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Reclaiming the weekend for work-life balance & stress-relief

weekend stress relief work life balance for corporate professionals

In the hyper-connected modern workplace, it is easy to let the stresses of your professional life carry over into the weekend. This has now become even more prevalent thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic and Work From Home (WFH).

The weekend is supposed to be a time to unwind and de-stress from the work week before you feel too overwhelmed. Engaging in fun and relaxing activities over the weekend can help one create much-needed boundaries between their work life and personal life. Here are a few ways to de-stress over the weekend and create a healthier work-life balance.

Self-care

Highly stressful work days may not leave time for you to care for yourself the way you need to. While self-care looks different for every person, some activities remain common. People may prepare a favourite dish, meditate, or go for "retail therapy" by splurging on something they wanted to buy. Such "quick fixes" can help one feel rejuvenated and boost one's confidence for the coming work week. They can also help one reduce stress and lingering frustrations.

Binge your favourite series

Working for long hours or choosing to sleep early often prevents people from staying caught up on their favourite series. While some might consider watching shows a frivolous hobby, the stress-relief capabilities of shows cannot be overlooked. Watching and discussing your favourite series with friends can help you make time for yourself and join in conversations about new series without missing a beat.

Spend time with loved ones

Be it through virtual video calls or in-person meetings, one should try to catch up with friends and loved ones on the weekends to help maintain the most crucial relationships and support systems in one's life. In case of a rough work week, it is often tempting to stay at home and relax throughout the weekend. While this is perfectly acceptable sometimes, you might miss out on making new memories with your loved ones if staying alone becomes a habit.

Schedule regular weekend plans with friends and loved ones so that you can stay in touch and stay informed on recent happenings in their lives, give them an update on your own circumstances, and also ensure that workplace stress doesn’t overflow into your personal life and detract from other aspects of your life. If your job feels very demanding and time-consuming, reconnecting with loved ones and friends can help you discuss problems and recharge effectively. This can also help you prevent burnout and get back to work feeling more productive than ever.

Play video games and focus on hobbies

Feel free to spend the weekend and all the extra time it brings working on your hobbies like playing your favourite video games. Gaming is a well-known and common method of stress relief, so there is no need to hesitate to spend a few hours playing in order to take your mind off work and enjoy yourself. It doesn't really matter whether you play by yourself or with friends online. It can be very gratifying to rank up and get achievements in games that can be revisited when you have the time!

Apart from gaming, you could pursue other hobbies such as listening to music, making art, practising mindfulness, gardening, or any number of other fun activities that are true to you. Hobbies are the best way to make the most of your free time, so don't hesitate in engaging with your favourite activities over the weekend!

In closing

No matter how you typically like to unwind, this list is a good starting point in helping you make plans for the weekend that will help you re-energize after a stressful work week. Remembering to take some time for yourself on your days off can help prevent burnout and help keep your mental health in check!

Schedule a demo to learn how your organisation can get the best employee health and well-being experience with ekincare's commitment to quality.

Aditya Prakash Swain is an adaptable and dynamic Digital Media Consultant responsible for content marketing strategy, conducting thorough research on industry-related topics, generating ideas for new content types and enhancing brands digital presence.