週末改造計畫：讓身心關機2天，打造快樂的365天

by Katrina Onstad, 胡琦君 (Translator)

你如何過週末，就如何過一生。

如果週末過得精彩，人生也會同樣精彩。

對於忙碌到無暇他顧的人而言，生活是最不重要的一件事；然而，沒有任何事比「生活」這門課更難令人學會。

我們總是想要獲得更多，又希望凡事既速效、又能獲得最佳成果，然而這些都需要時間才能達成。只是現代人什麼都不缺，就是缺時間。這正是為什麼我們需要週末的原因：它是個神聖的角落，能讓人待在那裡，放慢速度。

週末要休息，這是上帝規定的，但現在每個人幾乎都加入了「超時工作的邪教」。如果我們能夠各方面都善待自己少做一些、也願意放手少擁有一些，就能在這四十八小時裡獲得真正休息的感覺，並重燃生活的熱情。

週末時光如何過，會逐漸改變你的人生品質。有人的週末是工作日的延長，平日與假日毫無區別；有人則過得渾渾噩噩，沒做想做的事，也沒做該做的事。本書作者也曾每到週日夜晚便沮喪不已，因為她的週末總是不斷重複做許多日常瑣事：陪孩子練習曲棍球、做家事、查看郵件……等。等孩子們入睡後，她才能得到幾小時的安靜時光，看一會兒電視，這就是她的週末娛樂。

這種「失去週末」的感覺，讓她決心尋找重振週末的各種方法。她從生活、文化、歷史、和心理學的角度，深入探究週休的發展歷程與價值意義，包括：為什麼每七天就要休息一天、「每週工作五天，每天工作八小時」制度的由來、為何吃早午餐是種炫耀的休閒活動。同時也告訴我們，除了追劇、購物與放空之外，你可以有更好的選擇。

她認為最棒的週末應該包括下面幾個關鍵元素，並由它們構成各種組合：與人建立連結、盡情享樂、從事興趣嗜好、走進大自然、發揮創意。只要善用其中幾項元素，就能順利切換「工作」與「假日」模式，擁有一個美好的週末。

週末就像一座實驗室，能讓我們試驗自己想要過怎樣的人生。這個週末，你打算怎麼過呢？

美好週末的真義**—**

．我們工作，是為了可以享受休閒。

．週末是為人生充電的空檔，也是自我重啟的方式。

． 「休息」的價格無法量化，但你知道它值得。

．真正的休閒不只是不工作，更要「創造意義」。

．周末是讓我們放下壓力，記起重要事物的時候。

．如果能偶爾利用一點空檔回饋社會，我們的週末感覺會變得更長、更好。

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Business, Personal Development, Philosophy, Canada, Mental Health

248 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 2, 2017

About the author

Katrina Onstad is an award-winning culture writer and novelist whose work has appeared in publications around the world including The New York Times, The Guardian, The Globe and Mail and Elle. The Weekend Effect, a manifesto for time off, is her first non-fiction book.

Katrina's novels include How Happy to Be and the national bestseller Everybody Has Everything, which was longlisted for the Scotiabank Giller Prize and shortlisted for the Toronto Book Award. A former film critic at the National Post, TV executive at CBC and co-host of the Rogers movie show Reel to Real, she lives in Toronto with her family.

Reviews

[Rachel (TheShadesofOrange) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.0 Stars
This is a light piece of non-fiction that addresses the challenges of achieving work-life balance. The chapters contain a mixture of statistics and personal stories, told in a casual, conversational style of writing. While this was a quick and easy read, it failed to offer new insight to the topic, instead offering generic, common sense advice.

[Meg]

Having a balanced life seem like a lot of work. But to be honest I still don't know what to do with myself when I'm not working all the time. There was a little painful bit of truth when Onstad questions whether we (overworked North Americans) are afraid of free time

[❀ Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Added notes from Feb 2021: this was a second read of this book for a work book club. It was a great refresh on the power of the weekend and nice to realize that we have been doing a better job of getting into nature with our Bruce Trail walks, spending time with others (although distantly in the days of the pandemic) and having more time as a family now that our kid's sports activities are on hiatus. This is yet another reminder of the importance of putting down the technology!!


https://ayearofbooksblog.com/2017/05/...

