When Living for the Weekend Is a Huge Red Flag - The Muse

When Living for the Weekend Is a Huge Red Flag - The MuseWhen Living for the Weekend Is a Huge Red Flag Love what you do and itll never feel like work. Ever heard this phrase?Despite being an optimist, Im also a realist. And soon after I started working, I realized that this statement is never the whole picture. Work will never be that simple, sometimes youll have bad days (even bad weeks), and yes, sometimes youll live for the weekend. And thats because weekends are great- truly elendhing beats having zero professional responsibility and the freedom to do what you want, whenever you want, for 48 hours.I also wont deny that begging for the weekend to come can be a sign of a much bigger problem. While work will always feel like work, it shouldnt make you miserable- otherwise youre getting into Sunday Scary territory.With that in mind, here are the signs your weekend obsession is a red flag1. Its OK if Its Thursday and Its Been a Long Weeknotlage every day at work is going to be sunshi ne and butterflies and compliments from your team. You mayve spent the week cleaning up someones mess, getting yelled at by your supervisor, staying late to finish a huge assignment, or dealing with a tough client- its normal to be counting the hours until your freedom comes.Its a Problem if Its Monday and You Havent Even Started Your Week YetThat said, if youre going into the office expecting all the bad stuff above to happen- and dreading it even before youve sat down at your desk on Monday morning- thats probably a sign youre in a toxic work environment.2. Its OK if You Live for the Weekend OccasionallyEven the best jobs can be tiring, frustrating, excessively slow, or incredibly hectic. And, like I said above, the weekends are almost always going to be a lot more fun than whatever youre doing at work. So, dont feel guilty for treasuring them.Its a Problem if You Live for the Weekend ConstantlyBut, as I note in this article, you spend 30% of your time at work- that means that no matter how great the weekends are, theyll never truly be enough to make you happy. So, if youre always looking to them to lift your spirits, you need to find a job that wont continue to diminish them.3. Its OK if You Feel Refreshed When the Weekend EndsAs much as we love the weekends, most people who are happy- if not satisfied- in their roles make the most of them, enjoy their time off, but then leave them ready to get back to the grind. This wont always happen- sometimes youll have weekends that are as stressful as, if not more than, work is (think dealing with travel delays, having to do chores, being in the middle of family drama). But for the most part, these pauses should be enough to at least somewhat rejuvenate you for the week ahead.Its a Problem if You Feel Sick When the Weekend EndsI have a friend who I always have a blast with over the weekends- we eat great food, sleep in, and have plenty of fun activities planned. But when Sunday evening hits, she tells me she starts t o get stomach cramps. No matter how great our time off is, they always come.When you find yourself continuously unprepared, anxious, or sick (or even self-medicating) at the end of the weekend, thats a sign your job may be the problem.4. Its OK if You Actually Get to Enjoy Your WeekendsYou work hard for five days, so you deserve two days worth of not thinking about anything job-related. If thats true for you, keep on getting pumped for the break ahead.Its a Problem if You Expect to Have to Work on Your WeekendsIf you go into the end of the week praying your boss doesnt call you or expect you to come in, or some work conflict doesnt interrupt your plans, that may be a sign youre in a role thats affecting your work-life balance.Yes, some jobs require you to be on call, and you know if you signed up for such a role. But when this happens more often than it should, youre not reaping the full benefits of your weekend- and its no wonder you cant help but live for them.Start to recognize h ow youre feeling when the weekend approaches. Maybe you log your emotions in a journal or have your friends evaluate your moods for you. If you find youre identifying with the problem signs more often than not, it could be that your work is doing more damage than you anticipated. And maybe its time to find yourself a healthier gig.YOU DONT HAVE TO STAY IN A JOB YOU HATEWe know tons of openings where youll actually love coming to work.JUST CLICK HERE