Being a 9-5 worker in Nigeria, without sugarcoating it, comes with enough stress. Of course, you may love your job so much but you still have to be out of the house early (especially if you live in Lagos) to beat traffic, deal with people on your way to work, attend meetings, tick your to-do list and handle other projects. Returning home is another chore, and every day, this is what you do (except if you are a remote or hybrid worker). 

Even as a remote or hybrid employee who works from home from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day or on some days, there is still always so much to do. That idea about remote workers having all the time in the world to themselves? It is not always true. Now that it looks like Monday till Friday is solely dedicated to work, your weekend is up to you! 

Why should I think about weekends? 

Many 9-5 workers like to see the weekend as just “another day” except that they don’t go to work. So, because of this, they don’t make plans. If you ask some 9-5 workers what they intend to do for the weekend, you can get responses such as “I really don’t know, I may just sleep because I had a long week.” Some people would even say that they are looking to complete a task they could not finish during the week. Whichever way, it is important to think about your weekend ahead, to know what to do with it that will make you feel fulfilled. Other reasons you should have your weekend mapped out include the following: 

• It helps you to reduce the stress, and anxiety that has piled up over the week. 
• It allows you to spend quality time doing other things and being with your own people, thereby allowing a healthy work-life balance. 
• It contributes significantly to your personal growth. 
• Planning your weekend helps you to manage your time and avoid wasting it on unproductive activities. 
• Having a clue of how your weekend would be can influence the coming week positively and if you get recharged enough during the weekend, you will get some goals smashed in the next week. 

Hey, 9-5ver! Enjoy your weekend! 

How? If you are wondering how you can have the best weekends or what activities you can engage in during weekends, we have some tips for you. We hope they work. 

Check NaijaonNetflix for currently streaming movies

If you are a movie person and you worked all week, then it’s time to have some nice screen time. It’s quite easy to get caught up in the web of a lot of work that you don’t know what movies are currently streaming and that is where “naijaonnetflix” comes in. They fill you in on all the gist of the “trending movies” per week and you get to choose any one that catches your fancy. The good thing is that you don’t even have to leave your house which means that you are having a relaxing time for real. You can see any movie you want on your smartphone, smart TV, or laptop. Also, why do you think it is called “Netflix and Chill?” – You don’t only get to see a movie, but you can get edibles to munch on too! 

Take a good sleep

We have heard people say that they leave their houses for work at 3 a.m./4 a.m. every day because they want to beat traffic. In this same way, they don’t return home until very late in the night – sounds like 9-5vers don’t get enough sleep. But, if the weekend comes and you don’t have to repeat this process, don’t you think you should compensate yourself for the days you didn’t get to sleep well? Good sleep on weekends is beneficial to your mental health. It helps your body to recover from the sleep debt that has accumulated during the week, thereby stabilizing your emotional state and setting you up for a more productive work week. 

Eat healthy

According to the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics, Nigerians spend a lot of money eating out every day and 9-5 workers make up 60% of individuals who perform this act. Some of these foods consumed by workers can be roadside meals or edibles bought from restaurants. This can be attributed to the fact that 9-5 workers do not have enough time to cook, so they decide to eat out almost everyday, even against their wishes. However, when the weekend comes, you have a choice to cook your own meals to your taste, to take enough water, and even have some fruit midday. While you binge movies, and take naps in between the day, don’t skip good food. It makes the weekend even better, that you are eating what you want and not what you can quickly get around. 

Outsource your Household Chores

We all know how people jokingly say that Saturdays are for home chores. But, do you know that you don’t have to do any? Working from Monday to Friday is enough chore, so instead of facing it again on Saturdays or Sundays, designate the chores to someone who can do them. If you have to fix laundry, clean the house, or do the dishes, some people offer to take on these jobs at a cost and you may want to hire them. It can be physically demanding to do all the household chores yourself, but if you think there are ones, you would like to handle yourself (considering your budget), make a list and identify your needs before reaching for help. The idea is to avoid being exhausted or burned out from doing too much. 

Try Something New

Remember that weekends are sometimes the only days of the week you get to do what you want for yourself. So, think of something you have always wanted to do or a place you have wanted to visit for a long time- is there a bookstore close to you that you would love to see? Do you want to try out swimming lessons? Would you rather spend the weekend at your friend’s? Try to make a list of activities you have wanted to try out and do one or more this time. However, make sure that it is an activity that gets you more relaxed, happy, and content. 

Weekends are not for completing tasks. If you worked so much for five days of the week, you should take enough rest in the remaining two days because that’s the purpose. Make plans for the weekend, and be sure of where you want to be, what you want to do, and who you want to be with. Most importantly, make the most of your weekend for Yourself!