Why is it that some weekends are super productive and others you couldn’t resemble a sloth more?! For us 9-5ers, we tend to look forward to our weekends where we can eat, sleep and do what we want. If you’re anything like us, you’ll often have grand plans for being organised and productive on your weekends, sorting out your over-spilling wardrobe, batch-cooking, reading, going for a run etc. But sometimes, it just doesn’t work out the way you envisioned it and you get to Sunday evening having wasted too many hours netflix-ing and insta-scrolling. Been there, done that! Without sucking the fun out of weekends, you need to plan ahead and prioritise exactly what you want to do, otherwise, you risk going off-piste. Weekends are a great time for indulging in some much-needed self care so here are 10 ways to boost your wellbeing and productivity this weekend.

Wake up early – We’re challenging the norm here! Although the idea of NOT having a lie in might sound awful, sleeping in late on the weekends can disrupt your sleep cycle for the rest of the week as it messes with your natural body clock. If you find it hard to wake up during the week, this might be why. The benefits? You get waaaaay more of your weekend to do fun things! (See below!)

Meditate – If you find it hard to remember/feel motivated to meditate during the week then really try to prioritise it on the weekends, even if only for 10 minutes. Spend a few moments when you first get up to be present and reflect on your mood and how you’re feeling. The mental benefits of meditation are well-documented (reduces stress, alleviates anxiety) and you may even find this habit creeping into your mid-week routine after you start to notice the difference it makes to your day. 

Create a meal plan for the following week – If you’re not already in the habit, use the weekend to flick through all the food blogs you love, the insta recipes you’ve saved and the cookbooks gathering dust in your kitchen. Grab a pen and paper and jot down some meals and snacks you’d like to eat the following week. Making this a priority will really save you from ordering mid-week deliveroo or grabbing an unhealthy snack on your morning commute.  

Go to your favourite workout class – Even though the days are slowly getting lighter now, sometimes you just don’t feel motivated to head to a class or go to the gym when it’s dark and freezing outside. Fair enough, we feel you. Instead, book your favourite fitness class on the weekend and plan a killer brunch to refuel afterwards. You’ll feel so energised and it will really set you up for a productive, happy weekend.

Swap your usual brunch spot for somewhere different – As much as we agree with the phrase “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, sometimes it’s good to try something different and open your eyes to new places. Instead of heading to your usual brunch spot, switch it up and try somewhere new. You might just find somewhere even better!

Get that big food shop in – You’ve done your food prep, you know what you want to cook, now it’s time to do that food shop! Whether that’s online via Ocado or in person, getting your kitchen stocked with plenty of nutritious food will help keep your healthy intentions on track for the rest of the week.

Pick one room in your house to organise and clean – In our eyes, mid-week is for micro cleaning and maintenance and the weekends should be saved for bigger jobs like cleaning out and having a re-organise. Make it easier by picking one room and tackle that on it’s own. It will feel much more manageable to stick to one room and as you go through the rooms each weekend, you’ll notice you home won’t get as out of control during the week. We love “The Life-Changing Magic Of Tidying Up” by Marie Kondo. Check it out if you haven’t read it already.

Prepare snacks and staples for the week – You’ve got your fridge and pantry stocked up, now it’s time to prepare some snacks and staples so you can think less about what to eat and what to cook during the week. Batch-cook your grains, freeze-bag your smoothie ingredients, whip up some protein balls and blend up some salad dressings. You’ll thank yourself later!

Cook a meal you’ve never tried before – We’re all creatures of habit but it’s healthy to be open to trying new things. Make a rule that every Sunday night dinner you and your partner/flatmates/family cook a new dish that you haven’t attempted before. Get creative with new flavours, combinations and maybe even some new foods you haven’t tried. If you haven’t tried jackfruit yet then why not make these Jackfruit Tacos your next Sunday night meal?

Spend the last hour before bed electronic-free – It might feel strange at first but we highly recommend switching everything to flight mode an hour before bed to give yourself the best chance of a good night’s sleep (mid-week and weekends!) Your mind and body need time to switch off and relax before getting into bed so run a bath, light a candle, pick up a book or even stretch out on your yoga mat and let your whole body unwind from the day.

words by Molly Jennings

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