It’s Saturday morning. I chase the beam of my headlamp in the glittering twilight as the first sign of daylight forms a faint light in the horizon. My muscles burn from the relentless grade of the 1,655 ft. boot pack and I wiggle my fingers inside my gloves to regain circulation. I visualize the buoyant feeling I will soon experience skiing down the freshly fallen, fluffy eiderdown that is so precious to powder seeking skiers. Frost crystallizes on my hair and eyebrows and I crave a cup of coffee from Pearl Street Bagels at the base of Teton Pass. Just as the sky radiates into a sea of tropical colors, I stand at the top of Mount Glory, and I could not be happier. My fantastical mind yearns to quit my day job and experience this freedom whenever the craving hits, but reality forces me to schedule it in.
In an athletic community, the grass is always greener, or the snow is always deeper on the other side as we juggle to find ways to balance a gratifying work-play schedule. Working a Monday-through-Friday day job sends me mumbling curses under my breath; lost in my supernova of connectivity to the modern world and diverting my eyes to the social media feeds of enthusiasts that simply make me feel like I’m missing out. Teetering between feelings of extreme jealousy, inspiration in the talent of those that have made athletics a full-time career, continued jealousy, and regret that I will never be a 25-year old part-time barista again, I have come to the realization that the “get out and get happy” mantra that floats through the Jackson Hole ethers can be achieved around whatever schedule I work.
Where does our time go and how can we use it better? Monday morning can come fast, but stepping away from the megapixels of the modern world and making the most of your 64-hour weekend will bring you into your work week feeling equally refreshed and energized.
- Make a plan. Without some sort of plan, the chances are high that you will find yourself mindlessly wasting away your weekend hours and wondering where time went. Having a plan will allow you to reap the benefits of anticipating something fun and increases the probability of actually doing what you are excited about.
- Keep a consistent sleep schedule. Start your weekend off by treating your body right. We require regularity and a consistent sleep schedule to keep our body’s internal clock happy. Sleep too late and you won’t feel like waking up at all, wake up too early and you will slip down the rabbit hole of being sleep deprived when the work week reappears.
- Schedule downtime. I am known for my inability to sit still, but my little known secret is that downtime is incredibly valuable to my day. Making time to rest allows your body to recuperate and hit the ground running, eager and reenergized.
- Be open minded. You can’t change the weather, you can’t control the people around you, but you can be flexible.
- Sunday night fun. Wash away the Sunday night blues by giving yourself something to look forward to. Whether it’s a group dinner, happy hour yoga class, or sunset run, finish off your weekend of freedom with a bang.
