If you’re like most people, you probably want to spend your Saturday and Sunday sleeping in, only to roll out of bed and onto the couch to veg out in front of a little mindless TV—but just until it’s time to change out of your sweats and into real clothes for dinner and a fun night of drinking. Right? Yeah, that’s most people, but not entrepreneurs.
They use their time a little more wisely—because they realize if they want to be successful, they have to go do something about it. Follow their lead and you can become more productive, too… even on a Saturday.
Here are five things successful entrepreneurs do on the weekends:
1. Wake up early.
Savvy entrepreneurs know that if they sleep in on Saturdays and Sundays, their sleep schedule will be thrown off for the rest of the week. They also know that the most productive hours of the day are usually in the morning—and if they have work to do this weekend and want time left over for some recreation, they have to set their alarm clock earlier.
2. Indulge in exercise.
The only thing that entrepreneurs choose to indulge in on the weekend is exercise. Because they often don’t have the time to fit in a good workout Monday through Friday, the weekend is the perfect time for some much-needed cardio.
Even more efficient, make your exercise something recreational with the family. Activities like kayaking, hiking, biking and friendly sports skirmishes all help relieve some of the tension and monotony of the workweek.
3. Socialize and network at community events.
Human beings need social interaction to lead healthy, productive lifestyles, which is something entrepreneurs recognize. On the precious days when these successful people aren’t working, they take the time to interact with friends and family—or take the opportunity to meet someone new.
And the people truly seeking success never write off a bake sale, 5K, theater performance or arts fair as a silly waste of time. They see it as an opportunity to make connections and grow their presence. Because there are always influential people to meet at these sorts of events, and a savvy entrepreneur will make the time to recognize and meet the people who make up a community.
4. Work on and outsource projects.
Quiet weekend mornings are an ideal time to make headway on some of your more important work projects, to pick up the slack on projects before the busyness of weekday life filters in.
Also focus on outsourcing projects so that you can enjoy the rest of your weekend. SEO and social media interaction that weren’t completed during the week can be outsourced to individuals or agencies that specialize in that kind of work.
5. Pursue a passion.
Exercising creativity is one of the biggest secrets to maintaining a productive and successful lifestyle. The most efficacious of people will set aside some time for creative pursuits, like writing a novel or biography, enrolling in art classes or tinkering on old cars. Whatever the project is, it usually doesn’t involve work. It’s just a healthy hobby that feeds the passion and creativity entrepreneurs use throughout their workweek to reach the top.
Leisure time is a precious commodity for successful people, and if you’re willing to use it the right way, it will lead to a healthy balance between success and recreation.