Do you ever feel like your weekends aren’t as rejuvenating as advertised? That Sunday Blues colour the whole weekend, not just Sunday? You might just be missing the Friday memo!
Back in the day, I’d wrap up the week in a frenzy, squeezing out those last emails, ticking off tasks, and scrambling in and out of meetings and phone calls – all before tossing my laptop into my bag, ready to tackle the rest over the weekend amidst fun plans. I’d be on my way to Friday happy hour wishing for an extra hour in the workday, or an entire bonus day in the week, just so I could walk away from my laptop, sans work worries or that nagging ‘what-did-I-forget?’ feeling.
Now, since starting my business coaching journey, I’ve figured it out! I found the key to leaving the work stress behind, fully embracing my downtime and getting that weekend rejuvenation. My Mondays start without the ‘last-weeks-leftovers’ dread, and the ghost of weeks’ past doesn’t haunt me anymore.
It started with taking a step back and writing down all the Friday stuff that I didn’t like or spiked my stress levels. With a solid list in hand, I considered each item, asking: Can I eliminate it, delegate it, or move it? Fast forward to now, and my Friday mornings are a whole different game. Before anything else, I sit with my coffee and look at those unresolved bits, plan plan what to do about them, and aim to finish off by close of business. Plus, I’ve set up some good boundaries. I don’t do meetings after 1pm on a Friday, and my calendar is cusomised to prevent accidental scheduling mishaps. That’s my window for wrapping up the week’s work, setting up for Monday, and making sure no loose ends trail into my weekend.
I also have a weekend email rule, no sending business emails past 4pm on a Friday. I hate getting last minute, Friday afternoon emails, they live rent-free in my head, casting shadows over my weekend and I’m nothing if not a firm believer in treating others like you want to be treated.
By figuring out what made my Fridays a frenzy, I could eliminate things like last minute emails, delegate my ad campaigns to someone with the right skills, and move my meetings to more appropriate times during the week. Now all I need to do is plan my Friday and remember, and stick to, my boundaries. Finally, I can shut my laptop at close of business and embrace my weekend without the work worries.
So, how do you Friday to win the weekend?
