Weekend time is incredibly valuable and it often feels like it is over far too soon. How you spend your weekend can dramatically impact your weekday success. Highly successful people recognize the importance of shifting into a relaxing and rejuvenating mindset. They also know the value of spending a little time on the weekend preparing for the week ahead. Read on to learn 5 easy ways you can use your weekend time to rejuvenate and prepare for a successful work week.
Weekend Habits of Successful People
Being successful doesn’t mean that you have to be constantly developing new ideas, solving problems and getting things done. Taking a step back periodically can be remarkably important and rewarding. By recharging over the weekend, you’ll be better prepared to perform during the week.
So what are some good habits to cultivate? To find out, we asked members of the Young Entrepreneur Council to share some of the things they do on the weekends, and why those activities help them to be successful.
1. Disconnect.
Taking a true break from the grind of the week to do something that puts you in a flow state is vital for weekends. Whether it’s playing music, painting, or playing a sport, allowing yourself to become immersed in an activity is so important for disconnecting from work and boosting creativity.
—Rachel Beider, PRESS Modern Massage
2. Exercise.
Exercise is one of the best ways to strengthen the body and clear the mind. The endorphins help your body recharge, and it can improve your sleeping habits, too. The trick is to find out what routines work for you that you can maintain on a regular basis—like short walks, dance videos or studio classes. Make room for movement on the weekend, and you’ll be more likely to return to the office smiling on Monday.
—Riccardo Conte, Kimonus Inc.
3. Self-care.
Find time for yourself, to dedicate to your other passions that may not be directly related to your 9-5 job. Doing activities that help you improve as a person—such as reading, learning a new skill or simply enjoying time with loved ones—can be a breath of fresh air from all the work you put in during the week.
—Chelsea Rivera, Honest Paws
4. Meditation.
I am in a meditation group, and we meet every Sunday morning for two hours of calm; it really gives my mind a break and helps me recharge, so I’m ready to take on tense situations in the week to come. If you don’t like to meditate, just choose a relaxing activity you do enjoy. The regular break and social interaction is good for your mental health.
—Piyush Jain, SIMpalm
5. Time alone.
Spending time alone for a few hours on Saturday or Sunday morning can be a great way to decompress and refocus. Try reflecting on your achievements and planning for the upcoming week. You’ll feel proud for what you’ve accomplished, and prepared for what’s to come.
—Kristin Kimberly Marquet, Marquet Media, LLC
6. Errands and chores.
After a long day of work at the office, the last thing most people want to do is keep working when they get home. Instead of running errands and doing chores during the week, get grocery shopping and laundry out of the way on Saturday or Sunday. That way, it’s off your to-do list before the week even begins, leaving room for relaxation with the family when you need it most.
—Thomas Griffin, OptinMonster
7. Rest and relax.
It can be tempting to work through the weekend and check off more to-do list items. Avoid this temptation by scheduling a block of “R&R” time—shut off your phone or turn off email notifications and do something you enjoy. Bonus tip: Cook for the week ahead to make getting healthy meals in quick and easy.
—Victoria Brodsky, BlockchainBTM Inc.
8. Plan the week.
Planning your time ahead as best as possible over the weekend is of great help to your weekly sprint. Scheduling meetings, prioritizing emergencies, blocking time for critical work, and defining “last-minute task” time blocks makes daily planning a lot easier and manageable when you get to Monday.
—Mario Peshev, DevriX
9. Read.
Make reading a compulsory habit every weekend; it develops your mind, and refreshes it. By reading about topics you know and also ones you’re not familiar with, you’ll both learn new things that can impact your life in positive ways, and find interesting pieces of wisdom that you can link to your experiences. Reading can reframe your perspective.
—Blair Williams, MemberPress
10. Try new things.
A great way to expand your mind is to try new things—reading a book of poetry, losing yourself in fiction, or trying a new hobby. Mixing things up from your normal routine will help you tap into your creativity when you need inspiration most.
—Nicole Munoz, Nicole Munoz Consulting Inc.
11. Find a balance.
I try my best to spend one day of the weekend unplugged, no work-related activities. Then, I spend the other day learning something new that I can use to be better at work. I find balance in a weekend of self-care and self-improvement.
