For many years, I’ve worked through a lot of Saturday and Sundays. Traditionally, weekends are for relaxing. But sometimes, you have a job to do. For me, this has been happening more often than not. So, how do I generate some weekend motivation?

That really depends on the individual. I know I have days when I have a bad case of the, “I don’t wannas.” Unfortunately, I don’t have that luxury if I want to be successful at what I’m trying to do.

Today, I’ll walk you through how I empower myself to work even though I should be having the day off.

Need Some Weekend Motivation?

This is the second Saturday I’ve spent blogging, and I almost talked myself out of writing. Part of me wants an actual day off of doing nothing. However, I am committed to working on this 30 Days of Blogging experiment.

But I tell ya, there are times when I waiver, severely.

Part of this stems from the sheer number of weekends that I actually work. I’d say roughly 80% of my weekends are spent working on client stuff. And, I have to do so again later today.

After all, my client is relying on me to maintain the content on the website. So, I have responsibilities that directly affect weekend motivation.

But what about the times when I need to work and can’t seem to get my motor running? What happens when the level of motivation is so low that it takes an incredible amount of effort to get up out of bed?

8 Ways I Focus with Weekend Motivation

Now, I’m sure there are a lot of motivational checklists out there for getting yourself ready for the day. And those are fine and all. But the following are ways that I personally keep myself dedicated to working.

I can’t say that they’re perfect for every person in every situation. Everyone has unique needs and methods they need to discover for themselves.

However, perhaps this list can give you ideas on finding motivation for yourself.

1. Change the Way You View the Day

First off, I change how I view the day. Instead of being depressed because it’s a Saturday and I want to play, I see it as just another workday. Which sometimes leads to me forgetting what day it is later in the week.

Besides, I find working on a Saturday ideal for helping me catch up on things I needed to do earlier. Since my writers have it off, no one bothers me and I can focus on my own managerial tasks.

2. Avoid YouTube!

For me, YouTube is a major time-sink. I can easily get lost in weird places on the website that are unrelated to my work. Sometimes, I use YouTube videos for research or inspiration. But, I need to cut it off there.

Otherwise, I’ll spend a massive amount of time looking for something interesting to watch instead of my job. In fact, I was doing that earlier before I reminded myself that I have work to do.

3. Avoid Twitter!

Twitter is another time-sink that can absorb a lot of my day. While most of the time I am commenting as WriterSanctuary and chalk it up to marketing, I really don’t need to spend so much time reading every post.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve met some amazing people on Twitter. But, I have a job to do. And spending the next two hours scrolling through tweets quickly takes the time away.

What, No Facebook?

I’ve never really been a fan of Facebook. I’ve been trying to get on it more often as it is a method for many fans to contact me directly. But I don’t really consider it to be a threat to my time.

I think throughout any given week, I probably spend a total of an hour or two on Facebook. Just long enough to see what’s up with immediate family and chat with fans. So no, Facebook isn’t something that eats my time.

4. Put On a Motivational Playlist

Part of my weekend motivation routine is the same as it is throughout the week: awesome music. I have a playlist on my computer that is full of heart-pumping, fast-paced music that really gets me in the right moods.

Music has a lot of evidence to support how it affects moods and motivation. And I know from my perspective, the right playlist makes me far more productive in the day.

5. Get Energized with Exercise

Working out first thing in the morning can set the tone for the rest of the day. Getting your heart rate up and blood flowing energizes the body while improving your mood through the use of the hormones you release.

Not only that, but I’m also trying to lose my last 20 pounds. So working up a sweat and getting the blood flowing first thing is ideal for weekend motivation as well as weight loss.

6. Focus on the Job, Not the Day for Weekend Motivation

As I mentioned earlier, a big part of keeping your head in the game is how you view the day itself. If you dwell on it being a Saturday or Sunday, it’s going to affect your workflow.

Instead, I focus on the job I need to do as if it were a Wednesday. Because deep down I know that the sooner I can finish the task, the sooner I can enjoy the rest of the day.

7. Make it Part of Productivity Goals for the Week

I’m a big fan of setting goals and breaking personal records. When I work the weekends, it feeds into my overall productivity tracking. For instance, this blog post is feeding into my 1 million-word goal for the year.

I also keep track of every minute I spend working for clients and myself. And I want to have such-and-such hours in any given week. Writing on the weekend plays into that aspect as well.

8. No Play Until the Job is Done

Lastly, I try not to play anything until my weekend checklist of work is complete. Then again, it should be this way every day you plan on working. Your responsibilities to yourself and the household should outweigh fun time.

This includes video games, Netflix, going out and anything else entertaining that will take you from working.

Don’t get me wrong, you still need to enjoy yourself once in a while. Otherwise, the risk of you burning out are exceptionally high. But make sure your professional responsibilities are taken care of first.

How Do You Get Weekend Motivation?

I know, it’s a bit of a simple list. But, it’s what works best for me. In reality, there are no secrets to my success. I’m a pretty average person who doesn’t need a lot to empower weekend motivation.

So, what gets you driven to do more in your day? Let me know in the comment section. Perhaps you have something I’d be interested in trying.