4:57. . . 4:58 . . . 4:59 . .

It’s 5 o’clock Friday night, the moment you’ve been waiting for since your alarm went off Monday morning. You breathe a sigh of relief, and leave work to go indulge in freedom for the next two days. Time drags on except for when you actually want it to move slowly. Your week feels like forever, while your weekend is over with the blink of an eye. So how can we seize the day and make the most of our two-days off?

• Friday night plans are a great start to your weekend. Make reservations at your favorite restaurant with your best friends, and look forward to sipping wine and chuckling with your pals. Once that buzz hits, the stress of your week will have melted away and you’ll forget all your worries at work.
• Sleep in Saturday morning because you deserve it. You’ve woken up early everyday. Waking up naturally without an alarm, and opening your eyes to sunshine, will put you in a happy mood first thing in the morning. Don’t sleep in too late, though, so your day isn’t halfway over by the time you get out of bed.
• Set time aside to get things done. Whatever you have been slacking on throughout the week, make sure to get it over with early on to feel that sense of accomplishment. Take an hour or two to do dishes, laundry, mow the yard, whatever it is, get your chores done.
• Try to step out into the great outdoors for a little while. You will truly feel separated from reality and the stress that comes with it in the middle of the forest. Plus, there’s nothing like fresh air and mountain views while you get a little exercise in.
• Be spontaneous. Shake things up with a random concert or a new project to bring you joy. Keep your youthful side alive!
• Snuggle up and have a movie night. Get snacks, multiple movies, fuzzy blankets, the whole sha-bang. Relax and prepare yourself to do it all over again come Monday.

Indulge in things that make your heart happy over the weekend. Get back to business for another week when the time comes. On your days off, focus on your well-being and what makes you happy for a little bit. Providing for your family is essential, but providing joy for your soul is priceless.

By: KayLynn P.