The song “Working for the Weekend” by Loverboy in 1981 became an anthem of sorts for people who “work to live” but certainly don’t “live to work”. I do agree with the general sentiment of course, we all need to make time for fun, recreation, and relaxation in our lives.

However, this mindset that we should all just put in our 9-5 and then get on with our “real lives” is not going to help you get out of the rat=race. The endless treadmill of Living paycheck-to-paycheck, struggling with credit card debt, and hoping that your employer keeps you around isn’t going to change if your plan is to do the absolute minimum.

I’ve always said that a mind-shift is what you really need to start changing these patterns. You need to look at “getting ahead” and “finding ways to make money” as a hobby in and of itself. If you aren’t dedicating yourself towards getting better, than you are falling behind everyone that is.

The fact that most people are “working for the weekend” can actually be a competitive advantage for yourself. If you *are* willing go go above and beyond and Spend some of your free time getting better at your craft or learning some new skills, then you will find yourself running circles around those that spend their free time watching television or going out every night.

While I don’t think it’s healthy to spend *all* of your free time on the weekends “working”, what I like to do is to wake up early one (or both) days and put in 3 or 4 hours dedicated towards one of my projects. Some of my family is still sleeping, others are relaxing, but I am helping us all take one step closer towards making our dreams come true. Once this time block is complete, I try and spend quality time with my kids, my wife, and our friends. I still find lots of time to play games, workout, and have living room dance parties.

But the overall point is that I am not just working for the weekend. I am not afraid to work on the weekend, or in the evenings, or whenever it takes to keep things moving forward for my family.