Love long weekends

Being an entrepreneur, my weekends and weekdays tend to blur together, so it is a good thing I have my husband to remind me of upcoming stat holidays.

As my column is published on Sundays, by the time you read this, the August long weekend may be half, or even fully over, but don’t let that deter you from reading it to the end.

Knowing how to make the most of a long weekend, is a skill everyone should know.

Make plans

If you want to make the most of a long weekend, or short holiday, planning is the key to your success. Without a plan, you may find the time just slips by, leaving you wondering where it went.

You don’t need to plan every minute of every day, but knowing what you want to enjoy or accomplish, will provide you with some valuable structure. Keep your plan flexible, and be willing to adapt it if circumstances change.

Get ready for your return to work, before you leave the office to enjoy your long weekend. This can be challenging, but trust me, it will be worth it. Knowing you don’t have to think about getting back to the office until you get there, will make it easier to unwind and enjoy your time off to its fullest.

Plan something enjoyable for the last evening of the weekend. This will help you avoid the Sunday, or in this case Monday, night blues. Stay in the holiday spirit as long as possible, by keeping your mind off the inevitable return to work.

Research shows that looking forward to something, often boosts your feelings of well-being more than the event itself. Maximize the enjoyment of anticipation by creating a plan, well in advance.

If you didn’t read this article early enough to take advantage of its advice for this long weekend, start planning for the next one. Give yourself the gift of anticipation.

Find balance

In everything you do, look for balance. Too much socializing with too many late nights and glasses of wine may leave you feeling exhausted, and too much time spent all on your own, may create a feeling of loneliness and dissatisfaction.

Balance is the key to any successful long weekend, or mini break.

Balance:

• How much time is planned for, and how much is left for spontaneity
• The things you want to do, and the things you need to do
• Passive and active activity choices
• Social time and personal time

Even if your weekend lacks balance in one area, try to find balance in other ones.

Do something different

Habits can be extremely useful, but when it comes to making the most of a short break from work, habitual actions may not be your friend.

Change your routine. Simply by doing things differently than usual, you will cause your brain to sit up and take notice. Being more mindful of what is happening during your day, will help you enjoy it more.

Take time for a digital detox. Put your devices away and live in the moment. Enjoy face to face interaction and get back to living in the moment. This will also help you put work to one side. If you don’t receive any emails, you can’t worry about what’s in them.

If you are a local, become a tourist for the weekend. Find out where the most popular places are, and go visit them.

They say that the people who live in the same neighbourhood as Disneyland, are likely to never have been there. We often don’t enjoy the opportunities that are on our doorstep.

The aim of having time away from work is to return refreshed and recharged, not damaged, and depressed. Use these strategies to ensure your next long weekend, or mini break makes you feel revitalized.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.