Finding Joy On My Days Off/Setting Me Up For the Work Week

There are lots of people out of work at my job, so work has been more exhausting and overwhelming, than it has been. The pandemic has made our work situations a bit tough all around. There is a lot of work, but not enough people. The thing that has been keeping my spirits up is the ability to enjoy my days off as much as I can.

I try to use my days off to explore, connect and learn. I think these things help keep me at peace, it allows me to live, it sparks joy and excitement, and it keeps me in a happier place. I enjoy spending my days off connecting with friends. I don’t have many, but the few I do have, I truly enjoy their company. I enjoy talking about my life, hearing about their lives. I always learn something new talking to my friends. Quality over quantity for me. I enjoy being around others who make me feel better after connecting. It can be going for a walk or hike together, or just having a meal together. A nice time connecting with loved ones definitely helps lift my spirits. It is important to have positive people in your life that sparks joy and laughter.

The weather is starting to get warmer, so I spend my days outdoors on my favorite trails. I am trying to discover new trails as well, just to get a new experience to bring some excitement, but I also enjoy going to my favorite ones as well. I also started running again. Getting a good exercise can help rejuvenate my body and soul. I always feel a sense of peace going for my walks. It definitely helps put me in a better mood. I feel more at peace. Listening to my music, or the birds chirping, viewing the scenery, and smelling the fresh air. Ah what a wonderful time to get yourself right from the stresses of the week.

I tried this weekend to be a little creative as well. I bought stickers for my plant vases. I thought I brighten them up a bit. I also bought some more color pencils for my butterfly frame picture(almost done with it). Having the opportunity to be creative and mindful can help me feel accomplished and proud. It feels great to do things with your hands, and create your own version of something.

I have also been reading these interesting books to help keep me mindful and entertained. This one mindful book helps keep me in the moment by having a bunch of activities in it. They are quite fun to do. One activity I really like is their Beautiful moments notecard activity. I write down an interesting or fun moment in my life on these notecards, and I put them in a cup. It is a great way to reflect and look back on the good moments in my life, and it helps me to feel more appreciative of my life. It keeps me positive.

As I mentioned, my weekends are the best time for me to tend to my plants. I love having that time to do plant maintenance. It really makes me feel good taking care of my plants, and doing what I can to keep them alive. It makes me proud seeing my improvements as a plant parent. Keeping them alive makes me feel proud and accomplished.

I truly like to make the best out of my weekends, and live life to the fullest I can. The work week can drain me, and bring me down, so my days off are a way to lift me back up, and bring me back to a positive place. I have been pretty good at staying as positive as I can, because if my weekends are full of joy, that helps buffer the stressors of work, during the week. I try to focus on the positives, but also recognize the difficulties of the situation at the time, but in the end the work will get done, and I will go home.

Your days off are there for you to enjoy. To do whatever you like to do, whatever that may be. Have fun, relax, connect, and find joys. Doing this can make your work week go much smoother, and make one less cranky throughout the week. Anything you can do to make things easier for oneself, and bring more peace to your life. Below are pictures of some of the things I have discussed that spark joy.