The weekends always seem to disappear in a blur. Hours pass running the kids to the pool, watching swim meets and getting organized for the busy week ahead. Saturday and Sunday are packed full of activities with little time to, as the kids say, “chill” and relax. How can we make the most of our weekends, reclaim some downtime and recharge for the busy week ahead?

Katrina Onstad has researched the fleeting weekend in The Weekend Effect. The first two chapters focus on defining and describing the history of the weekend including the challenges our ancestors faced in their fight for 35-40 hour, five day weeks. It was interesting history to learn but I will be honest in that I was looking forward to the advice, tips and secrets to getting my weekend back.

Chapter 3 shared the importance of connecting with others and enjoying conversations (less texting and screens). As less families participate in spiritual gatherings on the weekends, there is less connection (the author even experimented by attending an ‘ecstatic dance party’, part of a weekly activity providing spiritual and social connection). There are conversation groups, weekend retreats for yoga or meditation and other community groups to bring people together. The author highlighted the importance of volunteering which not only helps others but can decrease the risk of depression and increase well-being. She also devoted a chapter to the togetherness of copies called ‘sexy time’ and again reiterated the importance of being screen free!

The fourth chapter, Binge, Buy, Brunch, Basketball: Better Recreation described the importance of hobbies and activities that help to inspire and recharge your batteries. Instead of experiencing “spectatoritis,” participate in that sport and get active! Beware of binge activities (put down that remote and turn off the netflix)! Stay away from the malls, avoiding buying more stuff that you don’t need for the sake of shopping to fill a void. She talks about a town that closes down on Sunday’s which leads to the question, do we really need to shop on Sundays? We do shop, because stores are open and it is convenient but can we commit to a day without shopping? The chapters on brunch were interesting, I supposed that I had never thought about brunch being the way for restaurants to get rid of the food from the rest of the week. She suggested coming together over food by taking a class, learning to cook and described “The League of Kitchens” where you can go and learn different styles of cooking from talented cooks that invite learners into their own kitchens. Finally, she talks about exercise (being something to get through) and the fun of sport (which as adults we often miss).

Do Less and Be More at Home was the topic of Chapter 5 which leads to conversation about minimalism and the chores that often must get done over the weekend. Suggestions to conquer the cleaning challenges are to attack one room each day and to enlist the kids to help. Many of us find it difficult to add entertaining to our already busy calendars and like the author, I find that spontaneous get togethers are the most enjoyable (I recall the day the power went out across Ontario in 2013 when we pulled together a great BBQ with our neighbours).

Overscheduled kids can be a challenge and the author handles this by having a one sport at a time rule. Her family tries to preserve their weekend time which may lead to tough choices yet gives free time for hikes and outdoor activities. As the parents of competitive swimmers, I can related to the busy weekends but have really appreciated the club’s approach to only one meet a month which gives everyone (parents included) more downtime.

Chapter 6 relates to the power of beauty, taking time to appreciate what is around you. Taking a simple walk in the bush can improve our outlooks. Walking through a museum or art gallery can help recharge our senses.

The final chapter is a manifesto of sorts and offers Onstad’s suggestions to a better weekend.

This book was thought-provoking but I think I was looking for some more concrete suggestions on not only how to enjoy my weekends but also to prepare for the weekend. How can we get all those chores done during the week so that we can relax on the weekend? How can we be more organized? More present? More engaged? I felt like this was a good start but it leaves me looking for more.

What will I do after reading this book?

Be more mindful of the time spent (and example set) by setting limits on technology
Get outside and enjoy nature – take a hike, camp this summer
Connect with others – organize outings, participate in more random acts of kindness.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book through the Goodreads giveaways. There were a lot of really well-researched nuggets in this book and the author examined a number of the normal time-sucks that kidnap our weekends. As someone who leaves work at work, I have a hard time identifying with the draw of answering work emails on the weekend or even thinking about work but I still certainly found a number of useful insights while reading this book.

[Vicki Petersen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Earlier this year, I resolved to no longer bring home work to finish during my week-long vacations from work. In many cases, this meant working through lunch or taking away free time the weekend before vacation to wrap up projects - a nice trade off for not working during what's supposed to be paid time off to rejuvenate the mind and spirit. I also resolved to give myself one day off a week from all work, including those pesky domestic that easily gobble up our free time. Granted, I'm a mother so you're never completely "off-duty," but limiting laundry, chores and no-fun errands to one day on the weekend has really improved my outlook on work and boosted my mental health. Even if you try just one suggestion in this book - connect with others, get out in nature, seek beauty, etc. - you really can be on your way to reclaiming the weekend.

[Katra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't say that this book was full of things I hadn't known before, but Katrina Onstad's exploration of them made me look at them in a whole new light. Her finale of Manifesto for a Good Weekend has been copied and is going on my bedroom door - and maybe my refrigerator door - and my computer - and my laundry bin - and . . .

[Chuck Slack · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not what I was expecting. It is well written and does invoke some thought. Unfortunately it seemed to me to be too female focused.

[Amanda]

Powerfully written and surprisingly optimistic.

[John Paulin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of good information but alot more material than necessary. It was a lot of her sharing her personal experiences on reclaiming the weekend and weird social gatherings she had been a part of.

Overall I think the book did help strengthen my resolve to stop overworking and escape the cycle of consumerism.

[Hasini | bibliosini · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book anticipating the impending work clutter I'll face when my internship starts, but in true 2020 fashion, I'm at home studying endlessly while trying to read, crochet, and blog.

I enjoyed Onstad's narrative on the weekend the pillar stones of the 'best weekend'. I picked up on many changes I would like to see in my own weekends, and I reflected back on the better weekends I've had. This nonfiction was surprisingly enjoyable, colloquial and easy to engage in.

The only reason why I rated a star less is that I didn't find the beginning as enjoyable as the rest of the book. I struggled to hold on and even though it paid off, I wasn't happy about it.

[Sonja · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very inspirational and excellent writing. I recommend this one highly!

[RZ · Rating 4 out of 5]

在忙碌工作之余，周末如何放松休息，对我们每个人都是很重要的事。作者给了一些不错的建议，比如，主动娱乐，走进大自然，少安排些事情，让大脑放空。像里面的一句引言所说，我们怎样度过一天，就怎样度过一生。同理，如何度过属于自己的周末，值得思考和不断尝试。

[Diane B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not really a leisurely read, with a barrage of facts it felt a bit like a very long should-do list. It seems to speak mainly to a thin slice of the population - well educated, high income, parents of young children, in their late thirties early forties. Still, I kept reading. Although I'm not in that demographic, I am always looking for ways to improve work/life balance.

Even when I was working 55+ hours a week, my weekends stayed pretty clear, so this book is definitely preaching to the converted.

The author looked at some of the current trends with the gig economy, 24/7 emails and people so burnt out they spend any leisure time on passive "spectatoring' activities (binge-watching Netflicks, attending sports events, watching vs. participating).

There were some suggestions for how to better spend weekend time; I saw them as suggestions for ways to spend time in general:
- Gardening, because moist soil is a mood enhancer (University of Bristol researchers found that soil bacteria injections in mice generated seretonins in their brains, a natural anti-depressant).
- Artistic hobbies, as a Mayo Clinic study confirmed one of the best ways to stave off mental decline was to take part in artistic endeavours in middle or old age - like sculpting, painting, and drawing
- Volunteering. Helping others actually feels really good - sex and chocolate good - as brain imaging studies showed that people thinking about which charities to support not only lit up areas off the brain associated with logic, but pleasure as well
- Preparing and sharing leisurely meals
- Ecstatic dance (googling showed me we have a pocket here in Toronto that meets twice a week)
- Taking time for art and museums
- Exercising

