Now we’ve got our freedom back, we can do (virtually) whatever we want at weekends again. But is weekend envy starting to creep in?
If you have single friends or friends with older kids, you might start feeling like a green-eyed monster when you see or hear what they’re up to. Whether it’s a result of chatting in your Whatsapp group or scrolling on Instagram, it can leave you feeling like everyone else’s Saturday and Sunday is more interesting than your own, leaving you with weekend envy.
Here are some ways you can avoid FOMO (fear of missing out).
Muting Is A Must!
If there’s someone on Instagram that you compare yourself to all the time and always feel bad afterwards, the simplest solution is to unfollow or mute them. Make sure the pages you do follow give you a boost and don’t bring you down. Instead, follow the ones that are more relevant to you, such as positive quotes, home renovation pictures or recipe ideas.
Reality Check
Face to face conversations with friends are normally much more real; you get the full picture and not just the highlight reel. Everyone has their own frustrations and issues, but they don’t necessarily document them on social media. While in-person they might tell you their family day trip was a tantrum filled disaster, their posts about it would tell a different story.
Sleep Is The Answer To Everything
Although getting enough sleep is tricky when you have a toddler or a newborn, make sure it’s a priority. Unfortunately, you’re much more likely to feel negative when you’re tired and you’ll also have less energy for your own plans.
Practise Gratitude
Instead of focusing on what you haven’t done during the day, focus on what you have done. List three things that you’re grateful for every night whether it’s that your toddler loved dancing to their favourite song or that your son had a great swimming lesson. By keeping a gratitude journal, you start to notice the little wins more.
Wishes Do Come True
Remember when you wished for what you currently have? When you were young and childfree, weekends were probably spent going shopping, having long, lazy lunches, followed by dinner and drinks. But, we also desperately wanted a family to spend our free time with. Nothing beats Sunday morning snuggles in bed with your little ones, even if you do occasionally get a foot in your face…
Don’t forget, we’re often very happy with how we’ve spent our weekends until we look at what everyone else has been up to. As the saying goes, "comparison is the thief of joy".