Weekends!!!

They wrap us up in a wonderful haze of 60 hours to catch up on to-do lists, attend children’s sporting events, and of course grab some sleep! But are you losing valuable time to connect with your family, unwind, and breathe? With just a little bit of planning you can seize those hours and use them to enrich your life and relationships.

1. Plan a bit: Coming up with two or three activities for a weekend is a great way to make sure you don’t squander your time in front of the television or on your “to-do” list! Mix it up a bit with a bike ride as a family, a dinner with friends, and a family day trip to the beach. Or maybe you have a sporting event to attend?  Is there a book you have been meaning to read? A little planning can help you remember to bring it along.

2. Include your family: Intentional time together can be difficult to find throughout the week, but the weekend is the perfect opportunity for connecting! Talk to your spouse and your kids to discover what activities they might like to add to the list. Communication can go a long way in getting all family members excited to partake in outings and family time! Don’t forget it can be fun to let your child bring a friend along too, but make sure you are getting some time for just your family unit every now and again too. 

3. Turn off your phone: Ok, ok. I know this can be VERY challenging- it is for me too! It doesn’t have to be for the entire weekend. Try committing to switching your phone off for 6 hours and see how that goes. I bet you find yourself with some much-needed quiet or the opportunity to have a heart to heart, face to face with your spouse, little one, or even a friend! With tons of to-dos and obligations we so often to forget to enjoy those right in front of us! So power down and connect even if it is just for a few hours.

Seizing your weekends in a more effective way can help you and your family rest and enter Monday in a better frame of mind. Enjoy your weekend!