How to Make the Most of your Weeknights

There’s something so freeing, and equally dreadful, about weekday evenings. I so look forward to the time of night where Conner is tucked away in his room and I have a moment alone to decompress after a day of emails, rude requests, and housework. But as I lounge with my ritualistic glass of wine, idly watching Bravo, a foreboding feeling takes over. It’s getting later and later, and guess what? I need to be well-dressed (not just dressed), and ready for work in the office tomorrow by eight. Yes, by eight. Geez. 

Let’s be clear- I love my job, my freelance work, and of course my family- but it’s tiring! Any woman with a crisply pressed shirt and high heels claiming that juggling work, family, and home is easy is a complete fraud. It’s a ruse. She’s got a nanny.

In the last several years, I’ve learned how to make the most of my weekday evenings, and use them to successfully propel me through the week into the weekend. Experience has been the best teacher for me, but also a host of other real working women I’ve been lucky enough to leach valuable information and tips out of.  Real women with stressful jobs, messy boyfriends, and loud children. 

Prioritize

Prioritizing is something I’ve learned to perfect over the years. In college, I prioritized dates with the cutest, most exciting boys over the duller ones. As I began my professional career, I prioritized my highest paying jobs over the lesser paying freelance ones. Same thing applies in my newish, adult life. What really needs to be done tonight to make tomorrow a success? For me, that’s cooking dinner so there’s leftovers for everyone’s lunch the next day and doing a load of laundry to keep the weekend laundry monster at bay. Of course, there are other things you’d like to get to. But on a weeknight, streamline your list.

Prepare

Preparing for your next day the night before makes a world of difference! Make lunches, lay out outfits, prep breakfast. It’ll go quickly the night before, and you’ll rest that much better knowing that you’ve got a smooth morning ahead.

Be Selfish

So this one is personal to me. My two year old has a strict bedtime of 7:30, not only because he needs the rest, but because I need it too. I have friends whose children are up until ten and eleven at night. Nope. Kiss those babies, read a story, have a bath, and put them to bed. You’ll thank me later. Cherish your sanity. Same with boyfriends, husbands. They deserve some attention. After you give it to them, retire for the night. #offduty

Live a Little

Weekends have overwhelmingly earned the badge of fun. Cheers to the freakin’ weekend, right? Well how about cheers to Wednesday nights? The best television comes on during the week. Get everything out the way as efficiently as you can, and make time to watch some tragically hilarious reality TV, read a chapter, work out, whatever. Try to include a glass of wine. A stiff drink if your work day warranted it.

Love,

Ryan

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