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4 Ways to Stop Living for the Weekend, According to a Therapist

A therapist shares four ways to reclaim your weekday evenings, leave work stress behind, and stop saving all your fun for the weekend.

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If you work a traditional 9-5 job, you likely understand the hustle of working all week just to cram a bunch of social activities into a short weekend. Loverboy didn’t write “Working for the Weekend” for no reason. Unfortunately, many of us have been conditioned to rest on weeknights after a stressful day, delaying any pleasure until Saturday and Sunday. 

“People live for the weekend because they can design their own time. They’re not beholden to strict schedules, wake-up times, bedtimes, etc. It’s two days of freedom,” says Melissa Silver, a licensed psychotherapist in Tribeca. “It’s also two whole days without the anxiety of performing, having to get along with a boss or coworkers, or get up and speak at a meeting. During the weekend, the pressure is off, and our nervous system is calm.”

Thankfully, you don’t need to wait ‘til Friday to start living your life to the fullest. Here are four therapist-backed ways to make the most of your weekday evenings.

1. Leave Work at Work

Disconnecting after a long, stressful day can........

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