Me ha tomado mucho tiempo (años) comprender que los rituales de fin de semana – incluso ese ritual donde no se hace absolutamente NADA – son necesarios. Durante mucho tiempo dejé que mi cerebro guardara en su disco duro la consigna de “trabajar, trabajar, café, demostrar en Instagram lo mucho que trabajo y seguir trabajando” y hace meses decidí empezar a probar nuevos métodos de trabajo, pero también de descanso./ It has taken me a long time (years) to understand that a weekend ritual – even that weekend ritual where absolutely you do absolutely NOTHING – is necessary. For a long time I let my brain save on its hard drive the slogan of “work, work, coffee, show on Instagram how hard I work and keep working” and months ago I decided to start trying new methods of work, but also methods of rest.
☕️ PERFECTING THE WEEKEND RITUAL 🌤
¿Debía seguir trabajando en sábados y/o domingos?, ¿qué pasaba si tenía tiempo libre? La vida moderna nos ha metido en un espiral de hiperproductividad donde incluso los momentos libres tienen que llenarse con una actividad a la que después pueda sacársele el mayor provecho (¿hola rastros de capitalismo feroz?): clase de yoga virtual, lives en Instagram, workshops, otra clase virtual, un Q&A sobre el mindfulness y encima fregar los platos./ Should I keep working on Saturdays-Sundays? What if I had some free time? Modern life has put us in a spiral of hyperproductivity where even free moments have to be filled with an activity that you can give you a profit in the future (hello traces of fierce capitalism?): Virtual yoga class, lives on Instagram, workshops, another virtual class, a Q&A about mindfulness and on top of that, doing the dishes.
Cada que llegaba el fin de semana y tras esforzarme en tener un desayuno contundente, caía en un espiral donde no sabía que hacer. Man Repeller bautizó esto como SATURDAY SPIRALS (sábado de espirales), los cuales habían llegado para sustituir a los SUNDAY SCARIES (terrores de domingo). Tras vivir varios fines de semana así, donde sentía que no había hecho nada pero que tampoco había descansado, decidí probar cosas nuevas que pudieran darme un mejor ritual de fin de semana./ Every weekend, and after trying to have a hearty breakfast, I fell into a spiral where I didn’t know what to do. Man Repeller baptized this as SATURDAY SPIRALS, which had come to replace the SUNDAY SCARIES. After living several weekends like this, where I felt that I had not done anything but that I had not rested either, I decided to try new things that could give me a better weekend ritual.
FIRST UP, YOUR OWN TERMS 🗃
Llegué a la conclusión de que mi ritual de fin de semana tenía que prestarse bajo mis propios términos y que lo propuesto por influencers/entreperenurs y otros personajes con oficinas preciosas, jamás me iban a funcionar./ I came to the conclusion that my weekend ritual had to be provided on my own terms, avoiding those rituals proposed by influencers-entreperenurs and other characters with beautiful offices, those were never going to work for me.
Mis propios términos por ahora incluyen al menos un día de descanso exclusivamente para mí, olvidándome de la agenda y de juzgarme por si de repente me apetece leer, hornear galletas, dibujar sin fijarme mucho en el resultado, ver Los Simpsons o simplemente tirarme en el sofá a hojear un catálogo viejo de Ikea. No juicios y no timers por 24 horas./ My own terms for now include at least one day of rest exclusively for me, forgetting about the agenda and judging myself if I suddenly feel like reading, baking cookies, drawing without paying much attention to the result, watching The Simpsons or just laying in the sofa while flipping an old Ikea catalog. No trials and no timers for 24 hours.
En ocasiones me doy el lujo de tener libres tanto sábado como domingo, pero digamos que en esta época de mi vida la carga de trabajo es importante./ Sometimes I have the luxury of having both Saturday and Sunday off, but let’s say that at this time in my life the workload is important.
PLAN AHEAD 👣
Ya sea que te tomes 1 o 2 días de descanso, mi propuesta es intentar destinar un momento del fin de semana (a mi me funciona domingo por la tarde) para repasar las tareas de la semana, así como organizar tus finanzas. Tal vez suena una actividad de pereza, pero son solo unos minutos que te ayudarán a enfocarte mejor y que tu YO del lunes te agradecerá./ Whether you take 1 or 2 days off, my proposal is to try to save a moment of that weekend ritual (Sunday afternoon works for me) to check and organize the tasks of the week and your finances. It may sound like a lazy activity, but it will take you just a few minutes and it’ll help you to focus better. Trust me, your Monday ME will thank you.
