✨Long weekends for wellness without taking an extra day of PTO✨
I'll help you feeeeeeel like you took a 3-day weekend
Your ‘go-to’ newsletter for holistic self + health improvement to unleash your inner superwoman (or man). It’s like a health coach in your pocket!
Most of us are relieved and psyched for the weekend when Friday morning arrives.
Am I right?
The first thing anyone says when they get to work on a Friday is “TGIF”!
We all love our time to relax and unwind on the weekend. I personally just love the fact that I can go about my days without being on any sort of schedule - that feels like freedom to me.
We want the weekend to last forever. But how often do you get to Sunday night and feel like the weekend raced by?
Let me tell you a secret. My weekends almost always feel long and I have figured out why.
How I make my weekends feel longer
I create a weekend with a mix of productivity, fun, novelty, mindfulness, and gratitude.
I think novelty and gratitude are the heavy hitters as far as making the time slow down. I crave going to new places on the weekends. This can cost $0 and be within 10–30 miles of my home.
Or it can be a day trip. I mix it up.
I don’t go crazy here. I find new places to go — simple as that. It’s usually nature, coffee or kombucha shops, new stores, farmer's markets, new towns, or restaurants. I could go on and on.
Last weekend I drove into Syracuse and found a new coffee shop that serves kombucha on tap. Now, that is heaven to me!
Low and behold, across the street I see a used book store! Life is good when you can find a coffee shop near a used book store! It was fun to chat with the owner of the book store, which is generous in size, and a friend to my wallet! I left with a Jane Green novel and a cookbook for under $14.
I really take in novel things, places, sights… then I write about it later in my journal.
I appreciate the architecture of the buildings, food, and nature scenery more than I can even say. I also love to see a new small business thrive. I take so many pictures of the bits and pieces of my novel journeys — no matter if I traveled 10 miles or 100. I take pictures of my delicious food and the interior of new (or old) places I go. I take nature pictures of the landscapes, skies and even the dew drops on the leaves.
I take it all in.
I really take it all in, and that slows time for me.
You need to do things that bring you joy, and when doing them take a moment to fully appreciate what you are doing — it slows down time.
So, when the weekend arrives, take the time to truly appreciate your ‘time’. Do this multiple times over the weekend.
Be in the present. Be grateful. Appreciate the moments.
This is self-care. This is wellness.
See how you feel on Sunday night when you reflect over the weekend. Did it feel longer? Are you more satisfied?
Here are a few tips from my own experience to make the most of your weekend and make it feel longer:
Sleep in a little for your health, but not too long. There can be magic in starting the day early.
Create a loose schedule of activities and tasks (or no schedule at all) — I find that if I make a tight schedule it brings on pressure and stress, which actually speeds up my weekend, but some ideas of places to go and things to do helps me to not squander the weekend away.
Go somewhere or do something novel — this is one of my absolute favorite things to do. I adore visiting a new coffee shop, new store, restaurant, or new town — it just needs to be new to me.
Spend some time cozied up with a book — weekends are a perfect time to relax and catch up on reading without having to worry about work emails or meetings.
Journal a little deeper on the weekends without the pressure of time limitations of how long you can write.
Take a bit more time on your healthy eating habits — weekends are a good time to do some healthy meal prep or take more time to cook a more involved recipe (if you like to cook). My weekends are always better when I get into the kitchen.
Get outside in nature for a long walk. Winter walks can be wonderful too — bundle up!
Get chores out of the way early — I try to get started on mine on Thursday and Friday. I like to leave some chores for the weekend — I like the feeling of productivity that cleaning my kitchen gives me. Take or leave that one!
Take pictures of things that bring you awe on the weekend — it helps you to be in the present moment.
Get social! I love to plan a social outing with a friend or loved one on the weekend. Sometimes I plan it so we go someplace new — double whammy there!
Now go and enjoy this upcoming weekend and feel the weekend slow down a little.
Now, some weekly recommendations to support overall wellness.
#1 Rec: Speaking of journaling about your weekend, you might need a new journal! I LOVE this one because it’s Van Gogh art, it’s small enough to fit in my tote bag and it’s spiral bound. I can’t deal with a journal that I have to hold open with one hand and write with the other. Oh, and it’s not expensive at all! Here’s a link to get your journal.
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#2 Rec: I love the Substack platform so much and the people on it! I am learning something new each day I read. I am also finding loads of personal inspiration from what others are writing, so I am going to share a few of the people/pubs I am reading and interacting with these days!
Visit their page and see if you would like to follow them too 💚. I think I’ll start posting publication recommendations on the regular. I have found fabulous pubs because others are doing this too.
Back to Basics Nutrition by Danni MacFarland
Make Pure Thy Heart by Paolo Peralta
Notes by Martine by Martine Ellis
2% Michael Easter by ummm… Michael Easter
Online Writing Club by Kristina God
More ways to connect with me:
📱️Join me on the socials: Instagram + Pinterest are my favs
✍️Some reads you might enjoy ⤵️
Until next time…
Cheers to a healthier and happier you!
If you purchase from any links in this post, I may earn an affiliate commission. Thank you!
Thank you so much for the shout out to my Substack. ❤. I truly appreciate it.
For that long weekend feel, my husband and I having been taking small day trips to explore small towns in and around Texas. And it we are hanging at home, I may partake in an afternoon nap!
Great tips Melissa! I love a long weekend. I have that same Van Gogh journal. haha!