Anyone else hate weekends?

I’m not great at unstructured time, weekends are not too bad but Bank Holidays can be a step too far. We normally go away for Easter, but the Crimbo Limbo week between Christmas and New Year is the pits

I love them. I don’t have to go to work .

But my Saturdays are busy then Sundays are usually much needed lazy days.

So much you could do with your weekends. They don’t need to be 2 days of nothing.

What is it you want from your free time?

It's always a good idea to think about what you would actually do if you had a choice and then work out how to do it

This thread made me have a long think last night (and a little cry if I’m honest). I’m going to try and make plans with friends at weekends from now on, no more skivvying at home whilst Dh and ds watch bloody football! I’ve already arranged to go to town with a friend next Saturday and have coffee. Thank you OP for this thread.

Why don’t you get a weekend job?

Being a parent to two young children, I could only dream of the freedom to do what I want, when I want for two whole days, every, single, week!

I suppose we all have to learn to love the weekends eventually... once we retire, life is a never-ending weekend.

I think perhaps you're lacking some excitement OP. I get that you can't be jetting off every weekend but if you like planning things I think it could work for you to sit down with the calander & plan some things thar are exciting for you.

I have no idea what you like, you seem to find most of the things suggested by others boring but I'll use my own preferences to illustrate what I mean.

I would look across the calander & plan something bigger every 2 months - this could be going to the theater, a concert or gig, a meal in a new place you've never tried before. This gives you scope to search for good deals / early bird tickets etc & you have something to look forward to.

Each weekend plan an activity you like (free / low cost) & schedule it in..

Think about taking up a course or joining a club of some sorts at the weekend..

Plan a day out with friends in advance- a country walk with a nice pub at the end of it; go to your nearest city together & go to a gallery & for a coffee; invite them to your house for lunch etc etc
Go to the beach for a long walk & eat fish & chips
Drive to your nearest forest & have a long walk - bring a flask of coffee/ cake

I think having bigger treats regularly (planned & budgeted for) will make the less exciting weekends more palatable as you'll know you're having a low key one in order to save for the treat ahead.

It really does come down to your own attitude & approach to this. You only have one life & it's so important to make the very most of it

You say a coffee only takes an hour, but i would go for a coffee out somewhere that’s an 1-2 hour walk, so fresh air, then a hot drink. The library is free, and look out for what is happening locally.

What if you don't have a family?

If money is short and makes the weekends seem long, could you consider getting an extra job and work a few hours perhaps one or two Saturdays or Sundays per month?

Hospitals for example employ staff on their ‘bank’ you just pick hours to suit. Loads of my colleagues do extra bank shifts. Or unsocial hours in retail/bakery - my dc starts work at 4am and I guess not many people like that shift!

This cuts down the days you find dull and gives you extra funds to do stuff you want when you are off - such as pub lunches I think you mentioned.
(however like others I can’t relate, I love time on my own or with close family. I enjoy many things that cost small amounts such as good coffee, library book or kindle book, walk with or without dog, cooking a nice meal with a glass of wine etc)

God no. They're not long enough.
Saturday- run, food shop, school work all bastard afternoon, read, film with dc.
Sunday- lazy breakfast, hard-core gardening (lifting and stuff), chores.

Could do with Monday off, as a rest day. Mon to Fri is work work. Weekends are housework and more work work.

Reading books is never, ever a waste of time & I only wish more people did it more often!

Weekends are more work. Children not at school, partner not at work. Therefore more work for me.

Do some cheap cultural visit, browse garden centres, dig a bit around the garden

I absolutely can't relate at all. I work full time in a busy challenging job, have teen dc & I just adore weekends.

I need them to recharge. I read a lot & research areas of interest to me. I am truly never bored.

We have great friends & we love seeing them but I could not have social plans evey weekend. We also travel a lot which is our joint passion & I spend ages planning trips.

In between that I love nothing more than leaving work at 4pm on a Friday evening & knowing I don't have any commitments until Monday!

I love being able to cook slower more complex meals, bake sometimes, make an excellent coffee from our machine & go lie on the bed with my books for a couple of hours. Watch a movie with teen dc if they're at home.
Light the fire & cuddle up with dh. Go for a siesta with him. Go for a drive or a walk if we feel like it. Stop off for coffee & cake or lunch..

We also love going to the cinema & do that quite regularly. We love browsing bookshops & antique shops.

Some weekends we have friends over & we cook tons of food & drink far too much wine.

I would never be bored if I didn't have to work. I would study (which I'm already doing)

Lots of weeks I don't watch TV at all. Other weeks I'm stuck into a great series on Netflix & watch loads- there's no pattern.

You need to find some interests OP

That is odd. Weekends are to be spent with your family on day trips to nice little or big places

I understand what you mean.When my kids were younger I was up early and out and about. Playground, soft play swimming, parties, shopping. Now they are older and in bed most of the weekend I don't know what to do with myself and feel a bit lazy lying in bed or not going out..

God no, I live for weekends. I hate working so much, and hate the rush every morning of getting ready and doing the school run.

As @Livedandlearned said, I think structure helps. Sometimes I want to be out running around like Maria from the sound of music, on hillsides singing and other times I want to stay home and potter about. Hate the grind of the week.

'Work' or 'binge Netflix' is a bit of a false dichotomy you have going there. However I can relate to the feeling of lacking structure and moping around.

I like to go for walks and make art or do big house tasks that have been building up if I can't go out.

My perfect Sunday is to put on an audio book or long podcast series and draw for hours.