MANAGE SCREEN TIME 💻
Ésta puede ser una medida difícil, pero tomarse un break de pantallas y por ende, de redes sociales de vez en cuando es reparador. Obviamente no es una medida que tomo todos los fines de semana, pero después de tanto tiempo frente a una pantalla, mis ojos y mi mente agradecen este descanso, cambiando la laptop y el móvil por un libro, una caminata o un picnic./ This can be a difficult one, but taking a break from screens and, therefore, from social media from time to time is restorative. Obviously it is not a measure that I take every weekend, but after so much time in front of a screen, my eyes and my mind appreciate this break, exchanging the laptop and mobile for a book, a walk or a picnic.
¿Tienen algún ritual de fin de semana? Díganme en los comentarios para seguir añadiendo cosas./ Do you have a weekend ritual? Share more ideas in the comments below.
Week ends are so important to me.
Before I used to love to go out and visit new things but now with everything’s going on I just love to be at home and rest.
Sometimes I literally just love to do nothing. Laying down on the couch browse Pinterest or the last fashion shows or just watch a tv show.
But I also really appreciate to be away from the screen. Just like you I feel like sometimes my eyes just need to rest.
xx
Margot
https://troughthepasturesofthesky.com
Thanks for your sweet comment Margot!
Resting is crucial in order to have energy for further projects! As you right now I’m enjoying my time at home, even tho sometimes it can be overwhelming.
Have a lovely weekend!
So many great tips! Having at least one day per week when you just let things be what they are and take them as they come: so important! Not the easiest thing to accomplish though, but nevertheless important. It’s so easy to have, as you say, days when you don’t get anything done but you don’t rest either. I know I need to become better at working when I do work and take the time to rest when I’ve set time aside to do so. Have a great weekend Pablo, thank you for this post! Xx
Hello Mia, thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with me ❤️
I know I feel like as content creators we feel we must constantly be on and indeed there can be much to do, so much to know from technology to marketing to trends. But we all need a day off or two to recharge. Sundays is the day I do nothing, including social media. NONE at all. I just binge Netflix or Amazon or YT. And basically lay about lol.
And yes Paris is having a more normal FW as is Brussels. Just the good ole U.S, of A that is not. I want to leave as in permanently, but it is complicated and we are trapped here now haha.
Allie of
http://www.allienyc.com
Hey Allie, hope you’re doing good!
I feel the same! And as you I try to leave my phone from time to time and ignore all the noise in social media!
Hi Pablo! I came to your blog through Mica’s blog Away from the Blue. I am retired, and I still struggle with giving myself a day off from being productive. It’s crazy as all my productivity is self inflicted. And yet, I think part of my self-esteem is wrapped up in being productive. I like your idea of scheduling a break. I may need to try that.
Michelle
https://mybijoulifeonline.com
Hey Michelle, thank you so much for stopping by!
Yes, we must adapt this break to our own style, because we all have certain necessities.
Hope you have a lovely weekend!
You speak words of wisdom my friend. It is important to take some time for ourselves. Having a day without anything planned is a great way to relax ourselves. We need to rest in order to avoid burnout. Figuring our own weekend routine is a great way to do that.
Limiting screen time is imporant for our physical and mental health. Sometimes a short walk can do.wonders. Sometimes enjoying a good movie on our couch will do the trick. It all depends on what we might need.
I love your illustrations, they are beautiful!!
P.S. I hope you will have an amazing weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hello Ivana, it is always pleasant to read your words! Can’t thank you enough for taking the time to leave a comment on my site! You always make my day and give me a valuable feedback to think about!
Hi Pablo! 🙂
So true! We all need to save at least one day a week for ourselves and do whatever we please, even if that is binge-watching a show with popcorn, guilt-free masking while listening to oldies or literally anything else in-between.
My problem usually was that I would (kind of) low-key judge myself for not achieving anything on my days off. Strange, but for some reason I felt this constant need to be productive in order to validate, to prove something to myself and others. It is even harder when you are a freelancer with no actual boss breathing into your neck, you can only rely on yourself and your own time judgement.
Over time I’ve learned that it is okay to pause, relax and treat yourself. I am still trying to get better at it, but finding new hobbies to fill in the free time should help xx
Naya
http://www.nayatilly.com
Hello Naya!
Thank you so much for opinion and for sharing your experiences about this topic with me! I am just like you and even in my free day I tend to judge myself because at least I want to achieve something, but that’s why I am trying to apply this rule of free judgement at least for a day!
