Turn Your Weekend Into a Getaway (No Booking Required)

I got what I consider one of the most satisfying compliments the other day when my daughter and I were spending the weekend together. She said, ‘Why has this weekend felt so long?’ Now, some people may take that as an insult, assuming she means it was a boring time. In fact, it was the opposite. We had a full weekend of low- or no-cost activities and managed to fit in rest and relaxation.

What she didn’t realize is that it’s taken me a long time to perfect the art of turning a short weekend into an extended holiday. It’s really an extension of the staycation concept that I use when I take a week off but don’t want to spend the money on flights or hotels.

I’ve developed a routine that works for me, and it was so funny that the first time I allowed her in on the schedule she actually noticed how the structured schedule made the day feel longer.

What my ideal weekend involves

A time for catching up on rest

When I returned to work after being a stay-at-home mom, I had to get used to the rhythm of the weekly schedule that revolved around a job and school pick up. I became obsessive about capturing rest and easing through my day when I could because I knew rest wasn’t always going to be as simple as just lying on the couch for 5 minutes (a favorite crutch of mine when I’m at home).  There are workdays when I balance that beautifully, but more often than not I have a little catching up to do on the weekend and I very much welcome it.

A time for creative pursuits

Yet I also didn’t like the idea of sleeping through the entirety of the weekend to make up for the stresses of the week. So, it was important to me to find a way to use my weekends in a way that felt restful but also fulfilling to the other parts of my personality and interests that aren’t necessarily engaged throughout the workweek. I write A LOT during the week – some of it is work, some of it is leisure but all of it is practical and analytical. I end up longing to create and express myself in different ways. It’s not always easy to carve out an hour during the busy weekday schedule so I’ve found a way to work it into my life by making in a priority on the weekends.

The practical part of planning my leisurely weekend

Getting as many chores out of the way on Friday afternoon or night

To make the most of my weekend, I do all the practical things before my weekend actually starts. That way I can focus on the activities that I want to do rather than feeling a sense of obligation or things that I need to attend to. If you do the cleaning and laundry on this day and are ready for the new week, you’ll enjoy your Saturday and Sunday much more because it won’t be hanging over your head. I even make sure my grocery shopping involves items for my daughter’s Monday school lunch so I’m not caught out.

Having a plan for weekend meals

A big part of my weekend plans involves going to a café in the morning, so I know I’m going to eat a sizeable breakfast. The rest of the meals I keep at a reasonable budget by getting salad kits from the grocery store, fruit, and protein shakes. I have this in the fridge by the Friday night so I’m not doing ‘errands’ during my weekend break. You might be getting the pattern here – I don’t want to have to deal with practical things otherwise it breaks that magical spell of feeling like I’m a lady of leisure.

Creating a unique schedule for Saturday and Sunday

I like to have a theme for my weekends and for the moment I’m stuck on the idea of ‘Art weekends’. This might mean going to a gallery, watching a film, and even working on my sketching or watercolor skills that I don’t have time for during the week. It is leisure in the true sense of the word.

My go-to schedule looks like this:

7am – 10am Go to a café while taking notes from a book

10am – 2pm Sketch or watercolor with a new TV series that I’ve never seen in the background

2pm – 5pm Clear out my phone and watch a new movie

5pm – 9pm Beauty treatments and winding down for bed

It doesn’t sound overly exciting, but for me it does the job of being mentally stimulating in a way that I don’t get during the week, while also providing a sense of ease and novelty.

Of course, you can arrange the activities however you want, but this seems to be the formula that works for me. Somehow, dedicating a few hours at a time to an activity and having three major transitions keeps me present in what I’m doing. I suspect that’s the reason the day feels long – there are distinct and memorable experiences to your day when you arrange it like this.

Figuring out what works for you

It’s not always possible to stick to this weekend routine every single week, especially if you have any kind of social life. And what works for me might not be what works for you.

The real point is that if you take the time to figure out what actually makes you feel rested, what recharges your battery, and what taps into your creative reserves, you’ll start to build weekends that feel genuinely restorative. It’s extremely fulfilling to engage in inspiring activities that make your downtime feel both relaxing and worthwhile.

And when you figure out your plan, please do share in the comments!

xLaura