Every day should be Saturday
We all love them. We wait patiently for the day to come. The feeling you get when you know it’s … Saturday!
Saturday is that day of the week when you turn off the alarm clock and snuggle just a little more in bed as you turn over to remember its Saturday. One of the free days to we have to make plans, have fun and enjoy life.
As a high-achieving woman who wears many hats, I found that Saturday’s have a deeper meaning. Saturday means having an extra time in my day to connect with the kids, have heart-to-heart conversations with my husband and uninterrupted phone conversations with family and friends. I love Saturday’s. It fills me up and brings me joy. Saturday gives me the energy to go into the work-week ready to tackle the challenges of work, finances, responsibilities and just life.
On a recent Saturday, while sitting in the silence of my home with my dog Boscoe at my feet, I pondered the question why I loved Saturday’s so much and because I love them so, why do I only allow myself one day out of seven to enjoy it? I’m sure as you are reading this, you too are asking yourself the same question.
Curiously, I began to ponder this question and discovered the research of Richard M. Ryan, a professor of psychology at the University of Rochester, who conducted a study to track the moods of 74 adults aged 18-62 who worked at least 30 hours per week and concluded
Our well-being depends on our psychological need for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. The work-week is replete with activities involving external controls, time pressure, and limited emotional connections. Regardless of income, working hours, profession or age, men and women alike consistently feel better mentally and physically at the weekend.
Digging deeper into my own life and routine to uncover how I could capture the feeling I get on Saturday’s throughout the work-week, I discovered three easy tips to inject that Saturday feeling throughout my own work-week.
Tip #1 Use Friday to think about your work-week ahead instead of Sunday. (Sunday and Monday blues does exist. Instead of thinking about the work-week on Sunday and getting the Monday blues, start thinking and planning the next ahead on Friday that way, you can enjoy your Saturday and Sunday & Monday blues)
Tip #2 Create more time to emotionally connect during the week. (Make time to connect with family and friends during the week instead of waiting until the weekend. Remember, our well-being depends on our psychological need to relate to others.)
Tip #3 Who said the fun had to start on Saturday? Start making plans early in the week. (Why not have dinner on Thursday or go to that Friday night concert? Saturday does not have to be the only day where you can have fun). Go ahead ladies, start making plans for the week on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The life of today’s woman requires us to perform at an optimum pace that requires drive, grit, and creativity. Performing at this pace can lead to burn-out and unhappiness if self-care is not addressed. Incorporating these few tips, along with other delights you discover on this journey can start transforming your life and enhancing your work-week and your life.
Life is designed to be enjoyed every day of the week. Uncovering the balance between life, work and fun and work works best in your life can be a difficult but not an impossible task. The goal is to discover how to make every day a Saturday…or as close to a Saturday feeling it as possible.
Designing Life in Truth,
LaChelle T. Parker
Lifestyle Strategist