Here’s something nobody tells you when you’re starting out: work on a weekend, and the praise comes rolling in. People notice. “Wow, look how serious they are.” And honestly? It feels good. That little hit of validation, like you’re finally moving in the right direction.
I’ve been there. I know exactly how that feeling is.
But somewhere along the way I realised something. The praise fades. The weekend doesn’t come back. And slowly, the days that were supposed to be mine had quietly become just more work.
So here’s what I’ve learned to do instead: I get stricter Monday to Friday. I hold the line there, so the work doesn’t come spilling into Saturday and Sunday. Those two days? They’re peace. They’re mine. Work: Off-screen.
Not that weekends have to be empty. I am writing this blog on a Sunday morning, and I love it. A little upskilling, a personal project you actually enjoy… that’s different. That fills you up. What drains you is chasing “productivity” just for the pleasure of feeling productive.
So this weekend, do something for yourself first. Watch a nice movie. Take a walk, a beach walk if you can, but any walk counts. Have you seen this monsoon weather? Go on a self-date. Sit with your own company for a while.
And to the oldies in this field, this one’s for you too. Use the weekend to recharge. Your brain needs healing just as much as anyone’s, maybe more. Step away, and you’ll be surprised: that bug you’ve been staring at all week, that blockage you couldn’t code your way past, you’ll come back Monday with a fresher head and a whole new approach. Rest isn’t the opposite of progress. Sometimes it is the progress.
And I already know what some of you are thinking, “but we have to work.” I hear you. I’ve been there too. I’m not telling you what to do. I’m just asking you to try.
Because at the end of it all:
You = Peace.