Fri-yay: Things to do on a Friday to transition into a joy-filled, perfect weekend

The no-plans weekend of dreams, here we come.

What are weekends for if not to leave you feeling energised, nourished and refreshed come Monday morning? That is literally the whole point.

I have always loved weekends, and long before romanticising your anything was a thing we did, I sort of did it with my weekends. In fact, I will argue that it is one of the things I do best - plan the perfect weekends. Weekends spent resting, slowing down, moving my body and preparing myself for the weekend ahead.

In other words, weekends you spend your whole week waiting for.

And yeah, sure, it can be tempting and sometimes even necessary to spend your weekends running errands and catching up on chores (hello, never-ending laundry when you have kids!). But hear me out—I will argue that we should try to keep these types of weekends to a minimum and instead try to get the chores out of the way during the week. And yes, with a little planning, that is actually possible.

Because if not, we all know that feeling of how one minute it is Friday night and before you know it, the Sunday scaries are in full force and you find yourself neither relaxed nor accomplished. Sounds familiar? Well, there is another way - and it might just all come down to how you spend your Fridays.

Yep, Fridays are your secret weapon to having the perfect weekend, which is why I argue it is an artform how to spend this day right so that you reap the benefits come Saturday and Sunday.

Ready to make the most of your Friday? Here is how:

1. Wrap up your week

As a writer/yoga teacher, I work mostly from home (which means my dining table) or, let’s be honest, my local coffee shop. I do go into the office here and there, but rarely on a Friday, and so what this means, is that I don’t get to have that office feeling of Friday at 5PM, when you get to slam your laptop shut and the weekend officially starts.

And so to make sure I get that weekend feeling creeping up on me on a Friday, I have made it my ritual every Friday afternoon to wrap things up by 4PM at the latest and slip into an off-duty mindset. Work? Don’t know her. Weekend, we are coming for you.

I have also made the conscious decision to be really mindful how I spend those first few moments of weekend time. And look, I get it. Come 5PM on a Friday, we are all wiped, and it is all too easy to grab our phones and scroll a few TikToks or Insta reels just to decompress.

But the thing is, before you know, an hour has gone by and you’re no more relaxed than when you started. And so instead of reaching for my phone, I do any one of these other ideas to actually recharge, accomplish something on my to-do list, and really lean into the weekend.

2. Do a quick brain-dump of your to-dos for next week

This might be my best hack for a far more relaxed and zero anxiety weekend. Every Friday afternoon, before I totally switch into weekend mode, I do a quick brain dump of all the things I need to make sure I get done next week, ideally organised by order of urgency or importance.

This could be things I have left over on my do-do list from this current week, or stuff I know will arise next week, it literally all gets written down on a fresh note in my Notes app.

The trick is to write down anything and everything while it’s fresh on your mind, and don’t think about it again until Sunday evening or, even better, Monday morning. Now that you’ve outlined what needs to get done next week, you don’t need to fret about it all weekend.

3. Do one of your weekend chores

I think we can all agree that there is nothing like waking up on Saturday only to find your place is a total disaster and all the chores you put off during the week are waiting to be tackled over the weekend.

Sigh - there is nothing ‘weekend vibe'-y’ about that. Instead, it is daunting, not relaxing, and a total buzzkill.

And so what I have started doing, is to try to complete a chore or two on my Friday afternoons, to free up the rest of our weekend. I always change the bedsheets and put on that was, but as well as that, picking up bits around the house or folding laundry on Friday afternoon doesn’t sound so bad when you’re listening to a fun playlist, watching a show and/or sipping a cocktail/mocktail, now does it?

4. Stock up on your favourite things

Also one of my very favourite Friday things to do. And I have now made it a bit of a tradition with my kids. Come Friday afternoon, once I have shut my laptop, we all pile into the car and head for this adorable little deli store not too far from us (Avoca, you have my heart!)

It is a slightly upmarket shop, filled to the brim with gorgeous homeware, candles, cookbooks, bits and bobs - and totally delectable foods. I am talking juicy olives and yummy salads and sourdough breads and baguettes and a vegetable section that makes you feel like you are at a veg market in southern Europe somewhere.

The point is: This is not your normal grocery run. This is not the trip you do to your local supermarket to get washing powder and frozen peas and Oatly Barista for your morning coffee. No, this deli run is far more of a treat.

You know that feeling when you spot fun new snacks or unique brands during your usual food shop but tell yourself to stick to the essentials? Have a day where your curiosity and indulgent wants win! Take your time to browse and discover special treats, whether it’s truffle chips, spicy red pepper hummus and crackers, or sparkling drinks like elderflower kombucha or San Pellegrino sparkling water.

The kids and I have made this deli run even more fun by giving ourselves little challenges like picking a few new ingredients we’ve never tried or want to try, and turn them into a dish, snack board, or even dessert. In other words, a little master chef moment just for us!

The whole point of this Friday night deli run is that this simple ritual transforms what is normally an ordinary errand into something more - an act of self-care, even. And I love how it lets me embrace some creativity while indulging in the finer things and bring a little excitement to the start of my weekend.

5. Set the mood

Now, deli run done, it brings me to the next item on my Friday to-do list: Set the scene.

I am a firm believer in that Fridays should feel extra special - you have made it through the work week, no reap the rewards. I always strip all the beds in our house on a Friday morning, and come Friday evening, put new sheets on every bed - complete with a few drops of essential oil like peppermint of eucalyptus (you could do lavender too, of course, I am just not a huge fan).

When setting the scene for Friday, I like to think of it this way: Imagine a friend is coming into town and staying with you for the night (yay!). What are the special stops you’d pull out for her? Do those nice things for YOU!

In other words, light some candles, put on a fun playlist, bust out the fancy wine glasses, etc. Treat yourself like you would your best friend and pull out all those special touches for you to ring in the weekend in style! It’s Friday after all, and that’s more than enough reason to celebrate!

Aside from the fresh sheets, I often pick up some fresh flowers for Friday too - it just makes the whole house seem more elevated. And I light candles, even the lanters I keep outside my font door,. And I heat some towels on the radiator for our Friday shower (or bath, in the case of my kids). In fact, I try to turn the entire house into a sanctuary of calm, thinking of this as hitting the reset button for the week.

I also try to make Fridays the evening to prioritise the best sleep I’ve had all week. Hence the fresh sheets. I also dim the lights, pour myself a calming drink, like a magnesium mocktail or some peppermint tea. Trust me - a night like this hopefully leaves you waking up refreshed and ready for whatever you have planned next this weekend.

The truth is - weekends don’t always need grand plans or elaborate outings. Sometimes, it’s the smallest rituals you’ve made your own that make your downtime feel fulfilling. I firmly believe that a routine without feeling routine, these little traditions bring just the right balance of comfort and joy to even the most uneventful days - like a regular Friday.

But by setting up your Friday right, these moments become anchors in my weekend, reminding us to slow down, and adding purpose to rest and recharge. And if that is not the perfect way to celebrate it being the weekend, then what is?

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