This is part 3 of a 3-part series on routines. If you haven’t read them yet, start here with my early morning routine and evening routine!
If you can’t tell yet, I am a sucker for routines.
Having a consistent structure for my days helps me thrive as a mom.
For awhile I had my Monday-Friday stay at home mom schedule down pat, but no weekend routine. I often found myself feeling a bit listless on the weekends without any structure.
That’s when I decided that routines don’t only have to exist during the workweek – let’s bring them in to the weekends too!
Building A Productive Weekend Routine
If you’re reading this post, I’m guessing you also feel a bit unsettled with your current weekend flow (or lack thereof).
A weekend routine isn’t forced, strict, or rigid. It’s a general flow, using the concept of time blocking from my weekly routine, where you know what to expect from your weekends and have time built in to accomplish the things you want to get done.
There are always a few essential things that I want to get done each weekend. I love getting out on a family adventure with all four of us, and there are also always a handful of things that need done around the house.
Your weekend routine will include time blocks for both work and play, just like during the week!
I work hard to get most of the house chores done during the week so that we don’t have to spend too much of our precious weekend time cleaning or tidying, but there may be a loose door that needs tightened, a load of stuff that needs to be taken to Goodwill, or some other task to complete around the house. I also like to meal prep and place a grocery order on the weekends.
A good weekend routine will include blocks of time for both your essential tasks and your fun ones.
Set Your Goals For The Weekend
What are you hoping to get out of your weekend?
So many of us aren’t intentional with our days off, which leaves us going back into Monday without feeling accomplished or rested.
While you certainly don’t need a laundry list of goals for each weekend, it is helpful to identify the top 3-5 things you would like to get done each weekend.
If you’re not sure or are looking for some ideas, I have some suggestions.
Whether you live alone or have a spouse and kids, you should prioritize going outside for a walk on both Saturday and Sunday.
Getting fresh air is good for everybody, and it builds some movement and exercise into your weekend as well.
It’s also great if you can get the whole family out for one activity each weekend. My girls and I do a lot of activities just the three of us during the week while my husband is working, but we love getting Dad in on the fun for at least one adventure each weekend.
Here’s what our weekends look like.
My Saturday Weekend Routine
- 7:00AM: This is around the time that everybody wakes up. My husband will hang out with the kids while I jump on the elliptical or the bike for a quick 30 minute sweat session. After that, we’ll get showered and dressed for the day and make breakfast.
- 9:30AM: We’ll head out for our morning family walk. We have a three-mile loop that goes up the beach, through the village and back to our house. We bring along plenty of snacks so the girls have something to munch on while we stroll. They stay happy as long as they have food 😉 Family walks are probably my favorite part of the weekend, because my husband and I get uninterrupted time to talk and catch up while our kids enjoy taking in the sights and sounds.
- 10:30AM: After we get home from our walk, we’ll typically put a show on for the girls to watch so that my husband and I can each get in some hobby time. The girls don’t watch much television during the week so we save it for the weekends. One of our favorite shows to put on for the girls is Miss Rachel on YouTube. It’s educational and helps with language development for both our baby and toddler. While the kids are watching TV, my husband will enjoy playing some video games or handling a couple of tasks for work. I will enjoy sewing or crocheting at the kitchen table. This is also the time that I will meal prep and place a grocery order for delivery.
- 11:30AM: After 30-60 minutes of TV time, we make lunch for the kiddos. After they eat, it’s time for the baby to go down for a nap at 12pm. While the baby is napping, either my husband or I will take our older daughter on a date to go do something fun. She also loves just tagging along for errands, so if either of us needs to run to the store for something, she’ll go with. Otherwise one of us will take her to the playground, aquarium, or the trampoline park if she’s lucky 😀 This leaves a couple of hours of quiet time at home for the other parent to take a nap, read a book, and just generally enjoy some peace and quiet.
- 4:00PM: Our family goes to church on Saturday evenings, so in the late afternoon we get everyone dressed and ready to go. We enjoy spending time with our friends at church and I’ll often pack sandwiches for the kids to eat for dinner on the way home because we get back close to bedtime.
- 6:45PM: We get home from church and get the kids to bed. Once they’re down, my husband and I will make dinner for ourselves and enjoy the evening together.
- 9:00PM: Time for bed!
My Sunday Weekend Routine
I don’t set my alarm on Saturday or Sunday so that I can make sure I am banking up on some sleep to be able to stick with my early morning routine from Monday through Friday.
By having two days without the alarm, I’m able to get the rest that I need to power through another week.
Sunday mornings look the same as our Saturday mornings, starting with exercise for me, followed by a family walk, TV/hobby time, and then lunch & naptime for the baby.
If we’re having friends over, we usually do it on Sunday afternoons.
We typically don’t go out much on Sundays in order to keep it as a day of rest.
We’ll hang out around the house or in our neighborhood but usually won’t load up in the car to go somewhere.
After the kids are in bed on Sunday evening, I will get everything prepared for Monday morning including laying out my workout clothes, setting out my pre-workout drink, and getting the breakfast snack bag packed and ready to go.
Benefits Of A Weekend Routine
Establishing a productive weekend routine will help you feel more in control of your time and your schedule.
By following a similar structure each weekend, you’ll have time set aside each weekend for essential tasks such as housework or chores, and have a general flow for heading out for activities and fun adventures.
Kids aren’t the only ones who benefit from routines – you and your spouse will also love the predictability!
What are your must-do activities each weekend? What would you add or remove from this weekend routine? Do you think weekend routines are a terrible idea? Let me know in the comments!