12 Things to Do on the Weekend to Get Ahead

Weekends are a great time to reset and recharge, but often weekends fly by before you realize what to do. So in this post, I have for you 12 things to do on the weekend. This can be your weekend to-do list to help you make the most of your weekend and not just do productive things, but also relax and recharge.

Do a Weekly Debrief (What Worked, What Didn’t)

Take time on the weekend to review your week. Reflecting on the week gives clarity to the mind about the things to do during the week and also helps you keep a tab on things that were not accomplished and can be planned in the coming week.

Don’t restrict the week’s review to work and a to-do list. But also review your progress towards personal goals, habits you are working on, the quality of sleep and diet, life, etc.

Reflection at the weekend not only just recaps the entire week but also helps identify the gaps that can be addressed in the coming week’s plan.

If it helps you, try these 100 self-reflection journal prompts to know yourself better.

Map Out Your Week Before It Maps You

For a productive week, it is essential that you plan your week. Have a look at the calendar for the coming week and plan your days accordingly. 

Make sure to consider personal commitments also while planning the week. This may include a birthday celebration, your kids meeting at school, or a doctor’s appointment. Even the smallest things need to be included because once the crazy busy week hits, you’re gonna forget things.

I even include in the plan if I need to make a phone call to wish someone a birthday or anniversary. I remember these forever and just forget on the day. Pls. Tell me I am not the only one.

Make a thorough “To-Do List” that includes each and everything that needs to be done in the week. If possible, you can assign days to each task. 

I personally like to make my professional To-Do list on Monday morning for two reasons: I don’t want to think about work on weekends (trust me, working very hard on it), and secondly, if I do, I will be spending more time on it and lose my weekend.

Here is how I plan my week. I plan my whole week from daily routine to meals, cleaning, and budget in this Life Planner. The best thing about it is that it shows me exactly what I need to do today and tracks my progress.

Plan or Prep Easy Meals for the Week

One of the things that I hate about weekdays is not having enough time to cook meals, and most people dislike thinking about what to cook today. Thankfully, I made a meal planner that had all our favorite recipes, and I just have to click to select them, and my meal plan, along with the grocery list, is ready. You can get it here.

Once the meals for the week are finalized, you can order or go shopping for groceries and keep them ready for the next week. The last thing you want to do after a long day is look for items when cooking a meal. If you find extra time, doing some meal prep to make meals easier and faster on weekdays is a great idea too. Just chart out all the meals of the day for the entire week and do some basic preparation like chopping vegetables or boiling beans.

Do a Quick House Reset

If you have a busy week, then most probably your house will get neglected. Now, I am not saying to spend your whole weekend cleaning and taking care of your house, but a quick house reset on the weekend will make your house functional and back on track. It can be as simple as refilling the bathroom supplies or pantry, or keeping things back to their place that have messed up the living room.

You can follow this whole house cleaning checklist to simplify it.

Pick Your Outfits to Save Mornings

The last thing you want during weekdays is to search for your pants or socks and get late in the morning. I like to keep the entire week’s clothes, along with the accessories, inners, etc for the respective day set aside and ready to wear in my closet. 

You can do the same for your kids, too. It will save you time making decisions in the morning and help you look presentable at work.

If you are unsure of dressing for work or are looking for new ideas. I have a whole section for work fashion to explore.

Do a Sunday Reset to Start Fresh

Just give the entire house a quick organization to make sure everything is in place. We all end up with a messy house by the weekend. Spending some time to keep things back in the right place will save you time searching for things on weekdays.

If your house is all set and you do not need to spend time on it, you can use the weekends to organize your life and improve your lifestyle. Organizing life is a big project, and spending some time on it on weekends is totally worth it. You can read my post on how to organize your life for better, it has detailed steps to begin your life organization journey.

Actually Finish the Laundry (All of It)

However much you try to keep up your pace with laundry, you always lag behind with it. Weekends are to make peace with it. 

Get all your laundry backlog at the track on weekends. 

For an easy week ahead, it is good to have a clothes cleanout.

I do it first thing in the morning on weekends so that other work can be done in parallel while washing is on, and save folding clothes for TV time. Put on your favourite web series and watch it while folding clothes.

After spending around half the weekend on preparation, here comes the fun part.

Prioritize Rest with a Nap

After working on the preparations for the coming week, you deserve some rest. 

Also, you may have some catch-up on sleep debts from the week. Using weekends to compensate for weekday sleep loss is a good way to spend your weekend.

I like to get up early, even on weekends, and would rather take a nap to compensate for the sleep. Also, I try to finish all the work before a nap, this way I am not anxious about the things to do, and I know post-nap is my fun time. But once in a while, I like to put off the morning alarm and wake up just when I feel like it, I don’t know if it’s the sleep or the feeling of freedom to wake up at my choice of time, but it feels great.

Have a Fun Sunday evening

Plan some fun and exciting things for a weekend evening. It feels like a reward for the entire week of hard work, and at the same time, gives you some zeal to face the new week ahead.

Based on your liking, you can either plan fun things at home or plan to go outdoors with friends. Use the time to bond with your partner and kids, and spend quality time with them. A fun evening need not be expensive, be creative and fill your evening with fun and laughter. Better build your own Sunday tradition.

Make Time for a Self-Care Ritual

Personal grooming is not just essential for hygiene, but it also contributes to your personality and confidence at the workplace. With busy days during the week, it is difficult to find time for personal grooming. Use weekends for basic personal grooming like nail care, attending to your beard, skincare, etc. You can also spend some time on self-care to rejuvenate yourself. If you have a time crunch, try simple self-care ideas

Do the Thing You Love

With a busy week taking all your time, spend your weekends doing what you love to do, but find it difficult to make time for. It can be simple things like journaling your heart, taking a walk in the park, or catching up with hobbies. Most of us have interests that we keep putting off for later, so we try to use the weekend to catch up with them. Weekends are not just about productivity but also recharging yourself and feeling good about life. If you don’t know where to start, you can look at these 100 hobbies to get some ideas.

Prep Your Work or Uni Bag

One thing that does not feel significant but matters a lot when you step out of your home. And that a bag equipped with all the essentials you need. Whether you work or study, prepping your bag on the weekend is a small thing that you can do for peace of mind on the busy weekdays. From organizing your bag to restocking some items. Just a few minutes that will save you the hassle during the week. Here are work bag essentials that are always in my bag.

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