Weekends sometimes don’t mean taking it easy

Sometimes, it’s necessary to say no to weekend demands and take the time to recharge.

Am I the only one who feels that weekends these days are anticlimactic? I’m pretty sure it’s weather-related, but it’s sort of getting me down. As I’m sure like many of you, my weeks are filled — with scheduled work, appointments, my kid’s programs and appointments, and the mundane chores of day-to-day urban dwelling.

And also like many of you, my partner’s life is filled morning to night with work, obligations, meetings and extracurricular activities. By Thursday, we really look forward to the next day — TGIF, and all that.

But come Friday night, we often have family obligations, and either way we’re too tired from the week to do much else. Of course, it’s much different if you’re single, have no children, or have older children.

But parents with kids under 10 will understand when I say that the weekends seem to be just another day. Many parents keep their kids busy on the weekends with hockey, gymnastics, music lessons, swimming lessons, and attending their friends’ birthday parties. It’s exhausting!

But at this time of year, when the winter’s settled in, even my single party friends get what I call, “weekend weary.” The holidays are over, there’s nothing to celebrate, and it’s not yet spring.

So, what can you do to rise above the weariness? Try these ideas to shake up your weekend and get you back on track:

Take a weekend off — no plans, no lessons, no parties, nothing. Just hang out at home by yourself, with your partner, your kids — and reconnect. Eat, nap, just relax and recharge.

Same as above, but get out of town. Go to the mountains, or up to the woods, and get away from the urban grind. A trip back to nature will do the whole family good.

Pawn the kids off for a night and day. It may sound irresponsible, but it can be a great opportunity for you and your partner to reconnect. Your relationship needs reinforcement every now and then to help you remain a unified unit — and be better parents.

Simply switch — if you normally spend Saturdays running errands and Sundays hanging out with friends, do the opposite. If your routine is to go dancing Saturday nights, don’t. Go to a movie instead and go dancing on Sunday. You may have to find a different club, but that’s what’ll make it interesting.

Just say no — to all those birthday parties, family obligations, whatever you feel is pulling at you — and do things you never get to do. For some, that may be as simple as going to a movie, for others it may mean attending an event, like a hockey game or concert.

Get involved in things you don’t normally have time for — like cooking classes; joining a running club; volunteer; or start your spring cleaning early.