Making the most of your long weekend might actually mean doing less rather than more. At the least it means doing DIFFERENT. Here are some tips to help you spend the weekend immersed in self care so that you can emerge refreshed.
1 Start the long weekend by setting things in order. Don’t do your tax return, don’t exhaust yourself, just get things into a state that is acceptable to you. An environment that allows you to do some refreshing things, without having that list of unfinished tasks in the back of your mind is ideal. If you’re living in an environment that you’re already happy with, make a few preparations for the weekend ahead.
2 Get a good night’s sleep on Friday night. Set up a strong sleep routine and work on your sleep hygiene. (I’ve got another blog post about this – check it out!)
3 Practice a Go-Slow Day (or 2!). Do what you want to do, when you want to do it. Be leisurely. If you usually get up at 6am, sleep in. If you usually get up and go to the gym for a quick workout, take your time over a work out. You might like to replace the gym visit with a long walk where you focus on being mindful of your surroundings. It’s quite different exercising inside a gym with no windows and loud music to walking outside in the sunshine, listening to the birds. Take the time to prepare nutritious food. Read a book, do some craft, paint, get into the garden, journal, do some yoga. Try to spend time away from screens. Do the things that bring you back to yourself.
4 Connect.
We often run out of time and energy to connect with other people. Make an effort to connect with those who make you feel loved and important. That may or may not be family. Write a letter, make a call, zoom, meet in person.
5 Bathe in beauty.
We all find inspiration in different places. A gallery visit, a walk through a forest, holding your newborn niece, visiting an old church, staring at the night sky, strolling on the beach. Bathing in beauty refreshes our soul, puts things in perspective and can bring inspiration.
If you’re able to do a little bit of each of these self-care practices, you’ll feel different by the end of the long weekend. You may even like one of these things so much that you keep doing it after the long weekend is over. If that’s the case, congratulations – you’ve just found a self-care practice that works for you!
