My typical weekend is to go out for breakfast, exercise and then wind out the evening with something mindless like watching TV. Except I've rewatched my fill of Top Gear and am out of new Adventure Time and Rick and Morty episodes. Tonight I opted for reading (at home) for the first time in a while. I find this really relaxing. Both the routine and the things themselves are relaxing. Weekdays are like abbreviated weekends. Try to exercise if time and weather cooperate, and maybe stop for coffee and a scone on the way to work. The coffee shop I go to is independent, and the people remember me. That's nice. The exercise took some time to become part of the routine and be relaxing. But now it's one of my favorite things. A slow run that just goes on and on is great for calming my mind. I think about nothing other than pavement (cracks or holes), my legs (am I landing correctly), my breathing, any obstacles (cars, bikes, other runners) and maybe food and water on a really long run. Anything else, any worry, is simply set aside. Do you occasionally check your pocket to make sure your keys are still there? I do. It will sometimes cross my mind while running and then get dismissed without touching my zipper pocket. The run comes first, and distractions just cause me to screw up one of the important things. It's all really therapeutic for me.
What are you reading? I picked up The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran recently (since it's a classic, and I've never read it), and enjoyed it, short though it was. I also run, and yes, I also check to make sure my keys haven't fallen out! I've been meaning to go on a run for the last few days, but it's been up in the 100's and I haven't braved the heat.
I just started The Martian by Andy Weir. I bought it months ago when the movie came out and am finally getting to it. I think it's going to be a quick, fun read. On Saturday I finished River of Doubt, a book about Teddy Roosevelt's decent down a previously unexplored river in Brazil. It's a really good read and gave me a better understanding of how 19th century exploring worked. It's written by Candice Millard, and she does a fantastic job of presenting facts in a captivating way. I usually don't care for non-fiction, but this was a great read. Do you live near water? When it's really hot I'll rent a kayak and paddle around on a lake near me. Just don't forget to wear sunscreen.