Why We Shouldn't Work for the Weekend

We've all been there. We are all guilty. The countdown begins on Monday morning.

Only 4 more days to go. Then 3, then 2, and finally the wonderful day, Friday, appears.

Oh, Friday. How we sing your praises. We love you, Friday, because you bring with you Saturday and Sunday. Two glorious days to spend however we choose. But, and it's a big but, the weekends fly by in the blink of an eye. And then, we are faced with that ugly day called Monday. Again. And so, the countdown begins. Again.

We wake up on Saturday morning quickly erasing the week behind us. Forgetting it happened. Ready to move on to the weekend. But why? There were 5 days we rushed through, prayed to get through, and happy to be through. Only to get to Saturday. Just another day.

I know you are thinking,"Saturday is not just another day. It is the best day!" I completely agree with you there. Saturdays are the best because I get to spend them with my family. Uninterrupted by many of the obstacles the weekdays throw at us. Weekends are wonderful.

But...

What happens during the week? My wonderful mother is probably reading this right now saying, "Chelsea, don't wish your life away." She isn't afraid to remind me of this saying, and I am so glad she does. It is so true, and I know I need the constant reminder.

It is even more true now that I am a mother. There are so many beautiful things that take place in my household every single day. Not just Saturdays and Sundays. Our hectic lifestyles make it hard to slow down and really enjoy what is happening around us.

Unplugging from technology and spending quality time with your family can be the little oasis you need to help you get through each weekday. You can put a little "Saturday" into your weekdays. Yes, even Mondays can end with a joyful note! I know, that is hard to swallow. But believe me, it can happen!

It may seem unnatural at first. After spending an entire day with 25 eight year olds, I just want to come home and not think. Turn on a mindless show, like the Bachelor (which I love), eat some Doritos, and turn my brain off. But, when I lay my head down on my pillow that night, did I gain anything from doing that? Umm...no. Not at all.

It takes a conscious effort to live in the moment. Especially after my brain is fried from working all day. But, if we make little changes here and there, like put down the TV remote, go outside for a walk, play a game with my son, eat dinner at the table with my husband, then soon it won't be a conscious effort. It will be our saving grace each day. Our very own "Saturday" on a Tuesday night.

We now have a nightly routine that I look forward to each and every day. My husband and I play with our son together. We have such a blast being goofballs just so we can see him laugh. I lead bathtime every night, massage lavendar baby lotion on his soft baby skin, and put on his snuggly pj's. Hug and kiss all over him, tell him I love him a million times, and send him off to daddy. Daddy swaddles him, reads him his bedtime story, rocks him, and feeds him his bottle while listening to lullabies. We each get our own special time with our son. A little bonding time that we hold onto a little too long some nights because we don't want to let him go. And once he is in sweet baby dreamland, my husband and I get some "us" time. Talking about our days, laughing at stories of our son, and sometimes, just cuddling on the couch watching one of our favorite shows. These are my moments, These moments are my "Saturdays" every night.

The time we used to spend sitting and staring at our phones, computers, or TV is no longer missed. At all.

And when I lay my head down on my pillow at night after these little changes, I will have gained everything. Wonderful memories I will cherish forever.