Hope you can improve your weekend routine my friend!
Lindos consejos ❤
thank you for your lovely comment!
Hello Fungi,
I like this ritual of having your own time for things that you want to do. Mine definitely involves being outdoors and forgetting about the laptop/phone. It has made such a great difference that I’m going to continue doing it. It’s my favorite way to recharge.
Hope you’re doing well and talk again soon. bye!
http://www.fashionradi.com
Hello dear Radi,
I know you’re an outdoors girl and it is so cool that you’re always planning a new escapade around Nevada!
Hey Fungi!
I hope you are well with your pink coffee cup and saucer<3
I really love your picture and illustration! There are lovely things in the first picture! We are big fan of Diptyque sample perfume. I would love to get that big clip, too! Your illustration is so beautiful and perfect, and it inspires me.
Thank you for sharing the great idea for weekend! I will start to check and organize the tasks of the week and my finances this weekend!! Your article always motivates me, and I think that it must support many people in the world 🙂
Hello Akiko 🙂
Thank you so much for your lovely compliments ❤️ As you I like to keep Diptyque sample and wonder about my next purchase haha! the big clip is also helpful for big coffee table books and magazines 😉
Good to know you found inspiration in this blog post!
just stopping by to wish you a great day and thank you for your comments.
Sounds like you have a nice routine for your weekend! I think it’s important to get as much rest as possible, although as a mum it’s not easy, haha! We like to spend the time playing together and we also do movie night on a Saturday – it’s really important to us and lets us all cuddle up on the sofa together as a family 🙂
Hope you are having a lovely weekend 🙂
hello Mica!
As you I think that rest is essential, specially if you have kids in the house right? haha
Best!
I totally love this post and thank you for pointimg out the saturday spiral! It is very important to take a break and rest. My weekend activities include reading a book, longer meditation, and gardening at the moment. Just to appreciate slow living. I also have a total day off where I don’t check emails/work. That way I feel more productive on weekdays!
Thank you so much for reading, dear!
Gardening is such a relaxing activity right?! As you I have to stop looking at the email in my off day!
Hey Pablo, how you doin?
How was the cameback from vacation? The restart of working days is always a pretty delicate moment, hope you’re not stressing yourself too much!
Anyway, about the topic: I think that the awardness of the need to organize your life is a thing that you get growing up.
I mean, when I was younger (except for work or study) I lived totally disorganized: every day was a circus, especially during the weekends, and at the same time happened to me to have soe days totally empty in which I essentially just wasted all the time while having regrets about what I could have do….
And I often ended to fine me pretty disappointed to not having done what I’d like to do and essentually having wasted my freetime!
Then slowly I started to became very addicted to rituals: i’ve started taking half day off just for my beauty routine (I mean scrubs, masks, mani-perdicure, exc…) then I’ve added some other things like taking my time to have my breakfast, one hour or two just to read a book, taking care of my plants with no hurry, a free evening to watch my fav serie, and so on.
Now I’m pretty proud to say that I’ve reached a good balance among my own needings and “the life”, sometimes is not very easy to keep it, but now I know how to manage (less or more) the situation!
I’ve ended to think that I need at least one day (two even better) a week just to myself: to recharge and make peace with the world!
Very wise tips anyway, and (as usual) amazing illustrations! the last one is a masterpiece, really! *_*
Take care, my friend!
XO
S
https://s-fashion-avenue.blogspot.com
Hello Silvia,
Welcome back and hope you enjoyed your trip to the south! I also had a little escapade to Balearic Islands but it was pretty weird. As you I think September is a strange season, but for me is almost like new year since I come back to work after disconnect!
And as you I lived totally out of control in my early 20s, I mean I was learning but didn’t have an agenda or a list to put my essential things to do…
I love how you take care of yourself during your break day, I must learn a few stuff from you and apply them in my day to day!
Take care too and thank you so much for your compliments!
Pablo
HeyFungi
Oh wow, this is a huge slap to my face lol. I badly need a weekend ritual cus I’ve been feeling overworked lately. I think it’s good that we do have a ritual and that we set boundaries/limits to work and life. Thank you for this, Pablo!
Your blog is nice and unique! c:
hey thanks for stopping by Bee! I hope you found a little bit of inspiration for your work and routines ❤️
Since the lockdown began, I use the weekend to really just enjoy my free time. Sometimes I read a book, or I let myself binge watch series or movies on Netflix and sometimes I write a blog post and do a little blog promotion. I make sure whatever it is I do, I’m doing it for the fun of it. No work!