Weekends – the ultimate fallback for the weary and work-laden.   Time for some R & R and leave all the work behind.  Time to de-stress and put the spice back into your life, refreshed and ready to face another work-week.

Number one rule- never take work home.  Instead, do a checklist of the things you have been wanting to do outside of work but never had the chance or time.  You can start with preparing a months’ calendar of weekend activities, ticking off what you have completed per your schedule.

• Start the ball rolling by unwinding with friends on Friday night, yes, just as you step out of the office, go hang-out with your co-worker friends ( in this case, you should always keep a few party clothes in your locker should you decide to let your hair down after a tiring day in the office). Drink, if you are not driving, dance the night away and shrug off all the office templates in your head.  Just make sure you are enjoying every minute of this TGIF syndrome.
• Hit the gym. Burn Friday night’s alcohol and calories and while you are on the treadmill, plan your Saturday itinerary. Do not over-do your work-out, two hours max and then wrap-up.  Go to the grocery next and stock up on wine to go with your sushi binge when you curl up later in the night for your favorite TV series marathon.
• Start your Sunday early by taking a quick shower, put on your Sunday dress then off to your favorite park, place of worship, or rec center you go.  The soul needs rejuvenation too thus never leave out the regular mass in your to-do list.  Sunday is also the best day to bond with other members of your family. Pop in on them with a large box of pizza and leisurely spend the rest of the afternoon with them.  Before you head back home, plan next weekend’s family outing to the beach, a flower garden, to the movies or perhaps organize a feeding program for the homeless. The latter, I consider a cathartic activity, one way of paying it forward.
• It is your last night to indulge in your “me-time”, so do something that will make you happy, raring to face another week of chaos at the workplace. Prepare your week’s wardrobe.  There’s always that boost of extra confidence when you feel and look good in your office attire.  Even when you are required to wear an office uniform, accessorize, just to add a certain tweak to your dull, boring work suit.  Believe me, this works. You will wake up bubbly on a Monday morning as you envision your total appearance when you step into the office elevator and be greeted with appreciative glances and comments.

There are a thousand things that you can choose to add to your check-list, but choose to do something that will perk you up, not something that will leave you all the more burnt out.  Embrace your weekend for greater energy through the work week.