You finally get some free time, but instead of relaxing your brain starts asking:
- Should I build something?
- Learn a new stack?
- Boost my income?
- Or just do nothing?
Then you open the laptop... stare at the screen... close it again.
What do you usually do when this happens?
Usually I spend weekends working on my side‑hustle projects or learning new skills. It's hard for me to just sit idle or be lazy on weekends.
Throughout the week I jot down any ideas that come up, and on the weekend I try to experiment with them.
Sha, you're saying that on weekends everywhere is so crowded it feels like a Kumbh‑Mela, and if you don't go out you just end up watching reels all day. Even the screen feels worn out now.
Yeah, same thing happens to me. I think social media and low‑gratification apps like Insta reels and YouTube shorts are a big part of it. I don't watch Insta reels much, but I do binge YT shorts. It's completely rewired my brain. I still remember doing marathon coding sessions building something awesome. These days I procrastinate and give up much easier.
I'm learning and building new projects every weekend so that when I create my own portfolio it looks impressive and adds value to my resume.
Don't you have a life outside work?
Lol, same here.
I just open my personal laptop and start doing the things you mentioned or brainstorm with ChatGPT.
Every weekend feels like an existential crisis. On LinkedIn it looks like everyone is miles ahead. With close friends I see the reality in our circle. But when I scroll social media or read news, I see headlines saying our jobs will disappear because Claude did something. So I stopped worrying and just focus on my job, trying to improve myself during weekdays. On weekends I just relax, do chores, help my parents, spend time with them, and try to watch one or two movies. I feel hustle culture has become normal, but when I talk to my non‑Indian managers they seem to have a perfect work‑life balance. I'm just trying to live until I can...
At least you have a job and get Saturday‑Sunday weekends. I've been jobless for two years now. Every day feels like a weekend for me. I'm just waiting for my life's end...
This kind of anxiety raises stress hormones unless you learn to relax.