When I was working full-time in a job that dragged me down more then it lifted me up, it was really hard to enjoy my evenings and weekends. Time away from work was plagued with dread of the next time I would have to be at work. I was so bummed out from the day that I couldn't spring into my time off with energy and instead of enjoying it, I slummed around.
On Fridays with the weekend approaching, I'd start to panick a little. I knew I only had 2 days to enjoy life (dramatic but yes, it felt this way at the time). What could I do in those 2 days to remind myself I was alive and feel good again? And I knew I only really had about 24 hours because Saturday morning you're still decompressing and Sunday afternoon you've got the Sunday blues just anticipating a new work week ahead. What I learned since becoming a coach is that you can't expect yourself to go from totally bummed out to totally happy in the span of an evening or weekend. That's way too much pressure. And the pressure of "hurry up and have fun" just adds to your stress and stuck feelings.
So set your expectations low. Don't put pressure on yourself to go on a big adventure each weekend but instead ask yourself what would feel really good with the amount of energy that you do have.
Maybe it's treating yourself to a nice latte at a swanky coffee shop. Maybe it's catching some live music at a dive bar. Maybe it's taking your dog to the off-leash park.
Resist the temptation to sit on the couch and watch TV the whole time. You KNOW this doesn't feel good, it only satisfies an urge to feel pleasure after feeling very little all day long. Sometimes an escape is needed and some entertainment is good but set a limit.
What I like to do is take a few minutes to meditate in the morning (you can also try this on your way home from work or at the start of your Saturday or Sunday) so I can tune into what my body and soul need for the day. How do I want to feel? I push aside the things I feel I "should" do and focus on what feels right.
If you come up with nothing, try these research backed ways to feel good:
Spend time with loved ones
Get outside
Be active
Try something new
So simple. And if you just can't seem to make it work, subscribe to my mailing list for the Get Unstuck worksheet here. You don't have to stay stuck in the dumps.