Listen to the Pgh Dreamer’s Pod: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/meghan-greenwood/episodes/Help–Im-a-Weekend-Overdoer-e2cfgt0

Hello, my name is Meghan, and I am a weekend overdoer. I consistently spend my weekdays focused on W-2 work and the kids’ schoolwork and end up leaving everything else to the weekend. Case in point, in an 8-hour span on a recent Sunday, I went grocery shopping, cleaned, did 2 loads of laundry (folded & put away), loaded & emptied the dishwasher, made 2 meals, baked cookies, completed a holiday craft with the kids, and taught a 30-minute stretching class. And this all happened after I gleefully told a friend, ‘I don’t have anything to do tomorrow!’

Why do I do this to myself? Instead of finding any recharge in a weekend day, I end up walking into Monday with even more exhaustion. I could just as easily have sat on the couch all Sunday, but then the guilt and pile up of all things domestic would have been even more crushing.

A simpler approach would be to pace myself. Do a little each day or night so that come Sunday, I’m not scrambling to make it all happen. Plus, leaving more open time on the weekends allows for adding scheduled events and retaining some spontaneity. I actually mark my calendar with a little dot when there is open time!

For example, I can do laundry on Wednesdays, clean on Saturdays, and leave cooking to Sundays. Or make Monday my shopping day with all things kids on Thursdays. No matter which way it’s sliced, it would be better than overexerting to the point of bitterness.

Weekends are sacred. I have the privilege of working Monday thru Friday so those 2 days off are really needed for my mental and physical well-being. And, just like the kids, I really look forward to ‘nothing’ days too much to bog them down with chores.