How to make the most of your weekend
Whether you choose activities, quality family time or simply relaxing at home, the key is to balance rejuvenation and productivity to feel better. And consequently, be better prepared to confront the upcoming workweek
Prodyut Paul is a young professional working at an NGO. He gets two days off a week but he feels like the days just slip away. If you are a working person, chances are you can relate to him.
After a long and tiring workweek, you eagerly anticipate the weekend, but it never feels long enough. However, you can actually spend the weekly time off more effectively.
A well-spent weekend gears you up for the week ahead. It provides you with a valuable opportunity to recharge yourself and pursue personal interests.
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Speaking to several working individuals, we found that most of them prioritise sleeping on their weekends. While resting is necessary, it is essential to strike a balance between relaxation and productivity.
"It's a combination for me – extra hours of sleep, personal work, household chores, a bit of outing or play," said Paul.
There are hundreds of restaurants in the city where you can go and have a delicious meal. But what about cooking something at home? It would be more interesting, wouldn't it? Research suggests that cooking, like other creative practices, can significantly boost your confidence and improve your well-being.
Speaking on this time balance, Yasin Shohag, Strategic HR Business Partner (Commercial) at Coca-Cola Bangladesh Beverages Limited, suggests that weekends should be allocated for family (60%), self (10%), development (10%) and proper rest (20%).
Here are some suggestions to help you plan your weekend.
1. Learn a new skill or language
Step away from the daily grind and immerse yourself in activities that you are passionate about during the weekend. Dedicating a portion of your weekend to self-development activities can result in many positives. For one, learning a new skill helps to improve mental well-being, particularly by building a sense of purpose.
Learning an additional language offers numerous advantages, and the weekend is the perfect time to do it at a relaxed pace. The 2023 Duolingo Language Report reveals 'Spanish' as the most popular language studied on the app, after English.
French and German are also popular. If you're aiming to study abroad, consider learning these languages as they can be beneficial for your academic journey.
According to the latest Future of Work report by the World Economic Forum, analytical and creative thinking skills are the most sought-after skills by companies.
Though soft skills are things you should learn by doing, online courses are great to start with. "Master Class - Creative Problem Solving & Decision Making" is a bestseller course on Udemy.
Some great courses available on Coursera are "Creative Thinking: Techniques and Tools for Success" offered by Imperial College London, "Solving Problems with Creative and Critical Thinking" offered by IBM and "Critical Thinking Skills for the Professional" offered by University of California, Davis.
2. Try something exciting— like Kayaking or Kart Racing!
Engaging in physical activity triggers the release of endorphins – nature's mood enhancers. This contributes to an improved mood and helps better manage stress.
Imagine paddling through serene waters surrounded by nature. While it may seem unlikely in the bustling city of Dhaka, kayaking is now a reality.
Only three to five minutes from the Diabari Metro Station lies a spot called BD Kayaking where you can kayak with friends and families. It provides a range of options, including two-seater and three-seater kayaks at budget-friendly prices.
For just Tk100, you can enjoy a 30-minute session, or opt for an hour of serene river views for Tk150.
Youth Adventure and Sports (YAS) Kayaking Point is another popular option.
Located at Green Model Town Road, Demra (about 8.8 km from Motijheel), YAS Kayaking Point charges Tk50 for 15 minutes, Tk100 for 30 minutes and Tk150 taka for one hour on the kayak. They also offer free rides to senior citizens aged over 50 from 6 to 8 am.
Other popular spots for kayaking around the city include Purbachal Kayaking Point at 21 Sector Lake in Lalmati, Purbachal. A bus from Kuril Highway to Kanchan Bridge and then an auto ride from the bridge to Lalmati Lake will lead you to the kayaking point.
There is also Savar Kayaking Point in Yusuf Nagar, Bongaon Union. To get to Savar, you can take any bus from Gabtoli and get off at the Bolyarpur bus stand. Yusuf Nagar is only three kilometres from there.
However, if water isn't your thing, how about the thrill of kart racing? Drift around the track, take sharp turns and race against friends or family. There are two options in the city— one is Go Kart at the 100ft, Madani Avenue United City and the other one is Xtreme Racing inside Fantasy Kingdom in Ashulia.
Go Kart offers five different packages, including single race, race with friends, team race, corporate member race and race with family. The cheapest package is the single race which costs Tk500 for a ride. A single race concludes at three laps on the track, which adds up to a distance of about 1.3 kilometres.
