE
Adventure is something we crave, as humans. We love to get outside, and we love to explore, and putting both those elements together results in something truly quite special. You get to step out like an intrepid explorer from the past, find creative ways to deal with the weather, and go off in search of snap worthy sights. And you’ll get plenty of fresh air in your lungs, which is essential if you’ve spent most of the week stuck in a stuffy office!
It doesn’t have to be a complicated matter either. Even just going down to your local park and walking around it for an hour, or spending a similar amount of time in a nearby wooded area, will work wonders for your wellbeing. Walking trails, both in and out of the city, are a great way to spend your time productively – the brain loves to release happy chemicals when you use your legs and push yourself onwards, and you’ll come back feeling more refreshed than you thought was possible.
TAKE AN AFTERNOON OFF TO FISH
Fishing can be quite a rewarding activity. Of course, it’s not for everyone, but it’s certainly a form of sport that you won’t puff yourself out of breath for. And when it’s a later Sunday evening, and you’re trying to wind down from a crazy week (and get ready for another one!), this would be perfect.
Fishing is great for your mental and physical health. It makes sure you get outside, and spend a good amount of time and nature, and it requires you to use your whole body to send a fly out and then reel something in. And if you’re someone who wants to get in touch with your patient side, and develop a bit more discipline in your stance and your muscles, this is a great way to do so.
As for the mental side, you’re totally involved, you have to think creatively, and there are a lot of techniques you can try. Make it a bit of a challenge – try to fish for a specific fish only; after all, there are quite a few different disciplines out there, such as salmon and halibut fishing. All in all, your brain is going to love sinking its teeth into something as meaty as learning how to fish.
MAKE SOMETHING PHYSICAL
In a world that’s quite digitized, with a lot of commercial happenings occurring solely on virtual servers, you can feel quite disconnected. A lot of things we interact with on a daily basis don’t have the same sense of reality to them as we do – we’re real people, with physical bodies and sensations, and that can trip our brains up.
It’s one of the reasons social media can be so harmful. We’re putting the best parts of our lives on there for people to revel in, and maybe hate themselves for in comparison, but there’s no guarantee what we are seeing is real.
So take the time to make something physical. Put your hands to work with something like cooking and baking, or knitting and sewing, or even woodworking or glassblowing! These are all worthy skills to turn your mind to, and when you’ve got something tangible to show for it by the end, you’re going to feel a lot better about the time you spent making it.
ARE YOU WASTING YOUR VALUABLE WEEKEND TIME?
It’s often said that the time you enjoy wasting is not wasted at all. But in reality, sometimes it can feel like we’re missing out on something. Let’s make sure you’re putting your weekend free time to good use, and that you’re enjoying yourself whilst you’re at it.