The weekend. It is something employees around the world count down to every week. Those two blissful days to enjoy life without worry. I used to be one of these people, watching the clock slowly move on Fridays, waiting for the moment I could jump out of my desk and head to the elevators, leaving colleagues in my dust.
Since starting my entrepreneurship journey almost 3 years ago, working as a one-woman PR agency, the weekend disappeared, replacing brunch and lazy mornings with crafting media pitches, strategies, and research. Sure, I enjoyed my weekends and did fun things, but work was still a priority. When you are a business owner, and the stakes are high, taking a complete day off seems wrong. There is always something more that can be done.
Then COVID-19 disrupted the world, especially the workplace, and thousands of people are now working from home, trying to figure out this transition of the home becoming the office and vice versa. It was once I went into self-isolation that I realized the disservice I was doing myself by not having my weekends work-free. Taking Saturday and Sunday for myself means that Monday through Friday are the power days where I am putting in more concentrated efforts because I know I will have the weekend for myself. I work to accomplish as much as I can during the week so I can enjoy the weekend guiltless.
Even though I am my own boss and can make my own hours, I am making sure I get up early and have a scheduled working day while I am stuck at home. I find it helpful to have clear starts and ends to my day now. I start my day around 7:15 with coffee and the NYT daily briefings and end with a brisk walk around the neighborhood. These little things really help anchor my day and help me stay focused. The weekend starts with a cocktail or glass of wine followed by a movie and ends with a meditation on Sunday night, mentally preparing myself for the week that lies ahead.
Here are some things I am doing during the weekends, all social distancing approved:
1. Reading “You Are a Badass at Making Money” by Jen Sincero
2. Writing articles
3. Taking walks (something I also do at the end of the working day to unwind)
4. Watching movies (I try to eliminate phone screen time as much as possible since that can easily lead to checking emails and thinking about work)
5. Cooking good food and making cocktails
6. Dreaming about my next travel destination!