Do You Need A Fun Day?
Have you ever heard the Bangles’ song, Manic Monday? A song all about how stressful Monday mornings are, they sing
“wish it was Sunday
‘Cuz that’s my fun day”
Although I have been listening to this song for decades, I have only recently considered creating a “fun day” in my life. With the stress of the pandemic and the dissolution of work and home boundaries, I decided this month that I needed to create one day each week just for fun.
Fun? What’s that? Does anyone even remember fun? For the past two years, our opportunities for having fun have been severely limited. Most of us are not enjoying life as regularly as we used to before the pandemic. Fears, stress, and government regulations have taken over our plans.
As a teacher, my life has been particularly stressful with all of the pivoting and uncertainty we face on a daily basis. I taught from home; I taught hybrid; I taught in-person. I taught virtually while I taught students in-person. It has been a whirlwind for sure. My constant pivoting has led to the need for using my extra time and weekends to focus on planning my lessons for the situation we are in. I got into the habit of blurring the lines between my work life and home life.
When I was having a chat with some colleagues last week, one asked us “What are you doing for fun this weekend?”
My friend Colleen said, “Oh, I’m just going to stay inside and try to stay warm and not get covid.” I nodded. With the cold of winter and the pandemic, true fun seemed to be foreign to me. When they looked at me for an answer, I was silent. It was a casual question, but the weight of it hit me like a ton of bricks. What on earth would I be doing for fun?
I recognized that I needed change. I needed to build some fun into my life. And I likely was not going to do it unless I actually scheduled “fun” into my week. Inspired by the Bangles, I chose Sunday.
Recognizing that I am always pressuring myself to write, I needed to set some boundaries around this aspect of my life as well. I use my time away from school for my writing; this means weekends have been very focused on my blogging and other projects. I know I create the best work when I spend time away from writing, and taking breaks prevents me from burning out. However, how would I be able to fit everything in?
I decided not only to dedicate Sunday as my fun day, but I would set boundaries around what I permit myself to do.
- No social media
I read and post daily on both Twitter and LinkedIn. I spend a lot of time thinking about my posts and what to share. I also read a lot of posts and engage with other people. This is a way that I gather ideas for my writing projects. However, I can get lost in the feeds and lose myself in time.
When I look up from my phone, it’s not unusual to see thirty minutes have passed like no time at all. I decided I will not access either platform on Sunday. Further, I decided I will only focus on posting Monday through Friday. Weekends are free from this obligation.
2. No writing on Sundays
Limiting my writing time is hard for me. I feel the pressure of having a day free from my school commitments, so I feel as though I should write, write, write. I know and understand myself, however.
I need a break from the constant pressure of writing to sit with ideas. Doing so also allows me to return to my drafts with a fresh perspective for editing. My work is much better when I step away for a while, and I have less “writer’s block”.
3. No school work
When my school day ends on Friday at 3:15, I stop all planning, grading, and email reading about school. Placing boundaries here has been particularly challenging due to the increased expectations during the pandemic. However, I need the space.
I made the decision to use my planning periods to buckle down on all of my school tasks. I sometimes stay late if needed during the week to ensure I have that time on Sunday to enjoy myself.
4. No commitments
As a single mom, my life has been filled with commitments for nearly twenty years. After my workday, I ran my children around to their sports and activities each night. My schedule centered around social events, sports events, and doctor's appointments. I drove one child to a friend’s house only to turn around and watch another one perform in a show. Incorporating another outing, even a fun activity, just seemed like adding one more thing to my to-do list.
I am now setting a boundary for myself since my children have grown older. Sundays are free and unstructured time. I will not allow myself to commit to any activities. I will wake into freedom and see where the day takes me. What a luxury. What a novel concept.
Sundays are my unstructured and open days to live. I am free to try new things, travel to new places, and explore. I free myself of commitments.
What will I do on my Sundays? Will I find new hobbies? Will I find new places to explore? I am not sure yet, a whole new world awaits!