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What Successful People Do During Weekends

By
Mortgage and Lending with Success Mortgage Partners, Inc. NMLS #130562 229758

Laura Vanderkam, a time management expert, talks about What Successful People Do During Weekends in her book, "What successful People Do Before Breakfast".

Flex Different Skills

Weekends should feel different from normal weekdays. One way of doing this is to make a rotation of your hobbies which you're probably too busy to do during weekdays. For example, celebrity chef, Marcus Samuelsson plays soccer. Doing different things allows your mind and body to recover from the stresses of a typical weekday.

Plan It Out

In a world where there are a lot of distractions, having no dedicated weekend plan just leaves you watching TV or stuck in the computer. You don't need to plan it out by the minute, just make sure the major ones are there.

Something Fun During Sunday Nights

Do something different apart from the typical sunday night blues. Having some sort of anticipation extends your weekend which can lead you to be more focused on the next one to come. You could have a traditional big dinner with your friends and family, sign up for a yoga class, or better yet volunteer to serve meals for the less fortunate.

Maximize Mornings

Mornings during weekends are usually the most time spent wasted. You can clean your children's toys, do the laundry, or if you're willing to, you can join a marathon.

Nap Time

Yes, it's not just for toddlers. Encouraging your whole family to have a power nap during mid-to-late afternoon let's your body rest from your schedule.

Cut Down on Tech

Putting your phone, tablet, or PC down is actually good for your brain. Time spent apart from these gadgets removes much of some stress from work which creates more space for other recreational things. Encouraging your family to do so as well. This will make you and your family more focused and dedicated to the activity you're doing. If you really need to do some work in the weekends, make sure you do it at a particular time and at a definite duration rather than just scanning through your phone every 15 minutes.

Find out more of this article in Reader's Digest.

What are your FUNtivities that you do during the weekends? Feel free to share by commenting below.

Grant Schneider
Performance Development Strategies - Armonk, NY
Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes

Brian - I do go to the Gym on Saturday morning.  It is good information for all of us to follow.

Jan 06, 2014 08:08 PM
Andrew Mooers | 207.532.6573
MOOERS REALTY - Houlton, ME
Northern Maine Real Estate-Aroostook County Broker

Live every day as if it is your last and you will not waste a drop of life. No wasted daylight, night time either gets frittered away. Experience all you can and weed, feed, water those delicate relationships is what is key. Not worry about you are three miles over your 3000 miles oil change scheduled maintenance in the Gremlin, Vega, Pinto or Yugo. Don't sweat the small nit pick details. Hang loose, stay focused, pay very good attention to the moments that tick by with casual speed.

Jan 06, 2014 08:16 PM
Lenn Harley
Lenn Harley, Homefinders.com, MD & VA Homes and Real Estate - Leesburg, VA
Real Estate Broker - Virginia & Maryland

I don't believe one can plan that way.   Developing a routine and following it to make sure the basics are covered seems to work for me.

For instance, the focus on weekends may be fine for lenders, but for real estate agents, our business is just the opposite.  Weekends are usually the busiest.

Jan 06, 2014 08:51 PM
Jeff Fisher
PureWest Real Estate - Whitefish, MT
PUREWEST REAL ESTATE/Christies

Great ideas and I try to do many of them, but cutting down on tech is more and more difficult!

Jan 06, 2014 10:20 PM
Andrew Payne Realtor® Richmond VA Homes For Sale~804-938-5257~
Piedmont Real Estate - Richmond, VA
Richmond, VA, Real Estate, SRES®, NAR Green

Brian,

These are useful suggestions.  It's a great idea to have a general plan of how a particular weekend will go besides just resorting to watching TV.  Volunteering is a meaningful way to spend part of weekends.

Jan 06, 2014 11:35 PM
Norma Toering Broker for Palos Verdes and Beach Cities
Charlemagne International Properties - Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
Palos Verdes Luxury Homes in L.A.

Stepping away from the daily routine/grind is a great way to recharge.

Jan 07, 2014 01:09 AM
Brian Heckman
Success Mortgage Partners, Inc. NMLS #130562 - Tampa, FL
NMLS #229758 Equal Housing Lender

It's nice to hear routines like this, especially Lenn's. Real Estate Agents do most of their work during weekends. But everyone has their own weekend (as in little/no work) right?

Jan 07, 2014 01:20 AM
Paul Collier
Patriot Home Mortgage - Huntington Beach, CA
Paul Collier

Great thoughts! I agree that in our multi-tasking, tech-heavy daily lives, we may actually be doing less than more, and messing with our attention spans to boot. Weekends are a great time to put it all away (except maybe one dedicated hour to checking emails for emergencies), look people in the face, spend some time outside and/or in silence. Happy Weekending...in four days!

Jan 07, 2014 04:10 AM
David Shamansky
US Mortgages - David Shamansky - Highlands Ranch, CO
Creative, Aggressive & 560 FICO - OK, Colorado Mtg

Hmmm I was going to say nothing since those who are successful have put in their 60hrs so when weekends hit its down time but your post made me think...

Like the concept

Jan 07, 2014 09:08 AM
Jane Chaulklin-Schott
TEAMCONNECT REALTY - (407) 394-9766 - Orlando, FL
TeamConnect Luxury Homes - Orlando, Florida, 32836

I look forward to weekends as a time to recharge my batteries. I have worked hard during the week and look forward to enjoying a few hours of fun on the 7th day. When Sunday night arrives, I look forward to my planned schedule for Monday. 

Jan 07, 2014 03:08 PM
Steven Nickens
Hawaii Life Real Estate Brokers - Wailea, HI
R(S)GRI ABR, Maui Real Estate Hawaii

I like to mix it up during the week and go windsurfing

Jan 09, 2014 05:38 PM
John F Muscarella
RIVER FARM PROPERTIES, LLC - Venice, FL
Broker/Owner, Venice, FL, Florida's Suncoast

Unfortunately this weekend is booked for visits leaving only Sunday afternoon for me.  But I'll make it work.

Jan 09, 2014 06:39 PM