Weekends—we love them and we hate that they never seem to last long enough. So how can we get the most out of our precious two days of freedom? While it is so important to decompress from the previous week and recharge for the week ahead, I find that a weekend of sleeping in and avoiding responsibility has a negative impact on my productivity during the following week. Without a little balance and productivity during the weekend, I feel as if I am spending most of my Monday getting a kick-start on the week, which can set my whole week off balance.
Like most things in life, balance is key. You don’t have to go so far as to set an agenda for every waking moment of your weekend, but it’s good to have an overall game plan to ensure you get yourself set up for the coming week. Aside from relaxation, here are some ways you can make the most of your weekend:
Clean the house (or have it cleaned for you if you are so fortunate). While doing the dishes and laundry aren’t my favorite weekend activities, I find that having a clean house to start the week makes a big difference on my mood and productivity. I can start the week knowing that my husband has at least five clean work shirts to wear, all the towels are clean for the bathrooms and kitchen, and everything is back in its proper place, making 6:30 a.m. a lot easier to stomach come Monday morning. Do a few chores each day during the week so you don’t have to spend your whole weekend catching up.
Plan your meals. My husband and I always spend part of our Sunday preparing meals for the week. Packing your lunch is a great way to ensure that you are eating healthy, balanced meals while you’re at the office (or working from home), and saving some cash is always a plus! I also find that organizing meals on Sunday makes dinner prep during the week much easier. At the very least, set yourself up by making a list of possible dinner choices for the week and make sure you have all necessary ingredients on hand.
Mark the calendar. I always use a bit of time on Sunday to take a look at my calendar. What deadlines, appointments, events, and/or travel do I have scheduled? Is there anything that needs to be added/updated on the calendar? Prioritize work projects and take a few minutes to mentally prepare for the week. Most importantly, make sure your week is balanced between work and play. If you’re seeing mostly deadlines and meetings, schedule a massage, a happy hour, or just a window of time to do absolutely nothing.
Set the alarm. Yes, I know. Saturdays and Sundays are your days to “catch up” from a week of waking up before the sun comes up—I get it. But research has shown that sleeping in on the weekends can do more damage to your sleep routine than good and often makes waking up on Monday much harder than it has to be. The best method is to try to go to sleep around the same time and wake up around the same time every day—weekends included.
--------
I hope you can use a few of these tips this coming Sunday! Any other favorite ways to organize yourself for the week?