Get More Out of Your Weekend

Oftentimes, the weekend can feel like it flew by way too fast. But they're longer than we think. From the time you get off work on Friday to when you wake up on Monday, you've got about 60 hours to play with. That's ample time to relax, revive your spirit and work out your body. But it doesn't just happen. According to Penelope Trunk, a career coach and author of Brazen Careerist: The New Rules for Success, "a highly successful person is very focused on what they want to be doing. The weekend and the week look very similar: They are focused on creating the life they want." Here's how to win on the weekends.

Make a Plan

On days off, it's easy to succumb to the idea of doing nothing. So we putter around the house, flip through the channels, waste time on our phones and otherwise fill time with things that don't replenish or relax us. Sunday comes and we're left wondering where the time went. Schedule some of things you'd like to accomplish—be it a nap on Saturday afternoon or going for a long bike ride. Not only will you figure out the best time for you to do these things, the anticipation actually aids in the enjoyment of the activities.

Disconnect

A slew of successful people swear by taking a tech break on the weekends. Not the whole weekend, of course. But even just going for a walk or out to dinner without a phone will feel liberating and refocus your attention. If you don't have a work obligation, try ignoring your email and other electronic leashes from Saturday evening to mid-day Sunday.

People tend to do the same things week-in, week-out. The result? You can feel like you're in a rut. Repeating favorite activities is fine, but if it's too similar or expected, the weekend hums along and it feels as though it's going by too fast. Jolt yourself into a whole new frame of mind by trying something different, taking up invitations and avoiding your usual weekend activities.

Prevent Sunday-Night Stress

Even for those of us who love our jobs, come Sunday, it's natural to start stressing about the next day's tasks. So even before you've had lunch, you start feeling like the weekend's over. Keep such negativity at bay by planning something fun for Sunday evening. Knowing you've got a dinner with friends, hot lather shave or game of pool coming up extends the weekend by keeping your mind focused on something you're looking forward to doing.