Some people plan the weekend ahead and know exactly how they will spend it, while others decide what to do when they wake up on Saturday, but whatever the case, your weekend can turn out productive and enjoyable. This is how; Make a plan Peace Isaro, an entrepreneur, says one of the things that has made her weekends effective, is making a plan. She says that she learned the hard way as she used to waste the weekend mostly watching TV and talking on the phone. Before she knew it, Monday was knocking. “Note down the activities you would love to do, for instance, spend time with family, exercise, play games, cook, read books, and learn something new. You can even include the kind of food you want to eat and allow yourself to rest between activities. With time, you will get used to it. After the week, reflect on whether you followed your plan or not, and why,” Isaro says. Spend time with family Isaro suggests giving phones or other gadgets a break, and instead, have conversations with family and friends because the week could have been so busy that you hardly had time. She says that you can take the kids to play, your spouse on a date, or visit parents, as this will help you relax and recharge. Reduce chores Isaro says that there may be many chores waiting on you to be done but don’t be buried in them all weekend. If they are many, push others to the next weekend so you have time to do other things. She also notes that if it’s possible you can also plan when to do your chores and for how long, otherwise, you may start the week as though you didn’t take some time off work. Plan your week ahead Isaro further says that spending about 30 minutes to plan your week would make it effective since you can also set goals to accomplish by the end of it. Don’t multitask According to Dr Edem Danyo, a motivational speaker and vlogger, if you think that you are getting much out of the smaller amount of time, there is a possibility that the accuracy and efficiency of the work you do won’t be the best. “Avoid doing many things at a go, rather, do one thing, finish it and go to another.” Sleep enough You need to get about seven to eight hours of sleep. Sleep is known to benefit memory, learning and mood, Dr Danyo adds. Keep a done list Dr Danyo says to celebrate your wins—small or big—once you have a schedule, it’s important to have a done list as its satisfying and encouraging. The done list helps you to do better and fulfil your tasks. Wake up at the same time Experts say that it’s tempting to sleep in on the weekend. However much it feels good temporarily, having an inconsistent wake-up time disturbs your circadian rhythm. Your body cycles through an elaborate series of sleep phases in order for you to wake up rested and refreshed. One of these phases involves preparing your mind to be awake and alert, which is why people often wake up just before their alarm clock goes off (the brain is trained and ready). When you sleep past your regular wake-up time on the weekend, you end up feeling sleepy and tired.
