TGIF is Overrated: Stop Living for the Weekend
Photo by George Milton | Pexels
We’ve all been there: dragging through Monday, counting down the hours on Wednesday, and practically celebrating when Friday rolls around. It’s the TGIF mentality, and while it seems harmless, it quietly steals five-sevenths of our lives.
Think about it: If you’re only truly happy on weekends, that means you’re just enduring the majority of your life. That’s a depressing math problem, isn’t it?
But what if you didn’t have to just get through the workweek? What if you actually looked forward to each day—not because you necessarily love your job, but because you’ve built a life that excites you beyond it?
Let’s talk about how to break free from the weekend-waiting cycle and start living fully every day.
1. Redefine What Joy Looks Like for You
Many of us associate joy with big things: vacations, promotions, holidays. But when joy is only reserved for rare occasions, life feels like a long waiting game.
Shift your focus to small, daily joys. Maybe it’s a morning coffee ritual, an evening walk, reading a book you love, or laughing with a friend. The key is intentionally weaving small moments of joy into your weekdays instead of saving all the good stuff for Saturday.
👉 Try this: Every morning, ask yourself, What’s one small thing I can look forward to today?
2. Stop Labeling Days as “Good” or “Bad”
It’s easy to fall into the cultural script that Mondays are dreadful and Fridays are something to celebrate. But those associations aren’t facts; they’re habits of thought, reinforced by repetition and shared complaints.
The truth is, no day has an inherent emotional charge. Monday isn’t out to get you, and Friday isn’t magic. The way we experience each day is shaped by the expectations we bring to it.
If we enter Monday already bracing for stress and disappointment, we’re likely to find it. And if Friday signals our only relief, we end up placing all our joy into a narrow window of time.
👉 Try this: Instead of saying Ugh, it’s Monday, try Today is a fresh start. What’s one thing I can enjoy today?
Photo by South_agency | iStock
3. Sometimes, the Job Isn’t the Dream (But You Still Have a Choice)
Let’s be real, sometimes you take a job not because it’s your passion, but because reality demands it. Bills don’t pay themselves, and if you’re an artist, a small business owner, or chasing a dream that isn’t yet financially sustainable, you might need a steady paycheck in the meantime.
I get it. Not every job will light you up inside. But you still have choices:
Apply for something that at least sparks some curiosity.
Look for work that’s adjacent to your true passion (maybe not your dream job, but a step in that direction).
Choose a job that helps you develop new skills or interests you genuinely don’t mind learning about.
And most importantly, shift how you see the job. Instead of waking up every morning dreading it, remind yourself:
✨ This job is funding my bigger goals. ✨ This job is temporary, but it’s helping me grow in other ways. ✨ This job allows me to have the stability to pursue what I love outside of work.
You don’t have to love your job to appreciate what it allows you to do. The key is not letting it drain your entire outlook on life.
4. Create a Life You Don’t Need to Escape From
If work is the only thing you focus on, it makes sense why you’d feel like you’re just trying to survive the week. But life is so much bigger than what you do for a paycheck.
Ask yourself:
Am I spending my free time in ways that bring me joy?
Do I have hobbies that make me excited outside of work?
Am I surrounding myself with people who energize me, not drain me?
If your job isn’t your passion, make sure your life outside of work is something you love. Pick up a creative hobby, invest in meaningful relationships, or explore something new.
👉 Try this: If your workday is draining, set up at least one thing after work that makes you excited to get through the day.
Photo by Yan Krukau | Pexels
5. Romanticize Your Everyday Life
Photo by Sam Lion | Pexels
You don’t need a tropical getaway to feel like your life is exciting; you just need a fresh perspective. Start looking at your daily life the way you would a vacation.
Think about how you savor a good meal on a trip or how you feel present when you’re experiencing something new. That sense of wonder isn’t tied to the location; it’s a mindset.
Here’s a thought: no matter where you live, someone else has probably come to your city or town and made a whole vacation out of it. Maybe they toured local shops, tried a new coffee spot, or explored the parks and historic streets nearby. Why not bring that same curious and fun energy into your “normal” days?
Play music while cooking dinner like you’re in a cozy café.
Take the scenic route home and notice the beauty around you.
Have a Tuesday night ritual that feels just as special as a Friday night.
👉 Try this: Ask yourself, How would I experience today if I were a tourist in my own life?
6. Make Midweek Plans
One of the biggest reasons people feel like the workweek is a slog? They don’t plan anything fun between Monday and Thursday.
It’s easy to get stuck in a routine of work → home → Netflix → sleep. But breaking that cycle, even in small ways, makes life feel full instead of repetitive.
Plan a midweek dinner with a friend.
Have a Wednesday night “date night” with a partner, a friend, or yourself.
Try a new activity after work (dance class, painting, book club, language tutoring…whatever excites you!).
👉 Try this: This week, schedule something fun on a Tuesday or Wednesday and notice how it changes your mood.
7. Check Your Mindset: Are You Living or Just Waiting?
If you’re constantly waiting for something (the weekend, a vacation, retirement…) it’s time to pause and ask:
What would my days look like if I chose to be fully present?
Am I postponing happiness for a “someday” that may never come?
What’s stopping me from enjoying today, exactly as it is?
At the end of the day, the secret to loving every day isn’t about having a dream job or a perfect life. It’s about deciding that your life—right now—is worth enjoying.
Photo by Sam Lion | Pexels
Final Thoughts: Start Small, But Start Today
Breaking the TGIF mentality isn’t about forcing yourself to love Mondays or pretending every day is perfect. It’s about choosing to find joy in the present instead of waiting for the weekend to feel alive.
You don’t need a new job or a drastic life change to stop living for Fridays. You just need to start noticing, creating, and embracing joy in the everyday. You deserve to enjoy all of your life...not just two-sevenths of it.
So, what’s one small thing you’re looking forward to today?
✨ If you’d like more mindset shifts, gentle reminders, and mental health tips like this, follow along on Instagram and Threads. I share thoughtful content to help you live with more presence, purpose, and joy—no matter what day of the week it is.
by Maria Perdomo-Torres, LCSW-S, MHA, CFSW
