Here is a question for you. Do your weekends look like: A) two days of deep relaxation in order to recover from a busy week, B) two days of drifting through so aimlessly you reach Monday feeling as though you have blinked and neither rested nor done anything of note, or C) two days which are crammed full of plans, chores and obligations?
If common sense were to prevail, all of us would answer A. But more often than not, we find ourselves at the other end of the scale – and feeling much worse off for it.
“We live in a culture that treats rest as something you have to earn,” says psychotherapist and bestselling author Anna Mathur. “So while many of us need weekends to downregulate, we instead find ourselves turning them into a self-improvement project or a way of performing productivity in a different outfit.”
As such, so many of us would benefit from more weekends staying home and doing (almost) nothing. “It allows the nervous system to recover,” she says. “A weekend at home, free of jam-packed plans out and about, is not wasted time. In fact, it’s often what restores emotional capacity, gives us psychological space, and leaves us with more energy.”
Still, for us Bs and Cs, it can be easier said than done. Which is why we have asked a range of experts how – exactly – to reach Monday feeling both rested and revitalised…
Do
Clear the decks
“A stressful week can cause a swirl of issues in our minds, which stops us from switching off over the weekend. So, use the end of the day on a Friday productively by clearing the decks: close off as many loose ends as possible and do an ‘action-list’ for Monday morning. The cycle of stress can be hard to put down, but doing this requires a level of consciousness and flags to our brains that we are preparing to switch off.”
Louisa Welby-Everard, executive coach and founder of coaching company Stellium
Create a transition ritual
“Mark the end of your working week with a deliberate ritual that signals it is time to unwind. This could be lighting a candle, changing into comfortable clothes, or playing a favourite playlist. The key is consistency – your brain will learn to associate this activity with relaxation. This boundary between work and weekend helps you mentally detach from professional pressures.”
Ela Senghera, life coach and Life Coach directory member
Create a transition routine (Photo: Tom Werner/Digital Vision/Getty)Identify what the week has taken from you
“A good weekend often begins with a simple but overlooked question: ‘what has been missing for me this week?’ Psychologically, nourishment doesn’t come from adding more activity, but from restoring what’s been neglected. It’s a bit like being thirsty and continuing to eat, no matter how much you consume, it won’t nourish what you are actually craving. What we need from the weekend is deeply personal. There’s no universal shape to rest, and you don’t need a ‘good enough’ reason to choose what you need. This is about tuning into yourself; listening to the absence and allowing the weekend to respond to it.”
Nino Sopromadze, psychotherapist
Allow a slow start
“Give yourself at least one morning where you don’t set an alarm and allow your body to wake gently. Instead of rushing out of bed, simply take a few breaths and wiggle your toes for a few moments. This practice engages your parasympathetic nervous system (the ‘rest and digest’ state). When we constantly override our body’s natural rhythms with alarms and rushing in the week, we activate our sympathetic nervous system (‘fight or flight’ state) before we’re even out of bed. Starting the day with gentle body awareness, rather than immediate action, can help set a calmer tone for the day ahead.”
Daniella Doon Joseph, cognitive behavioural therapist at Therapy with Daniella
Carve out a ‘no shoulds’ window
“After being in survival mode (the default for many people mid-week), I recommend prioritising a ‘no shoulds’ window over the weekend: carving out at least 30 minutes where nothing is done out of obligation. No productivity, no self-improvement, nothing from your to-do list – whether that is errands, life admin, podcasts, scrolling… nothing you think you should enjoy. It is protected time with no agenda – just for you to ‘be’. This is the perfect antidote to the week, and how you come out of the weekend feeling genuinely rested.”
Grace Williams, health and nutrition coach, founder of The Rhythm Code programme
A cosy sanctuary can help you relax (Photo: hobo_018//E+/Getty)Create a cosy sanctuary
“Make it a pyjama day. Snuggle down on the sofa with blankets, hot chocolate, and a feel-good movie. This creates a space where you feel protected and anchored – sending direct signals to your nervous system that you’re in a safe environment, allowing your body to drop into a relaxed state where your shoulders drop away from your ears and you can breathe more easily.”
Daniella Doon Joseph
Swap FOMO for JOMO
“We can order the food, stream the films and make sure we have our comfiest PJs ready, but if we’re constantly worrying about what others are doing, we aren’t really going to get the benefit of a cosy weekend at home. A lot of my clients worry that they aren’t doing enough or that others are having a better time. The FOMO – Fear of Missing Out – is real. To ensure that it doesn’t get in the way of the peaceful weekend we want, we need to release ourselves from these pressures. So, turn off social media, focus on your desire to slow down and embrace JOMO: the Joy of Missing Out.”
Hannah Jackson-McCamley, therapist and Counselling Directory member
Follow pleasure
“One way to approach it is to think of the weekend as a gift to yourself — a chance to pause, praise yourself, and indulge in little joys. Maybe it is watching your favourite show in bed, curling up with a good book, soaking in a bath with colourful, scented salts, or listening to music for hours. When your mind feels nourished, your energy will naturally rise, and you will feel recharged and ready for the week ahead.”
