Just what are weekends for?

A feature article by Isla Campbell, Mar 25, 2008         

Weekends should be a time to relax, to unwind and get over the stresses of the past-week while recharging the batteries for the week ahead. But, instead too many of us now actively dread the thought of the two-day break as it has become busier than the working week!

The truth is that for far too many, planning for the weekend has become akin to a working out the logistics for a co-ordinated military exercise. Making sure that we the squeeze the maximum amount of activity into a mere 48 hour period has become, like everything else in our lives, a competition. We compete against each other and the dreaded clock as we strive to produce the ‘best’ possible weekend.

But we don’t help ourselves, because we live in an age when too many of us are consumed with guilt when idle. So, instead of relishing any peace, there is a nagging doubt that we should be doing something productive; so it's no wonder that we have trouble sleeping. Sleep deprivation is on the rise according to the government, as we simply find it far too difficult to switch off from life. Even though the body needs rest the mind simply can’t stop ticking over.

To compound stress levels further, it appears anyone equipped with the latest versions of smart phones can never escape the office. Wherever they go they can be contacted. Employers expect us to be at the desk for the allotted working hours, but many now even consider contacting workers outside of core hours as the norm. Can we ever escape?

ADVERTISEMENT: