Tell me if this sounds familiar.
It’s Monday morning and you ask a co-worker about his or her weekend. You receive the standard, “Not long enough, man. Weekends just seem to go by way too fast.” You nod and move on to start your day.
If this is act one of what seems to be a never-ending play, it’s likely because more often, the work week is invading weekend time, according to recent survey results released by Enterprise Rent-A-Car.
“We went into the survey anticipating that work would creep into a weekend every now and then. However, this data opened our eyes to the fact that, for many of us, the work week doesn’t really end at the weekend, but spills right into it,” said Steve Short, vice president at Enterprise. “Realizing this, it’s no wonder that 85 percent of survey respondents said they want to get more out of their weekends and 83 percent described their weekends as ‘never long enough.’”
But don’t fear. All is not lost. At least not according to New York psychotherapist Jonathan Alpert who says it’s about making the most of the time you do have.
“Above all else, it’s important for people to remember that the weekends are their time to recharge and take a break,” said Alpert. “Spend time with family or friends, go on a leisurely stroll or get out of town for a couple of nights. No matter what you do, the key is to try to take a break from work and unplug.”
So, what does that mean, exactly? Well, it depends on you. What do you enjoy most? What do you find relaxing? What makes you let go and completely forget about what’s going on at the office?
When asked what could make weekends better, top survey responses included:
- Exploring new places (54%)
- The “new” place doesn’t have to be far away. Maybe there is a new restaurant in town. Or an annual weekend event you’ve always wanted to attend.
- Getting out of town (51%)
- Again, this doesn’t have to be far. Challenge yourself to discover what the cities and towns within a 50-mile radius of your home have to offer. You may be pleasantly surprised.
- Taking more weekend trips (48%)
- Make a list of weekend destinations and check them off as you commit to one weekend getaway per month.
I hate writing about myself. You want me to write about a car. Definitely. Auto finance? Now you’re talking! Me? Snoozefest. But since I have all this space just begging to be filled, I’m going to give this a shot. The auto industry started calling my name way back in 2001. I cut my teeth…
View more articles by Linda Sherman