Yuko Nippoda, psychotherapist and spokesperson for the UK Council for Psychotherapy
What is pleasure for you? (Photo: Kathrin Ziegler/Digital Vision/Getty)Connect – without emptying your cup
“Weekends often swing between isolation and over-committing. There’s a middle path – send two voice notes, call one person for 15 minutes with a clear start and stop, get a friend on FaceTime while you both cook. This way, you get warmth without the drain of a full outing, meeting an attachment need without flipping stress circuits on through obligation. If you tend to people-please, make sure to set expectations early, such as ‘I’ve got 10 minutes, would love a quick catch-up’.”
Dr Nick Prior, NHS psychiatrist and clinical lead at therapy app MindBay
Move your body gently
“Are you treating weekend exercise like penance for the week? Weekend movement should feel nourishing, not like punishment for what you ate or didn’t do during the week. Swap intense workouts for gentle yoga, a leisurely walk, or dancing in your kitchen. The goal is to reconnect with your body and release accumulated tension, not to optimise or compensate. Pay attention to what feels good – stretching tight shoulders or simply standing up regularly. This intuitive approach helps you arrive on Monday feeling energised rather than depleted from overexertion.”
Ela Senghera
Embrace leisurely meals
“When did cooking become just another chore to rush through? Nourishment isn’t just about nutrition – it’s about pleasure and care. Choose one meal over the weekend to prepare with intention, whether it’s a slow Sunday breakfast, a batch of your favourite soup, or a recipe you’ve been wanting to try. This isn’t about Instagram-worthy presentation or dietary perfection. The act of cooking can be meditative, and sharing it with others over a long, leisurely meal is an ideal stay-at-home weekend activity.”
Ela Senghera
What is your perfect Sunday evening routine (Photo: Halfpoint Images/Moment RF/Getty)Perfect your Sunday evening routine
“How you end your weekend determines how you start your week. Tidy one surface, lay out Monday clothes, or prepare one easy breakfast. Keep it minimal – this isn’t about getting ahead, but creating ease. Then consciously close the weekend: reflect on one thing you enjoyed, one way you rested, and one thing you’re looking forward to. This ritual helps you transition into the week feeling accomplished and calm.”
Ela Senghera
Don’t
Overcommit
“Many people enter the weekend with long lists of social plans, errands and self-improvement goals, and wonder why they end up just as depleted by Sunday night as they were on Friday. Over-optimising our time keeps the body in the same performance mode that contributes to burnout in the first place. It’s okay to keep plans minimal, decline invitations, or choose quieter activities without offering a big explanation.”
Rebecca Vivash, psychotherapist
Get caught up in mindless distractions
“Avoiding mindless distraction is crucial for a nourishing weekend at home. This includes doomscrolling, long hours of TV or anything that removes you from awareness. It may feel good in the moment, but you will either feel nothing or worse after.”
Fran Roberts, psychotherapist and Counseling Directory member
Don’t be distracted (Photo: Maria Korneeva/Moment RF/Getty)Borrow someone else’s idea of a good weekend
“Many people feel exhausted after their weekends, not because they did too much, but because they lived someone else’s template. When we try to replicate a curated version of rest that isn’t aligned with our true wants and needs, the enjoyment turns into effort. Psychologically, this creates performance anxiety: pressure to enjoy yourself in the ‘right’ way. From a therapeutic perspective, a nourishing weekend involves reclaiming ownership. It’s less about what looks balanced or impressive, and more about what actually feels enriching for you right now.”
Nino Sopromadze
Get bogged down with chores
“As a child, I used to dread the sound of the vacuum cleaner on a Sunday morning. The tense energy that ‘jobs had to be done’ made my stomach ache and I still hate the idea that the weekend is for chores. That doesn’t mean that things don’t get done in my home over the weekend, but I like to spread the load through the week so my domestic to-do list is light. If this isn’t possible, then time block for chores and work out the most efficient way to get them done as soon as possible, early in the weekend. This gives you the space to really do what you want to do rather than having them hanging over you.”
Hannah Jackson-McCamley
Over-involve in children’s lives
“We are often too involved as parents. Everything now feels like it needs managing, fixing or optimising. But when adults intervene in everything, children lose chances to learn resilience, and parents lose space to rest. So hang back, and pause when something is asked of you. Choose not to always be a solution to your child’s boredom or the answer to their question, but give them a moment, where appropriate, to figure it out for themselves – and to build confidence and autonomy.”
Anna Mathur
Feel as though it’s a waste
“There’s immense pressure to make weekends social or adventurous. Reject this narrative. Staying home is a completely valid choice, not a failure or waste. You don’t need to justify rest or explain why you’re not hiking, brunching, or exploring. Your weekend serves one person: you. If what you need is to potter around in pyjamas, watch films, and do very little, that’s exactly what you should do. Come Monday, you will be glad that you did.”
Ela Senghera
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