When Do You Take The Time To Replenish?
What will you do this weekend to replenish what the week took out?
This is what I ask women in the Suite every Saturday. Most of the time, if they are new to the group, they will say something like they will be running errands or they will be carting their children around.
That's all well and good but again I ask, What will you do this weekend to replenish what the week took out?
Replenish is the key word here. It means to "fill up again," to "restore to a former condition." We go hard during the week and then during the weekend....we go hard again.
When does that give us time to relax? When does that give us time to reflect on the past week and soothe our minds and bodies? When do we get to completely unwind?
The hard truth is that replenishment time won't just fall into your lap. You have to create it. Here's how I make sure my weekends are designed to help me flourish:
Saturday is a screen-free day. I don't check email. I don't work. I don't spend hours scrolling through Instagram or Facebook. Saturday is dedicated to good food, time spent with my family and catching up on books I want to read. I begin this shutdown on Friday evening and it lasts until Sunday morning.
My kids are only allowed to do ONE extracurricular (that meets on the weekends) at a time. As they get older, that will change but for now, I'm not signing them (and by extension, myself) up for activities just to say they're busy.
I make plans! It's easy to have your weekend hijacked when you don't have concrete plans. Even if those plans are simply to sit in your tub until the water gets cold, have some idea of how you want to relax. It makes it easier in case you need to say "No" to someone else.
Now I'll ask you: What will you do this weekend to replenish what the week took out?