How to Have a Fun Time on the Weekend?

SadaNews - The weekend is an opportunity for rest, rejuvenation, and spending quality time with family and friends, but some do not utilize it properly to recharge for the work week ahead.

Experts believe weekends can be deceptive, as they seem like a long period at the start, but quickly fade away due to tasks and browsing and "obligations."

To make the most of the weekend, here are 10 habits you can adopt according to VegOut magazine:

1. Enhance Moments of Belonging

One can ensure to plan an outing during the weekend that involves another person such as a coffee date, running errands in the neighborhood, or a phone call that both consider a real plan.

It’s not about the activity itself, but rather about ensuring moments of belonging are amplified, as the longest studies on happiness consistently indicate that relationships are a constant indicator of well-being and health. When individuals engage socially, they are less preoccupied with thoughts and worries and feel less isolated, enabling them to accomplish more individual tasks.

2. Purchase Time-Saving Services

Hiring an outside service for an urgent task, ordering groceries in advance, or opting for quick transportation helps avoid wasting weekend time on logistics. The key point is time's impact, which means feeling like a person has breathing space.

A survey study revealed that spending money on time-saving services reduces time pressure and enhances happiness.

3. Walk for 30 Minutes Mindfully

It's beneficial to regularly practice walking as it improves mood. A study from the University of California published in the journal Emotion found that encouraging people to cultivate awareness during weekly walks significantly enhances positive emotions and reduces stress.

4. Minimum Exercise

It’s essential to engage in a minimum of effective exercise. The goal isn’t perfection, but rather stimulating the chemical interactions that aid a person for days.

A comprehensive statistical analysis published in the British Medical Journal found that exercise is an effective treatment for depression of all kinds, including walking, running, strength training, and yoga, with higher-intensity exercise generally yielding greater effects.

5. Regulate Sleep and Lighting

Happiness appears similar to good sleep. Weekends should be treated as a tuning of daily rhythms, instead of a chaotic mess.

Morning light within an hour of waking up (outdoors if possible), avoiding caffeine in the early afternoon, and taking a 90-minute relaxation window on the last night of the weekend makes the first workdays easier and smoother.

6. A Little Adventure

Novelty and anticipation have a greater impact than many believe. Instead of waiting for the perfect day trip, one can plan a small adventure like visiting a new place in town, dining at a new restaurant, or a quick visit to a museum or trying out a bus route never taken before. Small adventures train the mind to be curious, which fuels happier weeks and better daily conversations.

7. Do Good Deeds

Acts of kindness may seem like a nice gesture until one realizes how they transform their week. Just dedicating one hour over the weekend to something that helps someone else, such as writing a positive review for a local business, delivering a meal to a friend, picking up trash in the neighborhood, or calling an elderly relative.

The secret lies in choosing a small, specific task and completing it. When someone does something social, their sense of purpose elevates over internal dialogue - and this feeling lingers for a long time.

8. Create Something Small and Tangible

Weekends should be viewed as an opportunity to create something tangible. Small creative successes help build competence and effectiveness, serving as the antidote to the anxiety that comes with the last hours of the weekend. One can set a timer for twenty-five minutes and lower the expectations to accomplish a simple task like baking a cake, writing a poem, or engaging in any fun sensory activity, even if briefly.

9. Designated Cleaning Time

Instead of sacrificing half of the weekend time on chores, one can clean once for 30 minutes, during which they run the washing machine and dishes and polish the most cluttered surfaces. It’s more like a quick race than a punishment. The aim is simply to wake up on the first workday after the weekend in a non-stressful environment before coffee. Small tasks can be distributed among family members.

10. Three-Line Summary

Creating a three-line summary in a notes app is great, including the following:
1. Three things I liked about the weekend
2. One thing that inspired me
3. One small thing I will repeat next weekend.

Although it takes only 90 seconds, it can change the mood trajectory for the week because it entails practicing gratitude and striving to repeat what was successfully achieved. Determining noteworthy activities and moments to document and preserve brings comfort and happiness as the weekend witnessed successes worth remembering.