The best activities to make the most of your weekend

Sometimes you have a week with 5 Mondays and it feels like it's only half a Saturday – here are some tips to make the most of your weekend and be ready for the next round of Mondays

Most people work 5 days and then have a weekend – for some it is Saturday/Sunday, for others it is more flexible. What should be flexible, however, is giving your mind and body a break so you can get back to work refreshed and energized. The better you can relax and rest, the better you can work. Downtime is essential for increasing alertness, elevating mood, unlocking creativity and solving problems. It is also necessary to improve learning and memory and restore mental health in the workplace.

A Stanford study shows that excessive working has clear limitations, with workers experiencing a sharp decline in productivity when working more than 50 hours per week. People in the study who worked more than 70 hours per week completed the same amount of work as people who worked 55 hours per week. Where is all this time going?

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Studies like these highlight the importance of having time for yourself where you can think, reflect, rest, and do things that bring you joy. Downtime can significantly improve mental and physical health, as well as personal relationships. For example, one study found that employees who unplugged and took time off reduced serious health problems like coronary heart disease.

Disconnect from work

It's important to step away from work digitally and physically over the weekend so that you feel like you have a few days off and can rest. This is easier said than done, especially if you have to work over the weekend. What you can do is create a weekend work schedule that allows you to read emails and make calls without taking up the time you would spend doing other, more enjoyable things.

Minimize your tasks

As the week progresses, household chores pile up, meaning that on the weekend you can only clean up and repair things in your apartment. To avoid this, try spreading your tasks throughout the week, making them part of your daily routine and giving yourself more time to relax on the weekend. Laundry can be done in small batches, rather than just on a Saturday afternoon.

Train

Finding time for exercise is tiring, especially on weekdays when you have to work and do other things. Weekends are perfect for recording your workouts. You have plenty of time to keep fit and do exercises that are motivating and less annoying.

Do something you are passionate about

Make time for something you enjoy, be it drawing, writing, reading, or something else that makes you think and also makes you happy. If you do this activity on the weekend, you'll benefit even more because you'll feel like you're actually doing something rather than just passing the time.

Try to wake up at the same time

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It's a little difficult, but it works if you're the type of person who has a hard time settling back into the week. Irregular wake-up times on the weekend disrupt your circadian rhythm and make you feel very tired and groggy despite the fact that you slept more than usual. This unpleasant feeling can also make itself felt on Mondays and throw the rest of the week out of balance.

Use your morning as your “me time”

Two to four hours after waking up, your mind reaches its peak performance, resulting in truly enjoyable morning activities that help you get a better workout and enjoy what you're doing.

Prepare for the week

Planning some of your work in advance will make your weeks much more productive. You skip the entire preparation phase of your Monday, jump straight into work and make your week feel much more enjoyable and relaxed.

Resting on the weekend gives your body and mind a chance to recharge and recover from the stress of the week. This can help you feel more energized and productive when you return to work on Monday. When you are tired and overworked you become easily irritable and short-tempered, but when fully rested your mood and attitude improves.