You know that feeling on Sunday night? That little pit in your stomach that says, "Ugh, tomorrow's Monday." For years, I thought that was just a normal part of being an adult. I figured my weekends were for one thing: getting ready for the week.
My Saturdays were a blur. I’d be that person speed-walking through the grocery store, trying to get all the shopping done before noon. Then it was a mad dash to do laundry, clean the bathroom, and meal prep a week's worth of sad, identical lunches. I was running on a hamster wheel of my own making, convinced that if I just did more, I'd finally feel in control.
Spoiler alert: I never did. I’d collapse on the couch on Sunday night, not feeling rested, but feeling like I’d just finished a marathon I didn't even sign up for. I was starting every week already tired. It made no sense.
The moment it all changed wasn't some big, dramatic event. It was just a regular Saturday. It was raining, I was standing in my kitchen, and I was staring at a pile of vegetables I was supposed to chop. And I just... couldn't. The thought of standing there, methodically chopping onions and peppers, felt like the most exhausting thing in the world. I was just so tired. Not sleepy-tired, but a deep-down, bone-weary kind of tired.
So, I did something crazy. I put the knife down. I left the vegetables right there on the cutting board, walked over to the couch, and put on a movie I'd seen a dozen times. The guilt was immediate. A little voice in my head was screaming, "You're being lazy! You'll regret this tomorrow!"
But I ignored it. And you know what? The world didn't end.
That was the beginning. I decided to break up with my to-do list. We're still friends, we see each other, but it no longer owns my weekend.
Now, my Saturdays are mine again. Sometimes that means going for a long walk and actually looking at the things around me instead of staring at my phone. Sometimes it means spending three hours in a coffee shop with a good book. And sometimes, it just means staying in my pajamas until noon and doing absolutely nothing productive at all. I'm learning that "doing nothing" is actually doing something very important: it's resting.
And the craziest part? My weeks are better. I'm not as grumpy on Monday mornings. I have more energy. I'm more patient. It turns out, when you actually let yourself recharge, you have more to give. I stopped trying to have the "perfect" weekend, and instead, I started having weekends that were actually good for me.
It's Sunday morning, and the day is full of possibilities. I'm curious, what's one thing you could do today just for you? Not to get ahead, but just to feel good? Let me know in the comments.