How do you spend your weekends?
Do you feel like you’ve worked hard for a few days and finally have time to relax? So you stay up all night watching TV, get lost in games, and let time slip away?
Or do you spend your two weekend days with your family, taking care of chores? You have a few free moments, but you’re constantly checking your apps and refreshing your feeds?
You waste precious free time, and you end up feeling more drained than you did at work.
But successful people often use their weekends to reboot themselves, inside and out.
Successful People Don’t Let Their Weekends Go to Waste
My friend Emily worked as a receptionist at a company a few years ago. Her job was mostly answering calls and doing some basic paperwork.
But on weekends, starting Friday night, she would just hang out or binge-watch shows.
She lived like this for a few years. This year, with the pandemic hitting, her company wasn’t doing well. Emily was laid off.
At almost 30, Emily had a thin resume and was looking for a new job. She found that in today’s tough job market, her applications were going unanswered. She regretted wasting so many weekends and free time.
Thomas Edison once said, “Free time can ruin a person, but it can also make a person.”
How we use our free time determines our outcomes and achievements.
My friend has been publishing books, one after another, and each one has been successful.
He accomplished all of this by using his weekends and free time.
He originally planned to publish a book at 40, but by his 20s, he had already published several.
People asked him how he did it.
He said with a smile, “It’s just about making the most of my spare time.”
“Your free time determines your lifetime.”
The heights and achievements a person can reach in their lifetime often depend on where they spend their time, including their free time.
On precious weekends, spend your energy and interests on what you love. Make the most of your free time. That’s how you’ll have the strength to fight life’s challenges when they come.
Don’t waste your time. Don’t let your weekends go to waste. It’s the first step to becoming successful.
Successful People Understand the Importance of Rest
Lenin once said, “Those who don’t know how to rest, don’t know how to work.”
Good rest gives us new energy and helps us work better.
My friend works long hours during the week, but she never schedules work on weekends. Instead, she does other things, like taking ballet classes on Saturdays and French classes on Sundays.
Besides these classes, she plays sports with friends on weekends or attends interesting local book clubs.
My friend truly rests on the weekends, which makes her feel more energized and fulfilled every day.
“Lazy people can’t enjoy the joy of rest.”
True rest is about relaxing your mind and body, a balance of work and relaxation.
Knowing how to rest, making the most of your weekends, and finding balance helps you be reborn.
Here’s How You Can Spend Your Weekend
The truth is, we all feel the same way about weekends. We look forward to them, but then we feel like we wasted our time.
So before your next weekend arrives, think about how you want to spend it. Make a list or do something that helps you grow and have fun.
Get Out and About
“I love the mischievous little boy, lying by the stream peeling lotus pods.” How long has it been since we’ve seen such a lively and interesting scene?
Life isn’t just about the daily grind. There are many meaningful and beautiful things out there. Get out and about. Take a break from the daily routine.
You can take your family on a weekend trip, or go on your own. Go somewhere you can drive to. See different scenery and wash away the stress of the week.
Getting out can help you exercise and find healing and renewal in different landscapes.
Savor Delicious Food
The old saying goes, “The most comforting thing in the world is the smoke and fire of everyday life.” And that smoke and fire often comes from sharing meals with loved ones. Whether it’s in your own kitchen or finding a great place to eat, having the company of loved ones and sharing food always gives us a boost.
A delicious meal, a small gathering, putting down your phone, looking up, and spending your weekend with intention makes life feel richer.
Read a Good Book
“Books are the ladder of human progress, a lifelong companion, and the most sincere friend.”
Some people buy books long ago and leave them on their shelves. They think they’ll read them when they have time, but if they don’t act now, they probably never will.
Many things in life are best done sooner rather than later. A book you read at 15 is different from the same book you read at 25. Seize the moment, read with intention, and each year you’ll see a different landscape.
On the weekends, pick up a good book. Share the joys and sorrows of the characters, stand on the shoulders of giants, and see the vast world.
Reflect on the Week and Prepare for Next Week
There’s a saying: “There’s no such thing as a wasted journey. Every step you take counts.”
On the weekends, reflect on the week, train your mind, and make improvements to your work.
Did you make any mistakes last week? Did you miss anything due to carelessness? Is there a better solution to the project you’re working on?
Think about it on the weekends. If you made a mistake, fix it. If you didn’t, keep up the good work. Life is not a smooth path, and work requires constant improvement to earn each other’s lasting trust.
“If life is too idle, thoughts will creep in, but if life is too busy, true nature will not be revealed.”
Learn to free yourself from the stress and busyness, and make sure your busyness is meaningful and your leisure time is measured. Master your work and free time, and you’ll master your life.
Successful people never let their weekends go to waste.
Successful people truly understand the importance of rest.
May we all work with intention and enjoy every weekend. May we have the strength to reboot and always be full of energy.