What did you do this weekend?
In a recent catch-up exchange with a colleague of mine, we covered the typical updates around work, kids, travel, etc. The end of her note wrapped up with how the family comes back together with a simple "Weekends are precious". How perfect!
To me the weekend is defined by having far less important emails arriving and far less calendared items that drive our Monday through Fridays. It is an opportunity to do something meaningful—either professionally, with your family or friends, or for yourself. If your weekend is approached with too casual an approach you could be missing out.
Many of us use weekends to catch up on work. But what does it mean if you are doing your normal Monday through Friday work on the weekend? It would be good to know if you have a workload or productivity issues that causes this. Is this work so urgent that you have to spend your weekend on this? I prefer to take weekend time to thoughtfully work on important projects that just don't get done during the week.
How about those nitty little household projects? It seems that it is too easy to just let them ride until the next week... and the next week. I'm so good at making the lists and thinking about what to do, but I'm as guilty as the next person when it comes to doing stuff. The key for me is to just get started. I'm still working on this myself and as soon as I finish with this blog entry I'm going to go see if I can finally determine why the bathroom sink is leaking!
Are you using your weekends for friends and family? Formal get-togethers, spur of the moment meals or catching up via the phone are far more satisfying and different than reading Facebook updates. As a matter of fact, why do these activities only have to happen on the weekend? Why not have a meal with friends during the week? What a way to improve your work-life balance... and your overall disposition!
Speaking about your disposition. What about exercise, sleeping in, reading? Weekends are a huge opportunity to take care of yourself.
Thoughtful approaches to what you do with your time are key. Whether it is your after dinner time or your weekend, it is all about choice. We are merely balancing a different set of things.
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