Yesterday, I was speaking to a group of employees about burnout and some strategies to prevent it or manage it. One person in the group shared that she and her husband spend their Saturdays taking day trips and “mini-adventures” to interesting places around their part of the state. They do this because it gives them an opportunity for uninterrupted conversation as they drive and it helps them to connect through the shared experiences. For them, it’s a way to relax and recharge.
I love this example of using the weekend for an intentional purpose that has relational, emotional, mental, and even spiritual benefits for each of them.
And it made me think this: How intentional am I being about my weekends?
The daily planner that I use (The Full Focus Planner) has a “weekend optimizer” section that focuses on self-care and is centered around the following prompts:
Sleep – Can I allow myself to sleep in? Do I need to “catch up” on sleep?
Eat – Is there a restaurant I want to try this weekend? Is there something I want to cook? If I want to “cheat” on my diet this weekend, what foods do I want to try?
Move – What will I do this weekend to move and be active?
Connect – Who do I want or need to connect with this weekend? In what ways can I connect with my family this weekend that will be meaningful?
Relax – What can I do this weekend to relax and recharge?
I encourage you to use these prompts to plan out your weekend – just give a try and see what you think.
By being more intentional, you can take better advantage of the opportunity to do some self-care so that you can enter the week ahead rested, restored, and energized.
Good luck!
rusty tugman 