Want a productive three day weekend?

Don’t you just love three day weekends? They’re like an oasis in the middle of your busy life. But have you ever stopped to ask why we love Labor day so much? It’s because we finally get a chance from our 9-5 to just breathe. Of course, instead of just relaxing, we inevitably try to fill in every single moment with something else from our to do list.  

I found myself trying to accomplish all of the things I normally don’t have time for in a normal work week. I mean it’s a FREE Monday! But quickly I found myself panicking when I realized that there’s no way I could actually get all of those things accomplished. And then, on top of that, my family was wanting to gather for a cookout.  Didn’t they know that I had this free day and needed to do a million things??? I found myself trying to figure out how I could avoid going to the cookout and wasting all of that “free” time.

That’s when it hit me. I was losing sight of what is really important. Sure, I need to do all of this stuff, but it isn’t going to happen today and me stressing over it isn’t making it happen any faster.

If you’re anything like me, then you need some tips to keep yourself grounded when you are faced with too much free time.

Here are my three big tips to help you stay calm, be productive, and enjoy your family this holiday weekend.

Prioritize Your To-Dos

This one is a big one. Like most working moms, you probably have a million things on your to do list. If you’re trying to do a side hustle or start your own business, then your list is even longer.  And honestly, most of those things are optional and get pushed off until we have the elusive “free time”. That is why it is SO tempting to try to tackle that to do list on a three day weekend. We need to use that extra day for some good, productive work!

But reality is that you will just be super stressed out because you can’t get it ALL done in one day.  You can definitely still take advantage though.

Write down 1 big task that you would like to accomplish this holiday weekend. Maybe it’s to clean out that hall closet that’s been nagging you. Or maybe it’s to research what your side hustle should be (Check out How I made $500 with this side hustle).

Now that you’ve picked your task, put all you have into it. Having only one thing to focus on really allows you to be super productive because you’re intentional with your time. Even though you only completed one task, that task was BIG so you’re going to feel more accomplished and have a huge sense of relief.  Having a clutter free hall closet may seem small, but knowing that it’s taken care of can just take a huge weight off of your shoulders.

Set aside some “me” time.

This is so important. It’s tempting to fill up your long weekend with running errands and doing everything defined as “productive” but sometimes we forget that treating ourselves is just as important. Take this chance to focus on your mental health to get yourself really refreshed for the upcoming work week.


Choose one thing that you can do that you normally don’t (or won’t) take the time for and do that. This doesn’t have to take a long time. It could be something as simple as sitting outside on the porch and allowing yourself to get lost in a good book for an hour. Or going shopping without the kids or hubby to rush you along. Trust me. You’ll be surprised at how rejuvenated you will feel even after an hour of self-pampering.

Enjoy time with your family.

Labor Day weekend marks the end of the summer season as we know it. I know it’s not really the end of summer, but the kids are back in school and everything sort of shifts in focus. So don’t let all of your anxiety about what you coulda shoulda got done get in the way of really taking this chance to enjoy your family.

Play with kids at the park. Go fishing with them at the lake. Have a picnic in the back yard. We often get caught up in being productive all of the time that we can lose sight of what’s really important. Our family. Relationships. A three day weekend is the perfect time to build some memories with your family.  

It is easy to be physically present but mentally be checked out because you are stressing over all of the things you aren’t able to do while you are at the park. Don’t fall into that trap. Give yourself permission to have fun. Be present and engage with your kids.

I hope you are able to put these three tips into practice this weekend.

Enjoy it and be intentional so that you can truly enjoy life.