This past Friday my friend asked me a question, and the answer I gave shocked me.
I was cooking food with two of my closest friends, chatting about how our weeks went. It was one of those conversations that didn't have much thought put into it. Often times those are the conversations where the most interesting reflections happen.
He asked if I was looking forward for the week to be over. I said I wasn't.
2 months ago I switched jobs and it's been an amazing experience thus far.
The onboarding process was fantastic. My team members have been more than generous with their time & effort to get me up to speed. The product I'm working on is both technically challenging & rewarding to work on.
Usually weekends are treasured times - being with family & friends, working around your home, grinding on side projects. It's the two days where Uncle Sam isn't coming to collect.
For once I have been enjoying the 9 to 5 grind without seeing Saturday & Sunday as an escape hatch.
My answer to his question was "I'm in a great place right now where I don't need the weekend to act as a reset".
It was one of those thoughts that I could feel within me, but actually verbalizing those feelings cast a new light on my current mental state.
It's important to acknowledge this change of perspective is not only due to a job change, but also the the people I've surrounded myself with over the past year and the way I'm choosing to spend my time outside of work.
Here are some simple habits you can incorporate to start enjoying your week without your weekends feeling like a light at the end of the tunnel:
Spend 5 minutes every day thinking of 3-5 things you're grateful for
Find a work/life balance that gives your mind enough time to reset
Reach out to check in on 1 friend or family member every day
Take shorts breaks throughout the work day to reset your mind (pomodoro works great for this)