Motivation

Like most people, I spend the work week counting down to the weekend. One day at a time I get closer to that two day period of not having to go to the office. I spend five out of seven days fantasizing about the other two.

I always make big plans in my head of the things I'm going to get accomplished once the weekend comes. I'll clean the house and the garage, I'll make long overdue phone calls, I'll run the errands I've avoided for months like going to the post office and dropping old clothes off at the Salvation Army. Maybe I'll make albums of all of the photos I have laying around, or go through my old home videos and make something of them. Maybe I'll plan out my meals for the next week and go grocery shopping, or set up a budget so I can figure out how to save enough money to finally make that trip to Tuscany I've always dreamed of.

Yes, I do realize that these are boring goals, but I see them as long thought of tasks that I can finally check off my list. Of course I can't do them during the week. I have work, volunteering and tv shows I can't miss. But, once the weekend comes around, I'll have all of the free time I need. I mean, I could even get up early in the mornings, start my day early and accomplish even more! The sky's the limit once the weekend comes around, and there so much I will get done, my weekday mind tells myself.

Finally the weekend comes around. Along with the office, the goals I've made for myself seem to disappear. Well, not disappear exactly. The goals are still there, it's just the motivation that has gone. Why get up early if I don't have to? I could drive out to Costco to stock up on household stuff we need, but somehow I keep ending up in the lawn chair with my book. Costco is still there, lingering in my mind as the one thing I have to do today, but the sun feels good and the book is on a roll. Speaking of rolls, there's still a few left of toilet paper, so there's really no rush to go to Costco and push my cart through the crowd of people, right?

Eventually the great ideas I had during the week of ways I could simplify or tidy up my life by accomplishing a few tasks on the weekend disappear. I end up sitting around with the roommates, drinking beer, watching tv shows I'm not interested in, or losing hours to whatever book I'm reading. Before I know it, it's Monday again. That looming Monday. The worst day of the week because it holds the least hope. Come Monday I know that I will start, once again, to count down to the next weekend where I will accomplish everything I failed to all of the weekends before.