Don't wait for Friday...

Having a chat with a friend the other day, she mentioned "I can't wait till Friday comes!" with a mixed tone of joy and relief. When I asked her what's happening that day she said "oh, nothing much... it's just the start of the weekend". Ok, so no plans... just rest, maybe catching up with friends, some cleaning, some shopping and some updates to social media, right? "Yup, pretty much".

We wrapped up and on the drive back home I started remembering those days when knowing that Friday was coming inspired the same feelings my friend had. It was the start of the weekend after all. Sunday, by contrast, was the least liked, the bad guy of those very short 2 days we have for recharging energy and distract the mind before getting back into the "9 to who knows" daily routine a good chunk of the Economically Active Population is immersed into.

After reading a few good books that widened my perspective on what can life be, I came to the conclusion that among all my friends, the least happy ones are those who see Friday with the same eyes I used to a while ago. Why? Because they have compartmentalized their lives into repetitive blocks, one week a time, and where the only excitement comes from the occasional holiday in between. As such, Friday has become the goal of the week, the repetitive finish line that leads to those 2 short days of rest, only to start the next leg of the rat race the following Monday.

The good news is there is definitely something else, something more fruitful and fulfilling. And while it takes time to discover what exactly works for one self, there a few things that may help with the discovery process:

1. Picking up a skill: this skill has to be something unrelated with the uni, college degree, or with the current occupation. For example: a language (that's what I picked up), a craft, a musical instrument, etc. Learning is powerful for which it keeps your brain stimulated and where the goal (mastery) should keep you striving for more, beyond the confines of a 7 day time period.

2. Picking up on someone else's mind, being by reading a book or listening to it. Audio books are really a blessing since they allow multitasking (listening to the book while exercising at the gym for example). Just one distinction: while there are different categories in the literature world, the advise here is oriented specifically to scientific / academic / self developmental. Fictional literature is fine, but for recreational purposes.

3. Revising the circle of people that surrounds us. It is true when they say "we are the average of the 5 people we spend the most time with". so, chances are that currently most, if not all those 5 people are "Friday Seekers" as well.

4. Last but not least, the mind can't progress if the body is not up for the task. Nurture the body via good nutrition, moderation on indulgences, plenty of water and exercise.