Self-care satisfies our physical, emotional and psychological needs, and it is essential that we prioritise looking out for ourselves. If we cannot create time during the week because of the hustle and bustle of life, weekends are a more relaxed time to dote on ourselves. Unfortunately, weekends are painfully short— before you open and close your eyes, it’s Monday again.
Here are our ten tips for making those blissful weekend days go by as pleasantly and productively as possible in preparation for the new week.
Drink Some Tea
For centuries, people around the world have been drinking tea, and for good reason. Various cultures have traditional teas made with herbs, spices, fruits and tea leaves available in their region. Countless studies have shown that tea may boost your immune system, fight inflammation, help with constipation and even ward off cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.
Tea is laden with benefits, can be taken hot or cold, and is also one of the most affordable beverages. While any tea is good tea, different kinds of tea have their unique benefits. Green tea, white tea and black tea, which are native to India and China, are rich in antioxidants and have remarkable cancer-fighting qualities and herbal teas are known for their calming qualities and are caffeine free.
Starting or ending your day with the right kind of tea can be what you need to put a pep in your step or to help you properly unwind and relax after a long day. My personal favourites are Chamomile, Mint, Ginger and Matcha tea.
(Note: The teas in question pointedly exclude “detox teas” made for fad diets that are supposedly effective for quick weight loss. These teas are often laced with laxatives and are potentially harmful to your health.)
Take A Walk
Walking on a scenic route (or whatever’s close enough) in the cool evening breeze with or without music (but especially with music) is a certified mood booster. Walking can help prevent heart disease, lower blood pressure, increase cardiovascular fitness, strengthen bones, reduce excess body fat, and boost muscle power and endurance; plus, it’s the easiest form of exercise, is free and requires no equipment.
Walking is a great way to improve or maintain your overall health, and adding a 30-minute walk to your weekend routine, and even more frequently than that if you can afford to, will greatly improve your quality of life.
Plan An Activity With Friends Or Family
The weekend is a great time to get together with the people you love. I recommend spending some time inside for pressure-free bonding and relaxation. You can play board games, watch a movie, or simply listen to music and talk. If you’d rather go out, you can plan a fun daytime activity like hiking, going to a park, an arcade, or a restaurant for lunch or brunch.
Social interactions can help us cope with stress and improve our psychological well-being, and I’m sure we’ve all experienced the renewing of our will to live; that “maybe life is not so bad after all” feeling after hanging out with friends.
Romanticise Your Life
After a long week of slaving under capitalism, your weekend is your reprieve— your far too short escape. The goal is to avoid stress and maximise time by doing fulfilling, stress-relieving activities and making a concerted effort to enjoy every minute as best you can.
Light a candle, put Sade on, wear a bathrobe and put on a face mask, tea or glass of red wine in hand, and watch Girlfriends again. Journal, water your plants, get in the bathtub and read a book by candlelight. Make magic out of the mundane. Imagine life is a movie, and you’re the star. Do everything with a flourish.
Take A Nap
A short nap in the mid-afternoon can boost memory, improve performance, including quicker reaction time and better memory, improve your mood, increase alertness, and ease stress. Take some time out of your weekend to take a much-deserved nap because before you know it, it’ll be Monday again.
Go On A Solo Date
Sometimes, we can barely find time for the things we love to do, even when we’re not working. Life can get overwhelming, and we may neglect ourselves, our hobbies and our interests in the process.
When you have some time to yourself at the weekend, especially if you’re a 9-5er, pick any of your favourite activities then go, and do it alone. You may decide to go to a fancy restaurant and devour a feast alone, or you may go to the cinema or the spa, but do something fancy, decadent and enjoyable for yourself. Spend some time simply enjoying your own company.
Take An Everything Shower
The weekend is a great time to meet your more serious grooming needs. It’s a great time to spend forever in the bathroom without the pressure of punctuality requirements and looming deadlines. Put some music and hot water on and enjoy the process— you finally have time to do a 6-step skincare routine, exfoliate, wash your hair thoroughly with shampoo and conditioner and maybe shave.
Declutter Your Space
It doesn’t matter if my world is falling to pieces; when my room is clean and neat, I feel like my life is put together. Standing at the door and looking at what I’ve done always puts me in a good mood. Also, it’ll make your work week more pleasant when you come home to a clean house and minimal chores. The weekend is the time to get the cleaning you put off the whole week done, do your laundry and sleep peacefully on freshly laid sheets.
Netflix And Chill
Catch up on your shows, maybe with a love interest, and see where the day/night takes you. Get comfortable, get snacks and blankets and enjoy.
Try Yoga Or Meditation
Meditation and yoga are great ways to destress after a long week. Meditation offers many benefits. It helps reduce stress and anxiety and may also help enhance your mood, promote healthy sleep patterns, and boost cognitive skills.
Regular yoga practice can be beneficial for both physical and mental health. The relaxation techniques incorporated in yoga can lessen chronic pain, such as lower back pain, arthritis, headaches and carpal tunnel syndrome, lower blood pressure and reduce insomnia. Yoga can provide increased flexibility, help maintain a balanced metabolism and make you feel more energised and vitalised.
Take some time out of your weekend; you can find yoga and meditation videos for beginners on Youtube; give it a shot.