set out to answer this very question. Tracking the moods of 74 adults, aged 18 to 62 who worked at least 30 hours a week, the study team paged participants randomly three times each day and had them fill out a questionnaire that described what they were doing at that time, and how they felt, both positively and negatively . They also looked at physical symptoms, such as headaches, digestive issues and energy levels.
The results were completely predictable — everyone felt better on the weekend, no matter how many hours they worked, what their jobs were, how much money they made, or their relationship status. And the main reason is this: on the weekend, they could do whatever they wanted to. The study authors found that weekends were associated with higher levels of freedom and closeness. Participants were able to choose what they did and who they spent time with. They also reported feeling more competent during the weekend than they did during their day-to-day jobs.The work week was described as “replete with activities involving external controls, time pressures, and demands on behaviour related to work.
So basically, weekends are a time to let loose and get a break from the toads that you work with, in case you happen to work with toads. Now if you happen toOf course, not everyone has the luxury of a weekend of bliss — some of us have to work, some of us live with our exes , some of us have serious life issues that make every day impossibly difficult. But this study reminds us of the importance of taking time for ourselves — no matter what that may look like.
The bottom line? Downtime is more important than ever. Go forth and seize it any way you can. It’s good for you.This story originally appeared in Healthing.ca’s daily newsletter, Coming Out of COVID. Subscribe
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