make the most of your weekend as a working mom

As a working mom, your weekends are precious. After a busy week filled with work deadlines, meetings, and family obligations, it’s easy to see the weekend as your time to catch up on chores or simply collapse on the couch. However, without a little thought and intention, weekends can leave you feeling either overwhelmed or unsatisfied. As much as you might want to relax and unwind, there’s always something lurking on your to-do list—whether it's the laundry, organizing, or planning for the upcoming week.

But here's the good news: you can create a weekend that feels both restful and productive, and it all starts with setting intentions ahead of time.

In today’s blog post, I’ll walk you through a powerful strategy for planning your weekends—one that balances rest, fun, and productivity, and leaves you feeling satisfied and ready for the week ahead.

Why Weekend Planning Is Important for Working Moms

You may already be planning your weekdays with military precision. After all, the demands of work, family, and personal commitments require a lot of structure. But when it comes to the weekend, many of us abandon that structure in favor of spontaneity or the desire to escape from all the scheduling.

While that might sound appealing, weekends without a clear plan can leave you feeling like you've accomplished little. You might feel like you didn’t rest enough or didn’t get through all the things you wanted to do. It’s a common feeling. Whether you’re overpacked with tasks or you’re letting the weekend slip away with too little focus, you can end up on Sunday night feeling disappointed or unfulfilled.

The Two Extremes: Over-scheduled or Over-relaxed?

Through conversations with my coaching clients, friends, and podcast listeners, I’ve found that there are typically two ends of the spectrum when it comes to weekends:

The Overpacked Weekend: Some of us approach the weekend as a chance to catch up on everything we couldn’t get to during the week—laundry, cleaning, paperwork, and errands. This can make for a productive weekend, but it can also lead to exhaustion. By the time Sunday night rolls around, you might feel completely drained, as if you’ve done nothing but work and run errands.
The Over-relaxed Weekend: On the flip side, some moms long for a weekend of complete relaxation. They aim to just chill and unwind, with no agendas, no to-do lists, and no commitments. However, when Sunday evening arrives, you might find yourself frustrated by the things that didn’t get done—like meal prep for the week, cleaning, or organizing—leaving you anxious as Monday morning nears.

Neither extreme is ideal, and both can leave you feeling unfulfilled. The key is to find balance and approach your weekends with intention. The goal is to ensure that, whether you’re resting, catching up, or spending quality time with your family, you are consciously choosing how you spend your time.

Setting Your Weekend Intentions

Before the weekend even begins, ask yourself: What do I want from these two days? What will make me feel satisfied when Sunday night comes around? Do I need to rest? Do I need to get things done around the house? Do I want to spend quality time with my kids or catch up on personal hobbies?

The beauty of this is that there’s no “right” answer. Some weekends might call for a quiet, restful vibe at home, while others might be filled with activities or catching up on house projects. But having a clear idea of your intentions before the weekend begins helps you navigate it with purpose and ease.

Here are a few questions to ask yourself as you plan your weekend:

What is my energy level coming into the weekend? If you’re feeling burned out from a demanding workweek, your intention might be to rest and recharge. If you're feeling energized, you might prioritize a productive weekend or a fun family outing.
What do I need to accomplish? If there’s something that’s been on your to-do list for weeks—whether it’s decluttering, prepping meals, or submitting paperwork—factor that in. But don’t over-schedule yourself to the point of burnout.
What kind of family time do I want to have? Do you want a low-key weekend with just a little family bonding time, or do you want to get out and do something special together? Let the weekend vibe guide your planning.

By taking a moment to check in with yourself, you’ll feel more in control of your weekend and ensure that it aligns with your needs.

Block Planning Your Weekend

One of the most effective methods I use in my coaching program is block planning. This strategy helps you organize your weekend in a way that feels relaxed but still structured. It’s a simple system that divides the weekend into blocks of time—morning, afternoon, and evening—and lets you decide what goes into each block. This method gives you the flexibility you crave, but also allows for a more intentional use of time.

Here’s how to use block planning:

Divide your weekend into blocks: Create a simple grid with three blocks for Saturday (morning, afternoon, evening) and three for Sunday. This gives you six time blocks to work with.
Decide what goes into each block: Fill in each block with a mix of activities—family time, chores, rest, fun, or personal time. Keep it realistic. The goal is not to overstuff each block but to leave room for relaxation and spontaneity.
Prioritize fun: Here’s the big secret I teach to my clients: Do the fun stuff first. Often, we tell ourselves we’ll relax after the chores are done, but then the chores take longer than expected, and we run out of time to relax. Put the fun or restful activities early in the day or early in the weekend, and you’ll be surprised how everything else falls into place.
Leave some empty space: Not every block needs to be filled with activity. In fact, leaving some space in between can allow for those moments of spontaneity—whether it’s a last-minute walk with your kids or some downtime for yourself.
Adjust as needed: Remember that weekends don’t have to be perfectly planned. Life happens! Kids get tired, things take longer than expected, and sometimes you need more downtime than planned. That’s okay. The idea is to create space for your priorities without overloading yourself.

Managing Family Expectations

If you share your weekends with a partner or kids, take a moment to check in with them. What do they want to do this weekend? Whether it’s a small family game, a trip to the park, or something else, it’s helpful to make sure everyone’s expectations are aligned.

For partners: Discuss what you each need from the weekend—whether it’s time for yourself, a shared project, or time alone. This can prevent resentment or frustration later in the weekend.
For kids: As they get older, ask them what they’d like to do. Often, they’ll suggest simple things, like a family movie or a bike ride, which helps create a positive vibe for everyone.

Balancing Rest and Productivity

The weekend is your opportunity to reset, but that doesn’t mean you have to choose between rest and productivity. A balance of both is possible. For example, you can enjoy a restful Saturday morning with a good book and then spend the afternoon organizing a closet or tackling some long-overdue tasks.

In my own experience, I’ve found that taking the time to plan my weekends—whether it’s planning rest, fun, or productivity—has allowed me to feel more accomplished and satisfied come Sunday night. Whether it’s reading a book, spending time with my family, or getting some chores done, the key is being intentional about what I want to achieve.

Final Thoughts: The Power of Intentional Weekends

Weekends don’t have to be a chaotic rush or an endless cycle of rest without purpose. By taking a moment to decide your weekend intentions—what you need and what will leave you feeling satisfied—you can create weekends that work for you.

Weekend planning isn’t about rigid scheduling or micromanaging every minute; it’s about being intentional and creating the balance that works for your family and your life. By setting clear intentions, communicating with those around you, and being flexible enough to let things flow, you can make the most out of your precious days off.

So, as you look ahead to your next weekend, ask yourself: What do I want from these two days? What will make me feel fulfilled on Sunday night?

Remember, you deserve to feel rested, connected, and accomplished. It’s all about being intentional with your time.