Marcus Richards
Banish the “Sunday Scaries” for good
Feeling in a rut? Is it time to break out of your shell and do some fun, interesting and – even decadent – things this coming weekend? Fortunately, according to a lifestyle coach I often chat to, you don’t have to have a bulging bank account to live it up a bit and bring in the following week way more refreshed and invigorated than you ended the last. In fact, her research shows that often the excursions or activities that cost the least are actually the best for your soul. That’s really good news for those paying off a college loan, who’ve just bought an apartment – and furnished it – so they can’t splash out too much now on lifestyle treats, or those who are saving for something special, like a wedding, holiday or brand-new car.
It’s all about thinking out of the proverbial box so: if you work in catering, what are you going to do with those delicious freebie eats you got to bring home (picnic, cocktail party for friends?); or, if the weather has turned cold and rainy, how about combining your love for Hollywood with that of your competitive streak and trying your luck on a few slots based on your favorite movies? 
Snatch some rays
So, returning to those eats you have on hand – send a WhatsApp to a small crowd of your besties inviting them to meet you in the park with picnic blankets and their beverage of choice. There’s nothing better than parking on a rug and venting about work, relationships and more, while enjoying delicious eats (PS: which nobody actually had to pay for). All that sunshine vitamin (D) you lap up should see you boosting your immune system and fighting off any “low mood”. What a winner!
Lose yourself in art
Art opening tonight at a gallery nearby? Why not go along and show your support for the creative folk in your midst. The benefits: a stroll down the street in the evening air, a free glass of excellent wine (or three!), and the opportunity to take in and even become mesmerised by the talent of an up-and-coming local artist. Once you make strides into the visual world, you’ll likely choose to go it alone to such events in the future as a result of the interesting people you’re likely to meet (whom you may not get to talk to if you attend with a clingy mate). Before long, you’ll have a tribe of art-inspired folks sending you details of the next exhibition coming up; and you’ll become familiar with the latest artists, their work and preferred genre in which they create. This pastime has no limits as to what it can bring into your life. 
Play the best game
Then, just as you may have invited your buddies over to watch the game or catch a movie together on the big screen at home, how about a gaming night in? For the cinephiles, we suggest you play only those slots that are derived from hit movies or TV shows – in categories such as Action (Gladiator), Musical (Grease), Horror (Jurassic Park), Sci-Fi (Planet of the Apes) or Crime Drama (Narcos). Relish the thrills, spills, sound effects and bonus rounds just as you would in a real casino, but in the comfort of your own home, and spurred on by those whose company you most appreciate.
Invest in new knowledge
Zoom, Teams, Skype… we’re all a little tired of the continuous pace of work and it’s online demands. So how about attending a lecture – in person – on a topic that’s of interest to you. Many universities and colleges, for example, offer summer and winter school courses where, for a nominal fee, you can attend a talk, or series thereof, on anything from the latest developments in space travel, to new trends in city planning and design, or how to change careers in your 40s. Doing something like this in your leisure time, which really inspires you and can be listed on your LinkedIn profile under ‘Further study”, is likely to boost your confidence, blow some mental cobwebs away and position you to become the most hotshot dinner-table conversationalist at that next black tie event. 
Dispense with unwanted clutter
If you’ve been a hoarder for years, and feel it’s time to free up your space for a more Zen-type vibe, how about hosting a car-boot or yard sale in your neighbourhood, or some other spot where there is plenty of pedestrian traffic. Twenty-five bottles of pinotage you’ll never drink (since gin became your poison of choice); a 30-piece crockery set inherited from your grandmother (when you can’t fit more than four mates at a time in your apartment); lamps; furniture; paraphernalia; collectibles; artworks… Hosting such a sale, and inviting others to bring a bootful or table load of their own unwanted loot, will make the event quite festive. Plus, if you mark each item with a reasonable price tag, you’ll soon see how your unwanted stuff is actually of great value to someone else. Just remember the drinking water and sunscreen. You could be out there for a good few hours, but the dosh you bring home and neighborly chats should make it a brilliant day out. 
There are so many things you can do, or try, that will put a new spring in your step – from going out for a cappuccino, or glass of bubbly, at the fanciest five-star hotel in town; to trying a new form of online exercise; perfecting a difficult-to-make item, such as pastry; or starting a little green patch where you can grow veggies, herbs and flowers for your table. Once you’re getting it right on the weekends, you’ll start thriving at work and in interpersonal relationships too. Best of all, it costs hardly anything to rev those feel-good endorphins for the better.
