5 ways to make the most of your weekend—especially if you’re still in lockdown

Right now, our social calendars for the rest of 2020 look pretty bleak, due to the cancellation of events because of COVID-19. Weekends that were once packed full of parties with friends, day trips with partners and meals with family look a little different. Now, we’re making our umpteenth loaf of banana bread while flitting in and out of Instagram live streams; grooming is out the window and the days are blending into one. WhatsApp group chats and social streams are saturated with coronavirus-related updates (a survey last month reported a 36 per cent increase worldwide in people watching the news).

The new norm has provided a structure in which, for most, work and free time are spent in one environment, making it difficult to distinguish where the boundaries start and finish. The two days we would ordinarily pine for in order to recoup—after we exit Slack and send those final emails on a Friday afternoon—feel uncertain and a tad inconsequential: no longer does the weekend hold that sense of relief and excitement. But there’s hope.

Founder of online therapy website Harley Therapy, Dr Sheri Jacobson explains the signature factor to making the best of our free time—establishing routines. “Our patterns are out of joint. We have one environment now, they are one and the same for many of us. Some people have no problem blending in and being online all the time, so you have to gauge your own perimeter of ‘Is this serving me well?’ It is important to remember that this situation is temporary and, in most cases, these feelings will pass.”

Adapting can also mean embracing new hobbies. Virtual holidays (along with Houseparty chats and TikTok dance crazes) have become a form of unwinding. Laura Vanderkam, TED speaker and author of What the Most Successful People Do on the Weekend, notes the importance of escapism: “We tend to scroll around on social media or read headlines, whereas a little virtual vacation is a much better use of time”.

Here, Laura Vanderkam and Dr Sheri Jacobson share five ways to make lockdown weekends work for you.

1. Plan your weekend before it starts

Vanderkam proposes thinking about what you would like to achieve. “Planning something fun for Sunday evening can go a long way. A few days before the weekend or even on a Friday, you could sit down and write what you would like to do: ‘What would make these days feel rejuvenating and [leave me] ready to tackle the week ahead?’” she says.

The psychological reprieve is a bonus, too, according to Dr Jacobson. “Try to maintain the usual hours you would get up in the morning and go to bed at night. If you are working from home, keep the same hours you usually would and build in set times to relax, eat and exercise. Planning how you will get any household supplies or medication you need can also reduce uncertainty, stress and anxiety.”

2. Restrict your weekend workload

“In the past, [some] people would say working from home isn’t working and assume employees would be home watching movies all day—but the truth is, it’s the exact opposite,” Vanderkam says. “You’re working non-traditional hours, you don't [necessarily] have to conform to the normal nine to five schedule, but it’s important to put some boundaries on it. You have some sort of project you start in the evening, whether it’s having dinner with friends or family at a certain time every night, or a hobby that occupies your time so you have a reason to quit working.

“During the weekend, I would encourage the same. If you think about fun things to do, it gives you a reason to stop working. It might help to have a particular time at the weekend to check-in and do a little bit of work [if you need to], but keep a strict schedule with that window,” concludes Vanderkam. Accepting change is a start to weekend euphoria. “If you adapt and accept the new reality,” Dr Jacobson adds, “you ultimately will be better off than if you bemoan the loss of something.”

3. It’s vital to be mindful

“There is [a kind] of spiritual experience that you can have at home,” says Vanderkam. “Maybe read texts or passages that are important to you, participate in a virtual worship or contribute to a larger cause, perhaps volunteering from home if you can.” The importance of social contact is second to none, particularly in a time where physical contact is largely out of the question.

“It’s important to stay connected with others,” says Dr Jacobson, “and to share your worries with those you trust. If this is not possible or hasn’t helped, speak to a professional therapist or call a helpline.”

4. Limit your news intake

Easing into some sort of weekend respite can only work if we learn to unplug a little. “You can be an informed citizen by reading or watching the news for about 15 minutes a day—[anything] past that [and] you’re not learning anything new,” says Vanderkam. “Give yourself a strict limit or set a timer. Unsubscribe to news alerts if you have them, or if you have friends constantly sending you alerts, send their emails to an inbox you don’t check. Better yet, check it at a time you feel best able to deal with it, so perhaps not right before you go to bed for instance.”

Again, limiting yourself is key. “Decide beforehand how much time you will allow yourself to spend reading or watching,” Dr Jacobson adds.

5. Develop a wellness plan

“You can make the weekends feel different to weekdays, but you have to be more intentional about it,” says Vanderkam. “Certain things are mood lifters, from exercising to socialising, whether that’s FaceTime chats with friends/family or making fun plans with the people you’re living with.” Mood lifters, otherwise named a ‘well-being toolkit’ by Dr Jacobson, should be part of our adjusted routines.

“You can customise, develop and refine [your kit] over time, which can support your mental and physical health. This can include diet, exercise, communication and sleep. Calming exercises such as deep-breathing exercises [which you can do with or without an app], reading, writing a journal and learning new hobbies are useful. The more you can be cognitive and work on it, the better your overall health will be.”

Also read: 

From virtual potlucks to Netflix viewing parties: 9 ways to socialise in the age of social distancing

Why kindness matters now more than ever before

How to not completely hate the people you’re quarantined with