Picture source : Papershift
Most of us can't get out of our routines for a week or two when we need a refresher, but it's possible to enjoy some of the perks of vacationing without leaving the city or taking an extended vacation. In a study recently published in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science, researchers divided 441 full-time workers into two groups, asking the first group to treat weekends like vacations, and the second group were asked to treat the weekend like a typical weekend. Participants rated their well-being on Friday and Monday as well on her scale of 1 to 7, considering happiness, stress, worry, and satisfaction. result? Vacation mode participants not only enjoyed their weekends more, but also felt happier, less stressed, and happier at work on Mondays.
Here are some best tips for truly refreshing your weekend :
1. Be vocal about your intentions
When you close your laptop on Friday, remind yourself to treat the weekend like a vacation, and tell your friends and family too. Instead of allowing time to fly by, it signals your brain and body to slow down, focus on the present moment, and enjoy each moment. Everyone's "vacation" is different, but what they all have in common is that it's a restful vacation. You are in no hurry and do not consider all activities to be a hassle.
2. Get creative about making time
Not everyone has Saturday and Sunday (or two days in a row) off. Many are bound by busy weekend schedules. In that case, you need to let your creativity run free and make time for your holiday spirit. You can also apply this philosophy to Thursday nights and other weekday nights. Or, if you're worried about getting it all done, set aside an hour on Sunday morning for housework and the rest of the weekend for vacation.
3. Keep yourself honest with “commitment devices.”
Most of the activities that bring us joy, awe, and spiritual renewal are optional, making them easy to skip. To make sure you don't miss out on meaningful opportunities to rejuvenate, you can use a commitment device or commit to pursuing your goals. When it comes to prioritizing relaxing weekend activities, you might think of booking a non-refundable yoga class, setting up a coffee date with a friend, or buying ingredients for fluffy pancakes on Friday afternoon. The idea is that if you have even a little incentive, you're more likely to stick to your vacation plans.
4. Act like a tourist
One of the benefits of holiday thinking is that it's a great antidote to cognitive fatigue. Do something completely new to break free from the old routines that dominate your life. When you go to new places and discover new things, you learn something about yourself. It is new information that brings joy or inspires ideas. You can drive to parts of the city you've never been to, have lunch at the first nice cafe you find on a walk, or take a tour of the city by bike or boat like a tourist. It's the spontaneity that makes these experiences feel like vacations.
5. Make slight tweaks to your schedule to shift out of the daily grind
The key to having a more relaxing weekend is to make a few changes to your schedule that will allow you to be more relaxed. The 'holiday' group spent slightly less time doing housework, slightly less time working, and slightly more time enjoying meals. That means you still have time to complete important tasks while still being in the holiday spirit.
6. Relegate chores (and work) to a single block of time
Most of us like to treat our weekends like vacations, but we also have a long list of household chores that need to be done during the holidays. To minimize the thrill, focus household chores on part of the weekend and schedule them unexpectedly for later (or earlier). For example, if you set Saturday morning as your working hours, you will know that you are free from noon on Saturday for the rest of the weekend. Or maybe you're planning on doing laundry or dusting on Sunday afternoon, but knowing you'll be done by that time allows you to focus on better things ahead of time. A small shift in mindset can prevent your holidays from feeling cluttered with tedious work.
7. Try not to take the people and things that bring you joy for granted.
Holidays give us plenty of opportunities to enjoy everyday life, but being aware of the ephemeral nature of time can make us want to enjoy it even more. Whether it's having dinner with your aging parents or jogging with your dog, it's easy to imagine that there are plenty of opportunities. But come to think of it, there are a limited number of such experiences, so you might find it more enjoyable to focus on "practice for the rest of your time." Look back over the past few weeks and identify the moment that brought you the most joy.
Source : TIME, SELF, HBR
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