Friday is one of the most anticipated days of the week and I'm sure you can guess why. For some people, it's payday, the last work day of the week, and also the beginning of a weekend filled with mimosas, brunch dates, sleeping in late, and barhopping.
While many of us may want to hit the snooze button on a Saturday, the success that you may be wishing for and the personal goals that you want to accomplish, is probably interrupted by your personal weekend choices.
I'm sure we all know of that one person that is the epitome of success and we wonder how we can get on their level. I follow a few successful entrepreneurs on Instagram and I sometimes wonder how they have the time to nurture relationships, work out, be moms, take classes, slay all day, and run their businesses. The main thing that separates successful people like Curl Box CEO Myliek Teele, Issa Rae, Karen Civil, and health coach Massy Arias from the others is their attitude on life, and what they do with their time in the office and outside of the office.
Here are the top things that successful people do on the weekend that you should be doing:
1. They Don't Sleep In
Sometimes it seems like there are not enough hours in the day and successful people understand this so they don't sleep their mornings away. For 15 years, Starbucks President Michelle Gaas set her alarm for 4:30 a.m. to go running. Square CEO Jack Dorsey once revealed that he wakes up at 5:30 am to meditate and go for a six-mile jog. CEO of CurlBox Myleik Teele wakes up early on the weekend as well.
In an interview with Think and Grow Chick, Myleik said, "I wake up early and I have tons of friends that all sleep in. I wake up early, even on the weekends. I tell all of the girls that I mentor that 'for all of the time you're taking, your competition is four hours ahead of you, six hours ahead, however many hours ahead of you.' That's important and real. So if you think that sleeping in has no effect on your life, then you have lost already. For every hour that you give to your competition either by not reading, not researching, not networking, not connecting, not attempting to learn, it's just every place that you're putting yourself behind at."
What does this tell you? Getting up early on the weekends and using every hour of the day wisely allows you to allocate more time towards your day and teaches you discipline.
2. They Work Out
Successful people know the advantages of having an active mind and body, even on the weekends. If you follow Angela Simmons, you know that she is an active gym-goer and kickboxing fanatic. In an interview with xoNecole a few years ago, she admitted, "I try to work out everyday. I usually box or do spin classes. On my days off, I'll run stairs or run on the treadmill."
Meanwhile, in an Entrepreneur article titled, "Why Exercising Is A Higher Priority Than My Business," Josh Stiemle stresses the important of exercise and making it a priority:
If exercise stops, then my health goes downhill. With the loss of physical health, my productivity at work goes down. I become depressed. I lose motivation to do the things that makes my business successful. I've learned firsthand that excellence in one area of my life promotes excellence in all other areas of my life. Exercise is the easiest area of my life to control. It's easy to measure. Either I get it in, or I don't. When I do, it lifts up all other areas of my life, including my business.
3. They Make Time For Family And Friends
Successful people understand the importance of building and sustaining relationships, especially with family and friends. When you spend time with your loved ones, it can relax your mind, and it can help you maintain the relationships with people that mean the most to you.
In a 2014 study, it was found that people are naturally happier on the weekends because of what they do during their time. Normally on the weekends, people are off of work and have time to do more things outside of work that make them happy - most of which is spending time with family and friends. The amount of time that people spend with loved ones was shown to double on the weekends, and for those people, their emotional well-being tends to increase. Social interactions with others is good for the soul, and increases positive vibes. A lack of social interaction can increase negative vibes.
Buzz Marketing Group CEO Tina Wells believes in the power of social interaction with family and friends. Wells has been a CEO since the age of 16 so being extremely busy is normal for her. Although she is very busy, Wells tries her best to maintain an effective work and life balance. In an interview, Wells said, "I have a very big family (five siblings, 60+ cousins…) and spending time with them is very important to me. The concerts, recitals, graduations, impromptu card games…all of these moments are important to me, and there's no business success that can replace these moments."
4. They Indulge In Hobbies And Take Vacations
Successful people understand the benefits of engaging in activities that they enjoy. Whether that is painting, traveling, going to the movie theater, or going swimming, they make time to do the things that they love and this prevents them from getting burned out from work. In an interview, Marissa Mayer, President and CEO of Yahoo!, said, "I've always loved baking. I think it's because I'm very scientific. The best cooks are chemists... I'm a businesswoman first and foremost [but] my hobbies actually make me better at work. They help me come up with new and innovative ways of looking at things."
Successful people also take vacations. A quick getaway and change of environment is necessary to regroup every now and then.
Myliek Teele reveals in her My Taught You journal:
"In 2014, I decided to take as many vacations and breaks as I wanted. My year began with a trip to Savannah, GA to take a cooking class (and it was so much FUN) and walk around town. I went to Paris and Amsterdam TWICE! I absolutely love Cancun, Mexico, so I went there three times and spent my birthday in Puerto Vallarta. I decided to do that because, for years and years, there were so many things that took priority in my life. 2014 was the year of the BREAK, so I was really excited to enter 2015 well-rested and fired up!"
5. They Clean Up And Declutter
A clean house equals a clean mind. Messes take up mental space and provoke negative emotions. Removing dust, dirt, and clutter from your environment provides you with a cleaner, more comfortable atmosphere so you can feel happier and more relaxed. And when you are happier and more relaxed, you are more productive.
Most people use the weekend to catch up on chores, however, cleaning during the week can free up your schedule. Create a weekly schedule and clean during the week. Whether that is cleaning the bathroom on Tuesdays, and dusting the furniture on Wednesdays, dedicating your cleaning days to the week will give you the weekend that you need and deserve.
6. They Volunteer Their Time And Give Back
In Tim Corley's book Wealthy Habits: The Daily Success Habits of Wealthy Individuals, he found that 73% of wealthy people volunteer for five or more hours per month. Giving back relieves stress and it keeps you focused, not to mention paying it forward always brings more opportunities and blessings. Some of those blessing can include feeling healthier and being able to develop new skills, as mentioned in a recent Forbes article.
Also, volunteering can improve your well-being and can make you an overall better person. Michelle Obama spoke of the importance of volunteering and giving back by saying, "And in my own life, in my own small way, I've tried to give back to this country that has given me so much. That's why I left a job at a law firm for a career in public service, working to empower young people to volunteer in their communities. Because I believe that each of us--no matter what our age or background or walk of life--each of us has something to contribute to the life of this nation."
Weekends are a great time to volunteer in your local community, network, and meet other people. At many volunteer events, it is not abnormal to find business leaders, prospective customers, and other important leaders in your community. In a study, fifty-seven percent of people that volunteer their time admitted that they often meet business leaders and connect with future customers through volunteering.
7. They Relax And Reflect
Ever since I was a little girl, I always told myself that I would dedicate at least 30 minutes to myself. Being a girly girl that is obsessed with bubble baths, my "me" time was spent while soaking in bubbles. I personally see the value of dedicating 30 minutes to yourself every single day, especially on the weekends. Many times, we are so caught up in our careers, other people, and the world that we don't stop to relax and truly reflect. During my 30-minute bath time, I like to relax my mind and just think about ME and what I have going on. Sometimes I may listen to music during this time, but I find it more effective to listen to my own thoughts. During this time of relaxation and reflection, it is also the perfect moment to think about your week ahead, what goals you want to accomplish, and how you can be more productive.
Aristotle said it best, "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then is not an act, but a habit."
Be consistent, and follow the rules above to be on the path to your destined success. There are countless of successful people that do the exact things above so incorporating some of these strategies in your weekend can improve your abilities, your mindset, expand your network, and increase your success in and out of the workplace.
What do you do on the weekends that keeps you disciplined and focused? Let us know!
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