by Nick Halpin
Weekends are valuable. They give us an opportunity to relax, read, daydream, go for walks with family and friends and try out new activities. They restore that element of balance, harmony and perspective that is sometimes squeezed out of our lives by the weekday task-laden agenda.
Weekends can vary in how they enable us to rekindle our depleted energy. On short weekends we make few plans and Friday night is often spent in recovery. As we convalesce from the pressures of the week, we may have to wait until Saturday afternoon before we start to feel the benefit of being away from the desk.
In contrast a weekend, where something novel and fun is firmly scheduled for Friday evening, can provide us with a lift during the week and act as a much-needed buffer. With careful planning, weekends can involve the same anticipation that we enjoy in looking forward to more lengthy breaks. Planning can have the psychological effect of extending the weekend, and it will increase the benefits.
Long weekends start with Friday night. The choice is yours!