How do you spend your weekends in North County?
Since I moved to Carlsbad, I’ve grown to love a well-spent weekend.
By that, I mean that I’m productive in meeting a range of personal goals and immediate needs around the house.
My neighbors seem to relish in the same satisfaction.
Landscaping. House cleaning. Fixing things. Exercising. Running errands. Side projects.
All in all, maybe putting in a solid 10 hours each day to getting stuff done.
I know that a lot of folks, including my friends, savor sleeping in, slowly sipping a cup of coffee, or having nothing planned on their days off from work.
Some people have really tough jobs and schedules, and need time to recharge their batteries. I get that.
But I’ve always felt that there’s so much that can be done with each day, you will miss out if you don’t take a different approach to life.
When I feel lazy or unmotivated to get out of bed and meet the challenges of each day, I’ve gotten into the habit of asking myself, “Will I regret not making the most of this day?”
To answer is, un-variably, “Yes.” That’s usually enough to get me up and about.
Other times, I have a playlist of motivational YouTube videos play in the background as I shave and shower in the morning.
This is almost like a personal pep talk, in the way a professional athlete would use to reaffirm their focus and drive to excel. I really recommend it.
Drag yourself out of bed, any way you can. Sometimes our life goals can be daunting, and personal obstacles can leave us feeling overwhelmed. Don’t lose sight of what you want in this world. Chip away at those goals each day, including the weekends.
To get what you want, there are no days off.
Want to lose weight? Get up early and go to the gym.
Haven’t finished that home improvement project that’s been lingering for months? Today’s the day to get it done.
Rise and grind, North County.
My weekends are spent multitasking and being efficient with the time I have.
When I’m cleaning around the house, or gardening outside, I also listen to podcasts on my iPhone, to keep up with current events. When I barbecue up food, I will make enough for a week’s worth of lunches.
In my mind, this makes more opportunity for leisure in the evenings.
Socializing and meeting friends is important, but that’s time better spent as a reward for meeting your obligations for the day.
Of course, not all of my weekends are super productive, but every weekend starts with that goal.
You need a positive attitude to create positive change in your life, and staying active is a big part of that.
Are you a weekend warrior, too? If so, I salute you.
Vince Vasquez is a think tank analyst based in Torrey Pines. He is a Carlsbad resident.
