Stop Living for the Weekends: How to Build Meaning Beyond Work
If your only goal is to survive the work week, then something needs to change.
Because here’s the truth: most of us are living for the weekends… and not even enjoying them.
Let’s talk about why that happens—and what you can do to start enjoying your life every single day, not just Saturday and Sunday.
The Trap of Living for Fridays
Think about how often we say things like:
“TGIF!”
“At least it’s Wednesday—we’re halfway there.”
Or dread-filled: “Ugh, it’s Monday again.”
It feels like every single day is tied to work somehow. We’re either dragging ourselves into it, celebrating when it’s over, or stressing about going back.
But here’s the real question: do we actually want to go home at the end of the day—or do we just want the absence of work?
Escaping vs. Living
So many of my therapy and mentorship clients (and honestly, myself at times) discover that we’re not running toward joy when we leave work—we’re just running away from stress.
We don’t always go home to fully rest, connect with family, or dive into hobbies.
Instead, we numb out: scrolling, watching TV, zoning out.
We’ve forgotten how to truly be with ourselves, and with others.
Why Work Feels Like Everything
Over time, our meaning and identities have become so wrapped up in work that we’ve lost the ability to build identities outside of it.
And here’s the danger: when work is the main pillar of your identity, everything feels shaky. One piece of negative feedback, one bad day at the office, and your whole world feels like it’s collapsing.
To be resilient, you need multiple pillars of identity—things outside of your job that keep you steady.
Building New Pillars of Identity
Your pillars don’t have to be complicated. They just have to be meaningful.
It could be:
Going to the gym
Crochet or another craft
Game nights with family
Hosting dinners with friends
Creating art or music
The point isn’t how “good” you are at something—it’s that you show up for it with intention.
We learned this during the pandemic. Remember how people were baking bread, painting, gardening—not because they were trying to master it, but because it was meaningful? That’s the kind of intentional joy we need to bring back.
Work Is a Means, Not Your Life
Work matters. And if you find passion in it, that’s wonderful.
But work is meant to fund your life—not be your life.
You are not your job.
If your career disappeared tomorrow, who would you be? If the answer feels shaky, that’s your sign to start investing in those other pillars now—while you still can.
Aligning With Your Values
A good place to start is with your values.
Ask yourself:
What do I say I value most? (family, health, creativity, friendships, etc.)
If I looked at my calendar, would it actually reflect those values?
If your calendar is full of work and numbing activities, but your values are “family” or “self-care,” then something is out of alignment.
Reconnecting With Your Childhood Joys
If you’re stuck, think back to your childhood.
What did you naturally love to do? Build Legos? Tell stories? Make jewelry? Spend hours with friends just being together?
For me, it was creating things and spending time with friends in a really simple, unstructured way. And today, I still find meaning in those same things—creating, connecting, laughing with friends.
Your childhood often holds clues to what still lights you up now.
A Quote Worth Remembering
I recently heard an Esther Perel quote that hit me hard:
“Don’t bring the best of yourself to your company and your clients while you bring the leftovers home.”
Wow. Right?
Your life should be rich, full, and deeply meaningful. And that doesn’t come from crossing things off your to-do list—it comes from how you live outside of work.
A Gentle Invitation
You don’t need to keep living for the weekends—or wasting them.
You can start building meaning, identity, and joy right now.
So I’ll leave you with this: what’s one small way you can infuse more of your values and your joys into your days this week?
I’d love to hear your reflections. Share them in the comments or send me a message—I always love connecting with you.
Watch the full video version of this blog here: You’re Living for the Weekends—And Not Even Enjoying Them