More than anything, this book kept making me think of Rutger Bregman's book, Utopia for Realists, and suggestions for more equitably sharing work. We don't seem to be doing a very good job of it, with such high unemployment and underemployment in the same cities where high income professionals suffer from the cult of overwork and the working poor juggle 2 and 3 part-time jobs.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

grew on me a bit as I went along. The general social commentary was worthwhile but a little boring b/c very familiar -- if you are fortunate enough to have a professional salaried [no overtime] job and healthy active kids and the disposable income to involve them in a lot of organized activities and an Internet connection permitting your co-workers to reach you at all times......work or work-like to-dos such as errands or driving the kids to scheduled stuff can end up taking over a lot of your weekends.

And it would be better, more relaxed and not necessarily much less productive, to guard some unstructured weekend time to be together with family and friends, perhaps do some volunteering, exercise, etc.

All good points but not in need of a couple hundred pages to make convincingly. There were some peculiar preferences mixed in -- i was entirely unaware of the "brunch backlash" for instance, endorsed heartily by the author. Apparently long weekend brunches with friends at overpriced places marks you as a hipster and attracts disdain.

But as I say, it got better as she went more into her own family's experience of trying harder, at her behest, to protect weekend time. The tradeoffs of saying no to some stuff the kids like, or bailing on something you'd spent a decent amount of money on, or occasionally just not showing up even when you're supposed to [i don't live in Toronto and no doubt didn't coach her kids, but from my youth sports coaching days i wanted to tell her that there IS a cost when you play hooky; it's just borne by someone else -- no, i'm not still upset about having to forfeit a baseball PLAYOFF game because we were missing several kids, one of whose parents told me they chose that day to go see a WNBA game -- i'll be over it in another 20 years].

So if I were reading this again, i'd skim the generalities and focus more on the parts about her own family.

[Jeff Zell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taking time off is easier said than done in the gig economy. Or, when a person is anxious that a missed call, text, email, might mean the end of a job. Onstad is out to convince the reader that taking time off, a weekend, or even a full 24 hour cycle, leads to a happier, more productive worker. Onstad also addresses the connected issue of working longer hours. Longer hours of work do not necessarily make for better or more productive work.

Connected to work is also how people use their non-work time. What kinds of obligations are they committed to? Are they really necessary? Do they bring joy and delight or drudgery?

Onstad is married with two young children. She is also a journalist and book writer. She understands the stresses and strains of deadlines and struggling to keep a clear distinction between work and not-work.

As she argues for a sane approach to life, Onstad reminds us of the toll that industrialization has had on people's lives. And, how we got to the point where there is a 40 hour work week with a weekend break. She draws on academic and scientific research as well as the experiences of the many people she interviewed.

The book is well written and easy to read. She will help the reader think through the priorities of their lives. Although Onstad and her family are not religious, she does regularly refer to the wisdom of faith traditions and their call to Sabbath.

[Barrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This wasn't some new idea or anything--nor was it written in a way that transformed anything, but it was simple and sometimes simple is exactly what you need to open your eyes just a smidge wider. Before reading this book I started doing little things so work wouldn't get in the way of life. I've always been big on coming in at 9 and leaving at 5 and taking a walk outside for 30 minutes. No matter what. I'll bring my work home on occasion, but it's not like others I see in my industry who always seem to just ask for it. I'm not using the phone/email/social networks once I got home from work. And now more than ever, I'll have to really push for the weekend without work--as it's known to be a freelancer's life wherein work creeps in bc of the fear that work will be gone if you don't say yes to everything. Luckily, I've been around the rodeo before so I know that work will be here--but after working the last 2 weekends for the first time in over a year I can definitely feel the effects. I don't know how anyone would or could want to do that on the regular. It's soul sucking, and that's what this book gets at.

