People Who Have Enough Energy To Actually Enjoy Their Weekend Do These 4 Things During The Week
Most of us are so tired after a long week we spend the entire weekend rotting in our beds.
DavideAngelini | Shutterstock Those of us who work 40-hour weeks likely look forward to unwinding during the weekends, catching up with old friends, and getting some fresh air outdoors before we’re confined to our offices again. However, by the time the weekend rolls around, many people struggle to make it out of bed, feeling completely exhausted and unmotivated.
Leadership speaker Selena Rezvani cracked the code when it comes to having more energy on the weekends instead of rotting in bed — and it all starts with adjusting your habits during the week. Here are some of her key takeaways.
People who have enough energy to actually enjoy their weekend do these four things during the week:
Raezvani took to TikTok to remind people not to burn through every ounce of energy at work and enter the weekend running on empty. “I have spent years learning this the hard way,” she admits in a TikTok video. “You’re in charge, and if you start the weekend already drained and crabby, that’s a problem.”
She offered four key pieces of advice to adopt so your weekends are fulfilling and fun.
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1. 'Front-load joy'
Simply put: Plan one activity for the weekend that will make you excited. This can be anything from taking yourself out for coffee, going for a hike, or even just eating chips on the couch while binge-watching your favorite show.
Front-loading joy is about stacking up positive emotions or rewards early in order to help fuel your motivation to work through what’s to come! So, if it's only Tuesday and you are already feeling particularly stressed at work, make a note in your calendar for the weekend, planning to do something that you can look forward to.
Author, happiness expert, and podcast host Gretchen Rubin explained, "Having something to look forward to makes you 'feel good' and may also give an 'atmosphere of growth' to your life, because the future seems bright." She went on to say, "By having something to look forward to, no matter what your circumstances, you bring happiness into your life well before the event actually takes place. In fact, sometimes the happiness in anticipation is greater than the happiness actually experienced in the moment — that’s known as 'rosy prospection.'”
2. 'Build in a transition ritual'
A transition ritual is a specific activity or routine that helps mark the shift from one phase or state to another, such as moving from work mode to personal time. For example, as you wrap up work tasks before your shift ends, you may want to take a few deep breaths, go for a nice long walk, and even change clothes to signal your body that it is time to transition from work to personal time.
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Your body will eventually associate these behaviors with the transition, giving you an immediate boost of joy and energy. Transition rituals provide a sense of control, intention, and calmness during periods of change, making it easier to switch between roles without feeling scattered.
3. 'Brain dump before bed'
If you find yourself going to bed with work on your mind, Raezvani suggested getting all of the thoughts down on paper so they could escape your brain. Your brain needs to be decluttered from all of the worries of the day if you want to get a sufficient amount of sleep.
If you are not getting your eight hours during the week, you will not be as energized as you hope to be during the weekends.
4. 'Give yourself permission to be human'
Above all else, we are human beings who deserve breaks. Raezvani encouraged people to give themselves downtime throughout the workday to avoid burning out. If you put everything you’ve got into your work, you will be running on empty by the time you enter the weekend.
Raezvani had a helpful hack when it came to taking breaks. “During your workday, mentally picture a yellow permission slip that says PERMISSION TO BE HUMAN and take breaks,” she advised. “Look at funny memes, refresh yourself periodically.”
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Working long hours takes a toll on our bodies and overall health. A study conducted by the World Health Organization concluded that working 55 or more hours per week is associated with an estimated 35% higher risk of a stroke and a 17% higher risk of dying from ischemic heart disease.
No amount of work is worth losing your life or your well-deserved weekends over.
By focusing on these four behaviors during the workweek, you are doing yourself a favor when it comes to enjoying your time off. While spending some weekends resting and catching up on sleep is completely valid, you also deserve to check out that new bar you’ve been meaning to try and get in a much-needed beach day with the energy you were able to store during the week.
Megan Quinn is a staff writer with a bachelor's degree in English and a minor in Creative Writing. She covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on justice in the workplace, personal relationships, parenting debates, and the human experience.