Long Weekend Life... How To Make It Pleasurable AND Productive!

It's always great to stretch out the weekend for an extra day or two. Long weekends can provide a much-needed breather amidst our busy schedules.

But how should you spend your long weekend?

If you're not sure how to make the most of the next few days, we've got some ideas from Business Insider. Here are 17 things successful people do before and over long weekends:


They plan their long weekend before it begins
Many successful people plan out their activities for the holiday weekend well in advance so that they are not drawn into the temptation of working, said Michael Kerr, an international business speaker and author of "The Humor Advantage." They make reservations, book tee times, or schedule activities with their kids.
"They're strategic enough to have an action plan for the three-day weekend, but flexible enough to tackle any urgent work issues that may arise," Lynn Taylor, a national workplace expert and the author of "Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant: How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job," told Business Insider.


They prepare at work
"Most of what they do happens before they leave for a long weekend so that they are psychologically free to relax and enjoy it," Kerr says.
This includes saying proper goodbyes to colleagues, cleaning up their office, finishing any pressing tasks, and creating a clear plan of action for when they return to the office so they can hit the ground running.


They set technology guidelines
Successful people set email and phone rules for themselves and the people they work with, so that people understand when, if at all, they will be available to respond or pick up. Preventing client / boss abuse is as essential as preventing them feeling neglected!


They do a little bit of nothing
Don't feel bad about spending an afternoon (or two) watching television, reading a magazine, or visiting your favourite restaurant.
This makes you more productive when you actually do have to work.


They spend time with family and friends
During the week, it's hard to give focused attention to those you care about, but it's essential to have work-life balance.
"A three-day weekend lets you schedule this critical quality time," Taylor said.


They exercise
Successful people understand how important exercise is to their physical and mental health — so they don't get lazy and skip their workouts over holiday weekends. It's better to keep some things routine, than to risk never returning!


They volunteer
Many successful people find giving their time to worthy charitable groups or causes to be extremely rewarding.
It's hard to fit volunteering into the usual daily grind, but people who do tend to live longer. Try offer it once a month at your local outreach.


They meditate
Meditation is another activity most of us know we should be doing every day. The practice helps us deal with stress, boosts our immune system, increases our memory capabilities, and just makes us happier.
A three-day weekend might be the perfect chance to kickstart a regular meditation practice, or just try out the benefits.


They get outdoors and enjoy nature
A long weekend is the perfect time to get outside and breathe fresh air, especially after being relatively sequestered inside all week, Taylor explained.
It doesn't matter if it's January or July — take advantage of the great outdoors.


They plan 'staycations'
"Some successful people plan a mini vacation in their own backyard," Kerr said. "Staycations hold the appeal of still allowing for a complete mental break but without the added stress or planning involved in a trip somewhere away, wherein people run the risk of returning to work more exhausted than when they left." Added bonus: cheaper!


They relax without Netflix
Binge-watching is easy and relaxing, but don't forget to spend time on the hobbies that are more fulfilling as they will give you a greater sense of worth and pleasure.
"This is a great time to unwind with your favourite pastime or hobby, whether it's shopping, golfing, socialising, reading, painting, or something else," Taylor said.


They don't think about work
This is a big challenge for a lot of us — but the most successful people don't spend their free time pondering about that upcoming presentation or that missed deadline from the previous week.
Instead, they focus on enjoying whatever it is they're doing now.


They recharge
We all need to rest and recharge our batteries from time to time. Successful people use three-day weekends to do this.
They do make plans and stay active — but they also make sure to catch up on sleep and schedule some free time at the end of the weekend to unwind.


They sometimes switch days off
Some successful people will take a different day off instead, and go in to work on the vacation day when they have the office to themselves and can get more work done without being distracted, Kerr said.
"If you have the luxury of being able to do this it can be a double win — participating in personal activities when it's quieter and getting more work accomplished at the same time."


They think ahead
On the last night of long weekends, many successful people think about the week ahead and about key goals they need to accomplish, Taylor said. And they do this without stressing themselves out.


They protect their time
Successful people know that their time is precious. That goes double for any time you have to yourself.
So don't stumble into time-sucking pitfalls over your three day weekend.
Learn how to say no to plans that don't interest you. Kick procrastinating to the curb. It might be the weekend, but that doesn't mean you can't try out some time management strategies.

Life's too short to waste your time off.

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