3. Meet nature with BDCyclists
While engaging in physical activity can elevate the mood, regular access to green spaces and nature – according to research – also has been linked to lower risks of depression and improved concentration and attention.
Every Friday morning, BDCyclists (a popular cycling community in Bangladesh) heads towards a different destination as part of their 'Bike Friday' campaign. Cyclists usually gather at 6 am at Manik Mia Avenue. If you love cycling and exploring, consider joining the community to meet nature and breathe in the refreshing air.
For beginners, the ride covers distances within 30 kilometres. Intermediate riders cover 60-70 kilometres while pro cyclists can opt for longer routes.
On 5 July, the group travelled towards Bhakurta Bazaar, continuing to Hemayetpur near Singair Bridge. On their return, they passed through Hazratpur Bridge before concluding their ride at Bosila Bridge. Frequently they take on such expeditions. For updates, join their Facebook group.
4. Perfect places for a 'parental' weekend
If you have kids, you can utilise your weekends to spend quality time with them and strengthen the familial bond. You can take them to recreational spots like Toggi Fun World, Babuland or Courtside.
Inaugurated in 2022, the Toggi Fun World has become a popular recreational spot located at the heart of the capital, Bashundhara City Shopping Complex. It offers over 150 exciting games and rides including laser tag, paintball and games with virtual reality and augmented reality. The park is open every day from 3 to 11 pm. There is a dedicated kids zone. The entry fee is Tk 150, and each activity is priced at Tk 300.
A 'kiddo' package is also available at Tk1100. However, an additional Tk100 is charged on weekends and government holidays. The package allows your kid to experience all rides and games of levels 9 and 10 once.
Babuland is another option for your kid. The indoor playground has multiple outlets across the city: Mirpur, Greenroad, Dhanmondi, Shewrapara, Uttara, Wari and Badda. The pricing is Tk400 per child, with an additional Tk 150 for each accompanying guardian and infant.
At Courtside, there are various activities for children. Kids can spend time playing with classic train rides, swings, slides and a bouncy castle. If you want to teach your child something creative, you can visit the clay station inside the Chef's Table, where they can create different items with clay.
You can also take your kids to a book café to nurture their love for reading. The Reading Cafe at Banani has a wide collection of children's books. There is a kid's zone at Bengal Boi in Dhanmondi-27. Riddhi Book Cafe in Mirpur-11 hosts a storytelling circle for children every Friday from 5 pm to 6 pm.
5. Learn martial arts
Martial arts is not just wearing a white robe and stretching your limbs. Learning martial arts such as karate, taekwondo, kickboxing etc, can be an excellent weekend activity for several reasons. It promotes physical fitness, improving strength, flexibility, and endurance. Martial arts also enhance mental discipline and focus and help relieve stress, providing a healthy break from the weekday routine.
Additionally, it boosts self-confidence and self-defence skills, making it a practical and empowering pursuit. Engaging in martial arts can be a fun and productive way to spend weekends, offering both physical and mental benefits.
Dhaka has several martial arts academies where you can learn martial arts on weekends. KO Fight Studio offers Shinkyokushin (knockdown karate) classes, while there are many Tae Kwondo dojos in the country. And if you want to try combat sports, check Legacy MMA or Vanquish Combat for kickboxing, boxing, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai and MMA classes.
Some gyms also offer martial arts classes on weekends. For the traditional arts, it may cost you TK1,500-2,500 monthly, while modern combat sports classes might cost you around Tk6,000-Tk8,000.
6. Cook a new dish at home
There are hundreds of restaurants in the city where you can go and have a delicious item. But what about cooking something at home? It would be even more interesting, wouldn't it? Research suggests that cooking, like other creative practices, can significantly boost your confidence levels and improve your well-being.
Research also indicates that cooking with your partner can have a positive impact on your relationship. According to a study by Wren Kitchens, cooking together in the kitchen benefits relationships in the long term, improving teamwork and communication.
You can try making traditional Bengali food items like haleem, pitha, seekh kebab etc or, maybe take another culinary route and try making mug pizza, fried rice or cottage cheese toast. The options are limitless.
Whether you choose adventurous outings, skill-building activities, quality family time or simply relaxing at home, the key is to strike a balance between rejuvenation and productivity to feel better. And consequently, be better prepared to confront the upcoming work week.
