How to Zen on weekend and set yourself up for a successful week

Is your survival instinct killing you? Modern day living is a 24x7 aggravated assault on our sensibilities. Be it work demands, personal challenges or social life upkeep, our time and lives are on call non-stop. But is this constant adrenaline rush and drive for story highlights might actually be detrimental to your wellbeing. 

Work, eat, workout, sleep, repeat. Set lofty goals, strive to achieve them. Micro manage time, monitor quality of sleep, make enough time for family, and then plan some. The stress of modern day life adds up through the week and by the time weekend rolls around, it might be a good idea to relax and unwind before the new work week starts. It might seem like the weekend is a short time, but in fact from Friday evening to Monday morning, there is a good chunk of hours which are enough to recharge and reinvigorate.

There is more to life than increasing its speed - Gandhi

Letting go of work on weekends and living in the moment of things can bring in contentment and joy. With less on your plate, you can be more in the moment and here are some tips on how to actually get it done:

• Start the Morning Slow: Get at least one slow morning in a week. See how it feels to wake up without the alarm, refreshed and energized. Don't make any commitments for this morning and get up when your body tells you its time, not your mind. 

• Make specific Plans: Plan your weekends well and create specific plans as far as possible. Let your friends and family know you're taking it easy and don't indulge them with last minute commitments they seek.

• Unplug from Technology: It might not be possible to go without your phone or laptop for the entire day, but do carry out a scheduled maintenance by limiting screen time to only important tasks. Social media can wait.

• Stretch Yourself: Don't forget to stretch, exercise or do yoga during the day. A little workout is a great way of energizing your mind and body. If you meditate, include this in the plan as well.

• Read Up: And make sure it's not about work or self improvement. Casual reading, with an actual book with papers, is a great de-stressing tool plus it adds value in its own way. 

Unwinding has its own virtues and a restful weekend, planned and executed with care will catapult into a better work week ahead.