The Four-Day Recharge
Maximizing your Easter Break without running out of energy
How you doing, you marvellous thing, you?!
Thanks for all your support on social media this week whilst I’ve been bringing you the news at GMB. I’m back for one day only next week (ours is not to reason why!) Thursday 24 April.
As I pen this for Good Friday, I am doing my damndest to summon up the sweet aromas of hot cross buns toasting across Birmingham. But I am being beaten back by the faint smell of rotting rubbish from overflowing bins!!
If you've been on the Lent sacrifice train, then CONGRATULATIONS on crossing that finish line 🥇
Whether you gave up chocolate, social media, or your favourite guilty pleasure TV show, we've made it to the ‘promised land’ of Easter bank holidays!
But as I sit here recovering from this week’s brutal 3am wake-ups calls (the glamorous TV life they don't show you on Instagram), I'm contemplating something deeper than just which Hotel Chocolat egg I'll be cracking into first.
I'm actually thinking about ENERGY. Where mine has gone? And how I'm going to get through this four-day weekend of obligations, household chores and all the rest of it - while still having enough left in the tank when Tuesday morning rolls around and real life kicks in once again??
[Although depending on which part of the country you live in, you might still be off with the kids this week]
The Bank Holiday Balancing Act
Let's be honest, though? The Easter weekend is a proper mixed bag.
On the one hand….
You’re asking yourself ‘Is it chocolate for breakfast?’ Absolutely!
You remember it’s a four-day weekend! Result!
You might be making time to reflect on the religious significance of Easter Sunday
Then on the other hand, you’re navigating family dynamics over a hunk of roasted meat with all the trimmings, and entertaining children hopped up on Mini Eggs - all with the looming knowledge that come Tuesday, it's back to ‘the grind. ‘
Thinking about the days when I was an academic, this "break" was anything but for my final-year students. I always felt gutted for them.
It’s ‘Last Chance Saloon’. Your degree-class deciding project glares at you impatiently from the laptop. Deadline looming, it demands your attention while your family demands your presence at the dinner table!
It really is a uniquely British type of torture for many university students at this time of year.
Beyond the Chocolate Reset
I've been on a fascinating journey with food lately – partly due to some weight loss, partly due to medication adjustments – and I'm grrrrrrradually learning to see food as fuel, rather than just comfort.
And that’s despite my utterly confused body clock tempting me to demolish an entire Lindt box and call it ‘self-care’.
We all know that our bodies require six essential nutrients: protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water. Sadly, chocolate isn’t the bonus Seventh😢
While supplements have their place, getting these nutrients primarily from whole foods makes a tremendous difference in how we feel, especially when transitioning from holiday mode back to productivity.
Your Easter-to-Engines-On Strategy
Here's my quick four-step approach to the Bank Holiday weekend:
Good Friday: Gentle indulgence. Yes to hot cross buns, but also YES to a brisk walk to balance things out.
Saturday: Family time with boundaries. Schedule in 30 minutes of ‘I vant to be alone’ time for every 2 hours of "How are your stocks & shares coming along?" or "Have you tried that 12 hour fast thingy yet?" conversations.
Easter Sunday: Full feast mode. Enjoy that roast, the chocolate, those cheeky afternoon G&Ts. But drink water between each alcoholic beverage. Why? Future You will thank you later!
Bank Holiday Monday: The gentle pivot. Start reintroducing routine. Perhaps a slightly earlier bedtime, a bit less sugar, and 20 minutes of prep for the week ahead.
Easter Joy Corner
One last gag before I sign off …
What do you call a rabbit with fleas? Bugs Bunny!
Wishing you an Easter Bank Holiday weekend with just the right balance of indulgence, meaningful connections, and tactical rest.
May your energy reserves be as plentiful as the Easter eggs in your basket, and may Tuesday morning's alarm feel less offensive than it has any right to be!
Until next week, With love and renewed vitality,
Marv
x
P.S. What’s your favourite energy-boosting tip for surviving the post-Easter return to reality??