—Vladimir Gendelman, Company Folders Inc.
12. Go on an adventure.
I’m lucky enough to be a business owner with three kids. Nothing forces you to be present more than young children. Two days adventuring with them truly gives my mind and soul a rest from the business, and gives me the perspective needed to handle things more clearly and thoughtfully come Monday.
7 Great Business Books You Must Read
Hundreds of great business books come out every year. It’s not possible to read them all, but the best business books attract readers and positive reviews long after their publication dates.
Here are seven great business books that can help entrepreneurs and leaders at all stages of their careers.
1. Profit First:
A Simple System to Transform Any Business from a Cash-Eating Monster to a Money-Making Machine (2014) by Mike Michalowicz
Profitable business owners are sometimes surprised to find money leaves the business almost as quickly as it arrives. This book provides a system for small business owners who want to take charge of their cash and grow a business.
I interviewed Michalowicz in 2019. He told me, “I say, ‘How do I get the same results I’ve always had, if not better, with less money?’ And I start thinking outside the box.”
2. The E Myth Revisited:
Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It (1995) by Michael E. Gerber
Before Tim Ferriss’s The 4-Hour Workweek was The E Myth (1986). The title fooled me at first. Gerber’s book isn’t about running an online business.
Instead, Gerber explains how business owners or entrepreneurs of all types can set up a business that runs without their intervention.
He writes, “If your business depends on you, you don’t own a business—you have a job. And it’s the worst job in the world because you’re working for a lunatic!”
3. The Effective Executive:
The Definitive Guide to Getting the Right Things Done (1966) by Peter F. Drucker
Published way back in 1966, Drucker’s advice for executives holds true today. It’ll help a busy person accomplish more at work either as an executive or manager. The book also covers how to manage upward and master effective delegation.
Expect gems like, “Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes; but no plans,” and, “Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.”
This classic business book also pairs nicely with Drucker’s much shorter book published by Harvard Business Review Classics in 2008, titled Managing Oneself.
4. Deep Work:
Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World (2016) by Cal Newport
Knowledge work is tough. It lacks hard edges and can feel endless. What’s more, many of the tools and services clamour for our attention through instant messaging, notifications and endless feeds.
This book explains what to do about distractions and how to focus on long-term projects. Unlike a lot of other business books, it contains practical advice for creative people too.
Read it for advice like, “If you don’t produce, you won’t thrive—no matter how skilled or talented you are.”
5. Getting Things Done:
The Art of Stress-Free Productivity (2001) by David Allen
This is one of the most famous productivity books in recent years. Allen’s work was also a hit in Silicon Valley. Getting Things Done details how to build a system for capturing ideas and working on the right things at the right time. As Allen writes, “Your mind is for having ideas, not holding them.”
Allen also recommends overloaded executives and entrepreneurs review their priorities and workload once a week. This practice, known as a weekly review, will help you focus on what matters during the week ahead.
6. Great by Choice:
Uncertainty, Chaos, and Luck—Why Some Thrive Despite Them All (2011) by Jim Collins
To be honest, any Jim Collins title belongs in a list like this. He excels at profiling large companies and the decision-makers behind them.
Some of the companies profiled in his older book From Good to Great (2001) have since disappeared, making this title more relevant today. If you’re serious about running a larger business, Collins’s books are required reading.
Expect gems like, “When you marry operating excellence with innovation, you multiply the value of your creativity.”
This book also pairs nicely with Collins’s more recent written study of about 30 pages titled Turning the Flywheel: A Monograph to Accompany Good to Great (2019), which also applies to creative work.
7. The 4 Disciplines of Execution:
Achieving Your Wildly Important Goals (2012) by Chris McChesney, Sean Covey and Jim Huling
I put off reading this book for a few years, as I thought it was a derivative of The 7 Habits of the Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change by Sean’s father, Stephen R. Covey.
In fact, this book is a gem of its own. Read it to discover why most executives and entrepreneurs set lag measures for their goals they’ve no real control over. The author also explains why it’s far better to set lead measures you can influence rather than lag measures that come after the fact.
The author writes, “If you’re not keeping score, you’re just practicing.”