After a busy week with work, study and family responsibilities, many people spend the whole weekend to rest or "relax" according to inspiration. However, according to experts, if you know how to take advantage of it reasonably, the two weekend days can become an important stepping stone to help the whole family enter a new week lighter, more proactive and less stressful.
Rearranging living space and schedule
Cleaning the house on weekends is not only hygienic but also helps relieve psychological stress. A neat space creates a sense of control, reduces stress and helps family members focus more easily when the new week begins.
Dr. Laurie Santos, a psychologist and Director of the Happiness Laboratory at Yale University (USA) said: "Small habits like cleaning up and planning in advance help the brain reduce feelings of overload. This is especially important for families with young children and working parents.
Besides, weekends are a suitable time for the whole family to sit down and agree on a weekly schedule: working hours, studying, picking up and dropping off children, general activities. Sharing and clearly assigning tasks helps reduce conflicts, avoiding the situation where everyone is in one rhythm, everyone is tired.
Care for relationships and mental health
Weekend is also a "golden time" to warm up family relationships. A full meal, a walk together or simply turning off the phone, and conversation without interruption all have significant mental recovery effects.
According to Dr. John Gottman, a marriage and family research expert at the Gottman Institute (USA), short but regular positive interactions in the family help increase cohesion and create a solid emotional foundation. “When family relationships are stable, each individual will be able to cope with work pressure better,” he emphasized.
In addition, weekends should not be completely "stolen" by social networks or dense social appointments. Spending quiet time for yourself, reading books, exercising lightly, getting enough sleep is a way to regenerate energy, especially for people who have to both take care of office work and take care of housework.
Prepare mentally for the new week
Before the new week starts, each member should take a few minutes to look back at the old week: what has been done well, what is still unfinished. For parents, this is also the time to guide children to develop the habit of self-preparing school supplies, clothes, and books. Things that seem small but help children develop independence and reduce pressure for the whole family on the morning of the beginning of the week.
Weekends don't have to be perfect or always "productive". The important thing is proactiveness and connection. When families prepare together, the new working week will start with calmness instead of being rushed.
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