3 Ways to Maximize Your Extra Hour This Weekend

This extra hour has something for everyone.

Call me crazy, but I like Daylight Saving Time. Maybe it's mostly the fall version of the time change, but losing or gaining an hour seems to give my body the shake up it needs. It's like the ever-present monotony of time gets a little twist.

This weekend we gain an hour as we turn our clocks back in the wee hours of Sunday morning. To get really technical, Daylight Saving Time ends at 2 a.m. For most, that means changing the clocks before bedtime on Saturday. For others, that means waking up and being confused about what time it actually is for about 15 minutes before checking their phone.

Here are some ways you can maximize your extra hour...

1. Get some sleep

This is my favorite way to enjoy DST. I like to keep my normal bedtime or maybe even slip into those sheets a little earlier and sleep. I keep my normal wake-up time and find that I wake up feeling rested. It may not be the sexiest way to spend the weekend, but I see it as a form of self care, especially during cold and flu season.

2. Grab another drink

All of you night owls will enjoy an extra hour of social time with your friends. Closing time? No, no... we still have an extra hour! There is one time I was out into the wee hours of the morning on DST and it was pretty cool to watch time kind of stand still. I mean, when you think about it, we're essentially getting an extra hour of the weekend.

3. Establish a morning routine

In almost all of the motivational/personal growth books I've read, there is an emphasis on a morning routine. Having time to get your day started on your terms is crucial to success. This requires getting up earlier. That will be easier to do when you feel like it's 9 a.m., but it's actually 8 a.m. It's a great way to kick-start an early rise.