The Secret To Refreshing Weekends Is The Opposite To What You’d Expect

Now that Wedding Season is over and our warmer days are coming to a close for a good few months, we finally have more of an opportunity to do what we’ve said we’ll do for months: nothing.

When you have back-to-back plans and obligations, there’s just something so appealing about the thought of staying home and doing absolutely nothing for a weekend. 

What splendour! What a gift!

However, when you do have these rare treats, do you ever find that they didn’t quite hit the way you expected them to?

Yes, it’s nice to not have obligations, but... something is still missing?

Why you don’t feel refreshed after doing nothing

Obviously, we’re never really doing nothing.

We’re binge-watching the latest Netflix show, scrolling on our phones and zoning out. Which, sometimes, is just the trick but usually? Not so much. 

According to one psychologist, there’s a good reason for this.

Writing on Quartz, psychologist Tony Crabbe said: 

“Most of us are rubbish at using our leisure time. We think of it as an opportunity to chill out and do nothing, typically from the comfort of our couches at home.

“Instead, both ancient wisdom and modern psychology show that, when it comes to leisure, “the more you put into it, the more you get out of it.”

The expert went on to say that if you really want to recharge, getting involved in an active hobby that absorbs all of your attention is essential, adding, “engaging in challenging hobbies recharges us, and reduces our overall level of exhaustion.”

Damn.

So, what counts as an active hobby?

Active hobbies are anything that requires moving your body — think cycling, dancing, climbing or running.

You don’t need to do these competitively, but, digging into a hobby really is beneficial for your brain and body.

A 2023 study compiled the findings of five different surveys, all of them studying hobby engagement and mental well-being among people 65 or older. The studies tracked more than 93,000 older people across spans of four to eight years in the United States, Japan, China, and 13 European nations.

In every location, participants with hobbies reported fewer symptoms of depression and greater health, happiness, and life satisfaction than participants without hobbies.

Of course, active hobbies aren’t always doable for many people for many reasons but even moving your body while you’re on the sofa can make a big difference and keep your blood pumping. 

Speaking on ITV last summer, fitness expert Shakira Akabusi spoke about the benefits of “cosy cardio” and introduced the presenters to an exercise that she dubbed “sofa punches.”

Shakira recommended: “Whilst sitting down on the sofa start punching with both arms outwards while lifting your knees.”