Weekends spell fun times and relaxation. But often they seem too end as soon as they have begun. And by Sunday evening most people are already experiencing Monday blues.
So what can you do to make this weekly time off fun, yet meaningful?
- Drop the regular – Though waking up late, bed lounging, watching endless reruns on TV, or shopping at the mall are treated as bona fide weekend activities, spending your entire time doing nothing can be mind numbing, even depressing. Though we tend to gravitate towards easy, routine, and safe stuff, if we look closely we realise that those times are not necessarily our best of times. And time too tends to fly quicker when you are not doing anything interesting. Remember the weekend you spent away from home holidaying with your family? There was so much you could cram in just 48 hours, so much that you experienced. And remember the one spent just lounging on, the one that passed away in a blur without a murmur. So make it a point to try something new every weekend. Create one new experience. Trying rock climbing, a new sport, a new recipe, meet somebody new, anything that perks up your mind. In short, be unpredictable, do the unusual.
- Complete 2 major tasks – They can be anything. An old pending tax refund, cleaning your refrigerator or getting your car repaired. A sense of accomplishment always energises us. Moreover anything that we leave pending eventually starts looking bigger that it really is. So make up your mind to complete 2 pending tasks every weekend. And ideally always try to schedule them early in the day to free yourself for the rest of the day.
- Plunge in to your hobby – We all have a hobby or interest, which holds a special place in our heart. But more often than not, it gets relegated to the background of our super busy life. However these interests are often the keys to your secret cache of inner happiness. Don’t underestimate their power. So if you like painting, retreat to a corner of your home for a few hours and get on with it. The objective here is to let go. Don’t be judgemental. Enjoy the process. Immerse yourself in it. Be one with it. And deeper you go in any activity, the more closer you come to your inner silence, the field of all potentiality.
- Spend time with nature- Nature is not only a creator but also a great rejuvenator. But in the stress of daily living, we start losing touch with this force of life. As a result, we tend to feel scattered or anxious. Spending time amidst nature can ground you. It can help you feel more rooted, more centred. So wherever you stay, make it a point to go a to nearby garden, forest, or even the beach for your date with Mother Nature. Feel the cool grass under your feet, take in the fresh air, and let the sunlight warm your back, sit on a steady rock, and just feel her presence around you and in you.
- Unplug yourself – We are all constantly immersed in the pool of electromagnetic radiation. Research indicates that prolonged exposure can result in psychiatric disorders like depression, shortened attention span, and inability to sleep. So switch offall electronic communication devices for at least 3 hours every weekend and reduce your exposure. That means no television, Internet, gaming or phones. Switch off the Wi-Fi as well. Spend that time alone or with your family. Play a board game, read, or meditate. The idea here is allow the mind and body to de-stress.
So the key to having a super weekend is to plan your time mindfully, be choosy about where and who you are spending it with and finally plunging whole heartedly in everything you choose to do.