MPW Insider is an online community where the biggest names in business and beyond answer timely career and leadership questions. Today’s answer for: What is your Sunday routine? is written by Angela Dorn, chief legal officer at Single Stop USA.
Monday through Friday I run the legal arms of Single Stop USA, a national nonprofit organization. My job is more than “full-time.” I could work 20 hour days every day without fail, and I still wouldn’t accomplish everything on my to-do list (I’m sure many of you can relate). And this doesn’t even include the menial tasks—I can’t pretend that everything I do is “mission critical.” On Saturdays, I run “Angela Dorn, Inc.” what I consider my “part-time” job. I use this day to manage home improvement projects, plan for the work week ahead, pay bills, and even run mundane errands. And then there is Sunday—the one day I can focus on the “real me.” Whether it be through service, leisure activities, or spending time with family and friends, I think everyone should use Sundays (or one day each week) to take care of themselves.
My Sundays, however, differ slightly than most people because I don’t have kids. My Sunday routine is focused entirely on doing things that will keep me personally centered for the rest of the week. In addition to going to church and catching up with friends and family, I also set aside time for exercising, self-health activities, (e.g. mani-pedi) and cooking. And I round out the night with a few of my favorite TV shows: Game of Thrones, Veep, and Mad Men. The bottom line is that my routine focuses on doing things that make me happy.
But for years, this wasn’t always the case. For as long as I can remember, I worked long hours almost every day and the weekends were rarely an exception. So it was a big deal if I took the weekend off. However, I eventually realized I would never be happy if I kept at this routine my whole life. Yes–work is important, but it is by no means everything or the most important thing in anyone’s life. Personal growth, relaxation, and relationships with others are far more important, and essential to your over all well-being. These are things that free up your mind for creativity, and coincidentally make you a better worker. So take off on Sundays, and spend them how you wish. You can’t take care of business if you don’t take care of yourself.
Read all answers to the MPW Insider question: What is your Sunday routine?
Why this executive never works on the weekend by Liz Wiseman, president of Wiseman Group.
How this CEO recharges on the weekend by Perry Yeatman, CEO of Perry Yeatman Global Partners.
Why this entrepreneur uses meditation to start her work week by Lynn Jurich, CEO and co-founder of Sunrun.