10 Weekend Relief Tips to Wash Away Your Work Week Stress

You survived! Five days of deadlines, endless emails, and back-to-back video calls are officially behind you, but the reality is that your brain doesn’t clock out just because Friday does.

To truly shake off the heavy, humming stress of the work week, you can’t just scroll aimlessly or crash on the sofa. You need intentional, high-impact strategies that shock your system into relaxation.

In this article, TVC has collated 10 proven, engaging relief tips, from having a family fun time to “getting good exercise”, that will help you stop surviving and start recharging before Monday morning even dares to peek over the horizon.

Weekdays can feel like a Lagos traffic jam, chaotic and draining, yet your weekend is the ultimate escape route, ready to snap you out of stress and recharge you like a burst of Afrobeats energy!

Here’s how to turn your Saturdays and Sundays into pure bliss, made just for you.

1. Unplug like you mean it

Ignore the work emails, WhatsApp pings, and social media scrolls. Imagine you’re on a secret island where nobody knows your 9-to-5 name, but to be safer and keep your boss or workplace updated that you won’t be able to receive emails, set an auto-response on your email that says, “I’m on island mode.”

2. Dance like nobody’s watching

Put on your fave Wizkid track, Davido, or Burna Boy hit and lose yourself in the rhythm. Every movement you make while dancing is equivalent to a mood booster, even if you’ve got two left feet, no one’s watching, and the focus is on feeling alive.

3. Food coma

Cook up a storm with jollof rice, suya, or puff-puff. Or hit up that trendy Abuja joint serving the crispiest fried plantains. Food isn’t just fuel, it’s therapy for your soul. 😋

4. Experience nature

Stroll through Lekki Conservation Centre, breathe Lagos greenery, or chill by Ikoyi’s waterfront. Nature’s like a soothing highlife beat for your nerves.

5. Call your squad

Weekends are for vibing with people who lift you. Grab pepper soup with mates, have a laugh fest, or Netflix-and-chill like you mean it. Connection equals happiness, it helps kill depression and makes you forget about the naggings you got from your team lead during the week.

6. Sleep like you’re in a Tiwa Savage lyric

Catch those zzz’s like your life depends on it. Nigeria’s got some wild energy, but your bed’s where the real magic happens. Take long naps, snooze, dream, guilt-free.

7. Get creative

Grab paints, scribble poetry, cook experimental dishes, or jam on guitar. Creativity’s like adding spices to life, it makes everything pop. Remember, HR is not watching, you can do a painting of her, too. Anytime you have anyone making you feel bad at work, pick a paintbrush and paint their nagging face.

8. Mindfulness = No Stress 🧘‍♀

Try some yoga poses like you’re greeting the sunrise at Osun Osogbo. Or just breathe like you’re blowing out candles on a birthday cake, deep, slow, satisfying.

9.  Swimming and Gyms

What’s a good weekend without entering the pool?

Instead of talking about going to the gym, focus on using water as a mental break. The “Blue Zone” refers to the calm state achieved during mindful swimming.

You can also pick up the dumb bells, some push-ups, and so many other activities to keep your body and muscles relaxed.

10. Sexual Time with Your Partner

As the popular wisdom states, a home is more than just four walls its quality is defined by the bond shared with your spouse.

Focus on building memories and prioritising connection over performance. This makes intimacy easier to initiate and enjoy, even when energy is low.