4 Things You Can Do Over the Weekend to Help Guarantee a Good Start to the Week
By: Dayana Sabatin
Tags: Work, Success, Self Improvement, Productivity, Work Life Balance

Plan out the new week.

I like to give myself one day (usually Saturdays) to completely disconnect from work. I’ll wake up around 6–7, have my coffee, get a workout in, go grocery shopping, do any other errands or anything else that desperately needs my attention, but after that; I’m in full-on vacation mode.

My partner does the same, making it more fun and easy to get back to hustle mode on Sundays, which is typically the day I start planning out my week and getting back into the grind of things.

Sunday mornings are spent cozied up on the couch with a blanket and cup of coffee, but after an hour or two, I start cleaning, organizing, and getting myself ready for the new week.

By sitting down and taking the time to plan things out, you’re able to not only set goals for yourself, but you give yourself a visual outline of what needs to be done, what needs your attention, and what you need to do to have a successful week.

For example, I like to write down a list of YouTube content that I am planning on filming that week, and in addition to that, I’ll try to block out the days on my calendar for which days I’ll be filming all day vs. utilizing 1–2 hours to film.

This process allows me to stay on track and not panic throughout the week when I have other things pop up in my schedule, and it ensures that I stay consistent with my YouTube content.

I also like to take a look at the previous week's goals and figure out which ones I’ve reached and which ones I need to work on. Goal setting is huge for me, and taking time out of my Sunday to figure out what I’m doing right and wrong always helps me set myself up for a good week.

Give yourself 1–2 work assignments to stay in the flow.

Just because I take a day off doesn’t mean I completely disconnect from my work altogether. I’ve done that before, and personally, it makes it a little bit harder to get back into the swing of things.

I try to have 1–2 things that are absolute musts in terms of my business. For example, I still film even on my day off. My goal is to grow on YouTube, which means that I constantly have to work on my editing and filming skills.

Another thing I like to do over the weekends to stay in flow is read because this helps my writing. When I do get back to work, whether that be Sunday evenings or Monday morning, I have a running list of ideas of things to talk about and write about because of all the knowledge I’d just consumed from my books.

It’s a lot easier to jump back into your typical M-F routine when it doesn’t feel like you’ve been out of it altogether.

Clean your environment.

Cleaning is a must for me every weekend, I like to do it throughout the week, mainly just to spruce the place up, but a deep clean is necessary over the weekend.

For me, it’s therapeutic. There’s no better feeling than coming home to a clean and organized environment. No dust on countertops, no crumbs on the floor, no dirty laundry crying out my name when I’m trying to relax — truly no better feeling.

Having a clean environment will also help your ability to focus more throughout the week because cleanliness reduces clutter.

When clutter is reduced, your brain can concentrate on the task at hand much better. It goes without saying that improved focus will result in increased productivity.

In essence, if you want to improve your productivity, try to make sure your environment is always clean and organized.

Make time for relaxation.

This goes back to planning out the week; while I love work, I equally love relaxing, which is why my Saturdays are meant just for that.

Give yourself some time to disconnect from the world; you’re constantly working, you’re grinding daily and working hard on your goals, you deserve a few hours of self-care and a good movie with some takeout from your favorite restaurant (or a nice homecooked meal).

Your brain and body need to recharge from time to time. If you’re constantly grinding away at your job, cooking, raising kids, working a labor-intensive job, or any other occupation, you’re not going to get the opportunity to replenish your energy. As a result, you get less done than you would if you had just given yourself a break.

Many people feel the constant need to keep themselves busy. They don’t realize that getting some rest is key to optimal productivity.

Turn your computer off. Put your phone away; give yourself a day or a few hours to just recharge.

My partner and I like to turn off work around 4 PM on Saturdays; then we’ll take a walk to see the sunset, pick up our food from wherever we ordered from and bicker about which movie we’re going to watch on our way home.

He’s more of a documentary kind of guy; I prefer romantic comedies. Go figure.

Relax, spend quality time with your family, your partner, or even yourself. Your work will be there in the morning.