A long weekend is the perfect chance to rest and relax. Photo / FreshSplash
A long weekend is the perfect chance to rest and relax. Photo / FreshSplash
Feeling burned out? This coming long weekend can be the perfect time to find deep rest and relaxation, if you use it the right way. Here are eight tips for finding energy and joy this long weekend.
Summer holidays weren’t too long ago but you may be hanging out for four days off this Easter. If rest and relaxation are at the top of your priority list, here are eight things to think about when preparing for the long weekend.
1. Consider sticking around
City folk love to get out of the city for a weekend but if it’s rest you want, the best call could be staying put. The key is to identify what truly helps you slow down and relax. For some, packing up a car and battling through traffic is worth it to reach a certain peaceful destination. If so, then go ahead. But if staying home and pottering around the garden, enjoying a yoga class, or taking a day trip with family will feel more restful, consider staying home.
Write a good out-of-office (OOO) message and then turn off work notifications. Really. Mentally detaching from work is an essential part of powering down - and this is impossible to do with a phone constantly pinging with emails.
For some, this requires working hard in the days beforehand to ensure key tasks are completed or projects are in a good place (which also helps with #8). For others, it involves adding a phone number to their OOO so they know if it’s an emergency, you can be contacted - or you can set up a strict (and small) window of time to check emails. The more you can fully set aside work, the more you can avoid “anticipatory” stress, which can make you “emotionally exhausted”, as a 2016 study from Colorado State University found.
Non-urgent work communications make it difficult for people to "switch off" and relax on holiday. Photo / 123rf
3. Leave home in a good state
Like work, doing a few key things to get your home in a good state means you don’t spend the weekend doing energy-draining admin or dreading the return to a messy house. Tie up any loose ends, from loads of laundry and dishes to clearing out the fridge or emptying the bins.
I’ve even heard of one family who order a grocery delivery for the night they return from a holiday, so they come home to food for the next day.
4. Be tactical about traffic
Do you want to know a stressful way to start a long weekend? Sitting in unexpectedly terrible traffic for two hours. “Unexpected” is the key word here, as our expectations can often shape how annoying something is. If you need to leave Auckland at 5pm on Thursday, anticipate the queues, add a few hours to your arrival time and bring great music and snacks.
Same for the return home: leave outside of peak time or maintain your post-weekend calm by accepting that travel during peak time will involve long stretches of slow-moving cars. Journey Planner by NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi shows when traffic will be at its best and worst during holidays.
Easter holiday in Albany, Auckland in 2023. Photo / Sylvie Whinray
5. Plan for a later leaving time than intended
As tempting as it is to be an optimist about departure times, the wise traveller knows that a group will almost always leave at least 30 minutes later than intended. A last-minute work thing pops up, traffic through the city is worse than usual, packing takes surprisingly long, you lose your keys - the list is endless.
So take your planned departure time and just add 30 minutes. You’ll still aim for the original time, but acknowledging the realities of getting away helps you start your weekend a little more calmly, instead of feeling “behind” and rushed.
6. Make plans
Don’t just leave it to chance. As unique as we feel, our plan to visit that brunch spot/gallery exhibit/golf course during the weekend is likely shared by hundreds of others. If you’re looking forward to an activity or simply think it would be enjoyable to do, make some bookings in advance. Not only will you ensure a table, ticket or slot but simply planning for an experience and dreaming about it can offer even more joy than the actual event.
If we’re feeling burnt out and exhausted, one would think we should just eat, sleep and watch Netflix all weekend. However, as counterintuitive as it seems, four days of “blobbing” can actually leave us just as tired as before. This is because rest doesn’t just involve unplugging from stressful obligations such as work; it also involves plugging into activities that bring us joy and meaning.
When planning your weekend, ensure it involves both kinds of activity. You may take naps and watch television but spend time on a fun project, spending intentional time with friends, learning something new or getting out and exercising. As long as these activities are stress-free, they can provide quality rest for your mind.
Painting, cooking, playing sport or learning something new can help you feel more rested. Photo / 123rf
8. Ease back in
We’ve likely all experienced that moment when we sit back down at our laptop or desk after a holiday, mind buzzing with deadlines and tasks and wonder whether that dreamy break even happened. Part of prioritising rest during a long weekend isn’t just about what you do during your time off but also how you return.
Speaking to the New York Times, Charlotte Fritz, an associate professor in industrial and organisational psychology at Portland State University, said those who ease back into work after a holiday will experience the benefits of a break for longer compared to those who “hit the ground running”.
Try to avoid working overtime or without breaks when you go back to work and accept that everyone is playing a little catch-up after time off.