[Sasha Boersma · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great collection of various elements of research about North America's addiction to work, where it comes from, and some considerations to streamline life.

Nothing terribly revolutionary if you've kept up with the news about the leisure gap and value of nature and scheduling less.

But if you've been questioning why you're feeling frazzled and want some form of support or encouragement or a different perspective to use as a base, this book is very helpful.

It is slightly autobiographical, where the author incorporates a lot of her own experiences. The frustrating part about that - she is married with kids. Not a lot about the struggles of being single and demands of work and managing the home including eating well. Nor does it dive into the strange world of entrepreneurship, where 1000% on work and only work is considered virtuous. But those are specialized considerations that likely have not been researched enough to incorporate.

I found it validating as I try to build more boundaries for myself and find that work/life balance.

[Marjorie Elwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

Less a 'how-to' manual for taking back your weekend and more of a 'why you should do so', Onstad quotes studies showing that employee productivity is highest in the countries with the fewest number of hours worked per week, as productivity drops the longer the hours worked. Some thought-provoking tidbits: "Basecamp [a project management software company] banned meetings because the company discovered they suck up the day, leaving people to do their actual work at night and on weekends."

I liked the image she painted: "I feel it, too: something missing; a profound absence altering body and soul. I remember my own child self anticipating the weekend on Friday morning, the great expanse of possibility before me. My parents' friends, and my friends, would fill the house. Bad TV was waiting to be consumed in the early-morning shadows. Mostly, I remember being bored, and in that boredom picking up a pen and paper, and discovering that writing felt better than any sport I'd tried or picture I'd drawn. Time wasn't tight, but roomy, a space to explore."

[Tammy (tales.of.tammy) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do not read a ton of non-fiction as reading is my escape, but I saw this one on bookstagram and it sounded like something I needed! I really enjoyed this book and found it to be insightful. I wasn’t picking it up for the overworking part of it, but more for the taking back your weekend part. I have most weekends off, but I feel I waste them. This read gave examples of how your weekend can feel longer, instilled in me that I don’t have to be super productive every weekend, and has inspired me to make some changes to how I do things! I am taking baby steps and I am still a work-in-progress, but I think a big part of it is changing your mindset!!!
The writing is very well done and it reads easy like a fiction book would! That’s usually a concern of mine when reading non-fic, but it was great! I love that the author spoke with so many different people about the things they do and how they spend their weekends! It was nice getting some real life examples, as well as hearing her thoughts on her own weekends!
I highly recommend this book if you are feeling the way I was (and do) or if you fall into the overworked category!!!

[Elisabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh.
Meh.
Meh.
This had potential and there were a few good sections but mostly I found it dry and uninspiring. Which is a shame.

There were a few quotes/thoughts I took special note of though:

I appreciated her discussion of how in the Old Testament, the Sabbath was mandated after Israel's freedom from slavery in Egypt. "A brick is a pretty obvious burden, but so much of today's labor doesn't leave marks on our bodies; it breaks our spirits, which is an invisible kind of wearing down."
Also interesting to consider that only in the last few centuries have we largely moved from "task time" to "clock time" so you don't just work until a job is completed, you work until your allotted time to work is through.
Business looks to "create the wants it seeks to satisfy." (John K Galbraith)

[Kbeckermann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure what I think of this book. It is readable, researched without being overly academic, and very practical. On the other hand, it seemed too long, a lot of it was obvious and felt too similar to the many books that talk about 'figure out what is important to you, then choose to do that'. In this case Onstad focuses on time and the weekend but it could be about interpersonal relationships, health, style... In the end it was a good reminder and if you've never read anything like this, it is worth reading. Beyond that, I think there are more important things to me than reading this book.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book about taking back the weekend and fighting against the cultural norm of more, more, more. Katrina Onstad does this with a mix of personal and gathered story, statistics, studies and more to examine why taking two straight days off is beneficial for individual people, families and society as a whole. She does a good job of looking at what makes a good weekend in connecting with other people, quality and not meaningless or mindless recreation (ie. play vs. binge watching tv), simplifying our life at home, and embracing beauty whether it be in nature or art. I found this to be an interesting and enlightening book. Bring on the weekend!

