It’s that time of the year- summer is ending, school is starting, and fashion forbids us from wearing white until spring. Labor Day is sometimes seen as an excuse for a three day weekend, but if you’re not planning a cookout or wanting to endanger your wallet on store special sales, there are still ways to enjoy your weekend even without a large get together.
Being alone for the weekend doesn’t mean that you are alone. Plans change, stuff happens, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t capable of entertaining ourselves. There’s such a present social pressure to always be seen with friends at every hour of the day, but there’s no shame in having some plans of your own. Drown out the voices that imply “me time” means dying alone with dozens of cats.
Labor Day weekend doesn’t mean everyone can skip their responsibilities and leave them for Tuesday morning, so for those who have unavoidable to do lists- try to finish the work first so you can still get a taste of what the ideal three day weekend is supposed to feel like. I know procrastination is a gift, but I personally can’t enjoy my time knowing I have looming work to do. Get the boring stuff out of the way so you can enjoy the time to yourself.
So if you’re stuck in the house with no plans, I have a few ideas on how you can spice things up and treat-yo-self.
Tip one: Sleep in. Isn’t more than 5 hours of sleep a wonderful concept? Don’t sleep your free day away, but get those 8+ hours of banked sleep. You’ve earned it.
Tip two: Take a nice bath or a long, hot shower. Heat relaxes your muscles and the cool tiles and water will wake you up and get you ready to take on the day.
Tip Three: If you can cook and got a few spare ingredients around the house, go and cook yourself a nice meal. Try blasting some music that can’t allow you to stay still. If you can’t possibly enjoy preparing a meal half as much as consuming it, go out and grab yourself a meal that doesn’t necessarily have to break the bank.
Tip Four: Curl up in a warm blanket and read that book you’ve been trying to finish or buy that book that’s kept up your friends all night and see if it will have the same impact on you.
Tip Five: Maybe you’re not into reading- (I don’t understand you), but grab a big bucket, add some popcorn, and turn on your favorite childhood movie. Maybe you haven’t seen Space Jam or The Land Before Time in ten years, why not binge on popcorn and nostalgia?
Don’t devalue the time you have to yourself! For those like myself who are going to be celebrating by laboring on Labor Day weekend- these suggestions work year-round. Find your balance between hard work and treating and rewarding yourself for it. Celebrating your own accomplishments as a laborer is important in of itself. We are completely capable of entertaining ourselves from time to time.
