Life is a real hamster wheel sometimes. Between work, family and kids, those classes you are taking and your social life it may be very hard to imagine taking some time to be alone. But now that you are thinking about it, doesn’t it sound enticing? Imagine having some time all to yourself — no partner, no boss, no family, no friends telling you what to do for an entire weekend. What tasks would you place on an agenda that could finally be all about you? If you are drawing a blank because this kind of freedom to write your own life script comes along so rarely give some thought to the following suggestions for an epic solo weekend.

Sleep

We are all deprived according to most experts, so shut down the alarms and get a little extra shut eye during your “me” weekend. Turn in early or roll over and go back to sleep when you wake to the peace and quiet of a morning alone. Catching up on those z’s will leave you a little more refreshed and you can contemplate a world without the need to compromise before you jump out of bed to starts your day.

Eat

Take a stroll down to that cafe you’ve been wanting to try but keep getting shouted down by the others in your life. Treat yourself to a leisurely meal without others scoffing or stealing your fries. If you frequently have judgmental dining companions take this opportunity to indulge in a rich dessert or a second glass of wine. On the other hand if you are wanting to make healthy choices vetoed by lunch buddies who can’t live without heavy food that weighs you down eat lightly, choosing a restaurant that caters to your healthier vision of food. If you like to cook make yourself one or a series of perfect meals over the weekend, adding the touches you want without fear someone will complain.

Learn

Take up a hobby you’ve neglected or have always wanted to try. Read a book or attend a lecture about something that interests you without concern for other people’s preferences. Research how to do a craft you have always want to learn by visiting an artist’s workshop or taking a weekend class on a subject you are interested in pursuing. Devise a plan that will allow you to follow this blossoming passion even after your weekend is over.

Enjoy

Take a nature walk. Go shopping. Find a movie you have secretly wanted to see but haven’t because you are so willing to meet other people’s need and desires at the expense of your own. Wander through a neighborhood within which you dream of sometime living and pick out the perfect house or apartment. Revisit an area of town where you have good memories and see how it has changed while making a list of places to visit with your buddies or sweetie so they can share your joy of rediscovering a special place after your weekend.

Contemplate

Spend some time just being in the moment without an agenda. Probe a little deeper within yourself to see what you think might be missing in your life, no matter how hectic. Enumerate any truths you find about things you might want to change or priorities you might want to foster after your alone time draws to an end. Think about all the things you like about yourself and how you can improve and grow in those areas while leaving the nagging issues behind.

Once you have had a chance to put yourself first for a few days you will be able to tackle tasks and relationships with a fresh outlook. Talk to the important people in your life about what delighted you about your introspection and vow to take some time in the not so far future to nurture yourself again. Encourage and support them to do the same.