[Devin Ambron · Rating 2 out of 5]

What was life like before "weekends" existed? It's hard to imagine that eight hour work days were at one time considered a luxury. Shaved down from ten hours, it is considered ideal to have eight hours split three times between labor, recreation and rest.

We may have become afraid of leisure and instead tether ourselves to digital task managers that fill weekends with errand running or strategic scheduling. Time maximization is at an all time high.

The death of the weekend is closer than we think with rise of remote work in the millennial workforce.

Do less this weekend in memorial of the weekend. Maybe we will save it.

[Katelynne · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I am a workaholic who has recently hit a wall after a lot of extra overtime. I am terrible at relaxing that doesn't involve distraction and I love to do lists. Even on weekends. I have had some complete wastes of weekends lately and I constantly worry about things I'm not getting done.

This book spoke to me in a way that I can't accurately describe. The manifesto is simple, easy to digest and implement in steps and was a really good conclusion to the book.

The writing style wasn't my favourite and stuff felt repetitive at times. And I felt myself skimming the last quarter of the book. But it gave me some real things to think about and for that I appreciate it.

[Ajay · Rating 3 out of 5]

To often I struggle throughout the week to balance exercise, work, sleep, and everything else only to find my weekend filled with an unachievable list of to-do's -- catching up with the family, laundry, groceries, meal prep, reading, gaming, traveling, socializing, drinking, etc... By the time the weekend ends, not only have we done very little of meaning, but feel more exhausted than we did when it all started.

This is the type of book that I needed to read. Making time for leisure, finding a better way to live your life, and re-evaluating your priorities and goals -- this is all this book is about and more.

The book itself is ok, but the topic is incredible.

[Sokcheng · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was hard to find out why I felt so annoyed at the book.
It was written in a fun way (the author really knew how to tell a story)
It had science to back it up
It had interesting anecdotes.
But now that I've decided, it didn't work for me because this book could have been an article. The author promised in the beginning that the book would be about how to take our weekends back, but the ways to reclaim our weekends was literally squahsed into a few pages at the very end of the book. I would want much more on the HOW instead of pages and pages and pages of the history of the weekend and WHY.

[Ang · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was interesting. I found that I was most interested in the chapter on work and the weekend; the other chapters didn't speak to me as much. But I'm glad I read it, and I'm going to try a couple of things to "reclaim" my weekends for leisure pursuits. I know I'm not necessarily the best test case, considering I never ever work on a weekend, and I don't have children to deal with, but I'm going to do some things I think do apply to me, specifically around the technology in my life. We'll see.

[Vee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nearly 3 years ago, my New Year's resolution was to stop working on the weekend.

This book is the soundtrack to why I'll never work another weekend again.

The culture of overwork wasn't working for me, so I stopped buying it.

I work hard during the week, and then I don't.

I am happier, I am healthier and guess what - I'm more productive.

I highly reccomend this book to ANYONE who's suffering in the cult of overwork and is looking for a way out.

This is the door, walk through it.

[Ashley Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well timed to finish this read on a long weekend. This book discusses how we’ve let chores, errands and busy schedules take over our weekends and the importance of leisure time to our well being. Very well researched book that touches on a lot of aspects of modern living and offers a point form manifesto for a well balanced weekend that will fill up your tank instead of draining it before you go back into the workweek.

[Jeanette · Rating 2 out of 5]

Skimmed this one quickly. It was alright and felt like it really laboured on the book’s premise - weekends are an important time to rest and we should resist the need to do more. Would suggest reading the chapters that appeal and leaving the rest.

Key takeaways for me were to do less, make space for happy accidents and actively engage over consistently choosing passive activities like watching film/television. All things I already knew, although this book was a welcome reminder.