Stressed with Work? Weekend Activities To Boost Your Mental Health

Have you ever seen the meme "Friday,blink, Monday"? If work seems extra stressful right now, you might be able to relate. Your weekends might be too short for you to relax and recharge fully. There aren't any rules to enjoying this short break, but there are ways to spend it so you feel rested and raring for the workweek ahead. For example, where do you go during the weekend? What do you do?

Recovery is crucial to prevent burnout and boost productivity. The weekend is your short respite to refresh your mind, calm your body, and feed your soul.

Your Mental Health and Habits Matter

As the world shifts the spotlight to mental health, now is the perfect time for you to exercise self-care and prioritise your overall well-being.

Acknowledging that work should not consume you for you to be successful, efficient, or productive is the first part of the process. Once you embrace that you and your mental health matter, you can start setting boundaries and developing healthy habits to practice caring for your mental health in the workplace and during the weekends.

Start these five habits to help you make the most out of your weekends.

1. Don’t wait until Monday.

Often, Fridays get us overly excited for the weekend that we lose focus of the tasks we have yet to accomplish. While slacking off and moving deadlines to the next week are tempting, you can free yourself from stress and worry when you tick off your to-do list before the weekend. Well, particularly the ones that are actually due on Friday. Start your Monday on a clean slate instead of cramming unnecessary work.

2. Prepare for the coming week on a Friday.

Do you often spend half of your Sundays dreading Monday — working on your schedule and creating to-do lists for the week ahead so you don’t forget? Deadlines and anxiety should not steal time from your weekend. Opt to work on next week’s schedule and reminders before closing shop on Friday. Prepping for the coming week before the weekend allows you more time to spend your Sundays on self-care or with loved ones.

3. Create a weekend routine.

Nothing is wrong with spending the whole weekend curled up in bed. However, it isn't the best way to recharge. To fully rejuvenate, it may be best to create a weekend routine that helps you feel refreshed physically, mentally, and emotionally.

• You may choose to stay in bed a little longer than usual, but it would also help to allot time to do some meditations, journal, or catch up on some readings as a form of mental exercise. This slow-paced activity helps your mind ease up and prepares the recharging process.
• Scheduling dinner with friends and family can also help fill your happiness tank, fueling you up to face life’s challenges again. Spending time with people and being able to unload your thoughts and feelings while feeling seen and heard with no judgments can be a way of resetting and recharging your mind.
• Do you find it hard to exercise during workdays? Squeeze it in during the weekend. Allowing your body to move is a great way to stay in shape and healthy—especially when you sit on a chair and in front of a computer five times a week.

Also read: 5 Quick Office Exercises for a Healthier, Stronger, and Better You

4. Set goals or weekend projects.

Setting goals or weekend projects is a great way to take your mind off work and onto something more personal. Now and then, surprise yourself with a discovery of a new skill, hobby, or knowledge that might spark further interest and eventually become something you feel passionate about. Who knows where it can lead you, right?

• Learn a new language.

Fortunately, these days, learning a new language can be more fun and less stressful. Some apps can help you free of charge and at your own pace without pressure. The Duolingo app is one of the funnest ways to learn a new language with a gamified approach. It has rewards that can help you stay motivated to learn and frequent reminders about your progress. Lingodeer is another app you can try that boasts a curriculum created by language teachers. It also offers detailed explanations and HD audio of native speakers so you can mimic the correct pronunciations.

• Read more books.

Reading is an activity that exercises the brain, improves your focus, builds your vocabulary, and increases your general knowledge, all while keeping you entertained. These are just a few of the many benefits of reading. Make reading a habit and set a goal of reading at least one book every three months that you won’t usually pick on a regular day. Surprise yourself and gain more from it!

• Work on home improvement projects.

Constantly wishing you had a better home? Don’t wait to win a lottery to enjoy your space. Consider it your sanctuary that fosters healing and creativity. Take it one weekend at a time and be amazed at what you can achieve with patience, consistency, and hard work.

• Try something new.

Got a bucket list just sitting around? Don’t let the hustle and bustle of everyday life stop you from living and growing. From something as simple as trying out a new restaurant, doing crochet or pottery, jogging or biking on a different route, trying out wall-climbing, or to something a little more daring such as travelling to a new destination, surfing, skydiving or bungee jumping—as a famous saying goes, just do it. Give yourself something meaningful to look forward to during weekends and allow it to get you more excited about life itself. Watch how these experiences help you grow and reveal a different layer of you each time.

5. Disconnect.

You can exercise self-care in many ways, from treating yourself to a massage, purchasing something you’ve always wanted, eating healthily, taking care of your skin, or doing anything you truly enjoy. However, in today’s age, one of the best self-care activities you may not normally consider, but is crucial to refresh your mind, is simply to disconnect. Set a chunk of your weekend to veer away from technology—turn off the noise in your head about work, social media, comparisons, social expectations, and the like. Embrace each waking moment of your weekend without the distractions of the online world.

Also read: Stressed From Feeling “Always-On”? Manage Stress at Work With These Tips

Where to Go This Weekend

Yes, your home may offer a tremendous amount of comfort. However, there are times relaxation is best attained via a change of environment and a few activities that directly help recharge your mind. Here are some places and ideas you may consider for a productive and refreshing weekend.

Join a wellness retreat.

Retreats can help you flush out the stress and exhaustion from a busy work week and prepare you with newfound energy for a new week ahead. Blue Sky Escapes and Re: Qi Retreat offer wellness retreats that allow you to be more in tune with your inner self to reset your mind to live more mindfully and intentionally.

Go on a self-care staycation.

Staycations serve as a breather from work responsibilities and daily chores. Going on a self-care staycation to prioritise your needs and care for yourself can contribute to your overall well-being. The Fullerton Hotel and Capella Hotels offer homes away from home that can foster relaxation and help you restore your enthusiasm for life.

Also read: Enjoy Your Much-Needed Time Off on Singapore’s Public Holidays This 2022

Indulge in a good cup of coffee.

A good cup of coffee, tea, or a glass of your favourite cocktail (whatever floats your boat), is one of the ways to stay grounded. It’s in enjoying life’s simple pleasures that help us be more grateful for everything we have. What better way to savour it than in places which offer a relaxing ambience and great food selections. For this perfect escape, you can check out PS. Cafe Harding Road, Wilseed Cafe, Le Jardin, and Canopy Hortpark.

Pamper yourself.

Weekends are for self-love so spoil yourself from time to time. Walking on Sunshine has a salon and cafe perfect for a weekend of pampering and self-love.

#LetsGetToWork doesn't always point to work responsibilities. Your mental health is equally important, and choosing to work on yourself too can make you a happier and more productive employee. Discover more articles like these on the Career Resources Hub. You can also download the JobStreet app on Google Play and the App Store for easier access.