Weekend Habits of People Who Always Seem to Have Their Life Together

There are some friends of mine who just seem to have it all together. They’re involved in interesting projects, pursuing their curiosities, and thriving in their relationships. In fact, many of them also have young kids, and it seems like they’ve somehow figured out how to squeeze more out of life without being busier or more stressed.

Instead of just observing, I took some time to ask these people what they’re really doing differently. What habits do they practice that the rest of us don’t? After some good conversations, I noticed that many of these habits overlap. The best seem to revolve around how they spend their weekends.

For example, I learned that remarkably few people plan out their weekends, most just let the weekend unfold. And yet, it consistently came up from my high-performing friends that they use the weekend to make room for areas of life that would otherwise get squeezed out. I’ll bet you could be doing the same thing. With a few intentional changes to your routine, you could really make the most of these precious few days, and feel like your life is more together than it’s ever been.

They don’t leave the weekend completely unplanned

Most of us are diligent about planning our work weeks and making sure the family has transportation to and from activities. But when it comes to our weekend plans, we mostly just let it unfold. And for some, maybe that’s the best way to spend the weekend— going wherever the wind blows.

But what I learned from my friends who have their lives together, is that they do some planning ahead and leave some room for spontaneity. They make sure the priorities of their life are given space, but they leave the edges unruly. Otherwise, the urgent would too often replace the important. You’ll have to decide for yourself what that balance looks like.

They use their morning routine as a springboard

Once a habit is broken, it’s hard to get it started again. Have you noticed that? Every time I’ve let a habit slide, it’s because I know a break is coming— maybe it’s a vacation, or an unusually busy season at work. While my good friends, who have their lives together and make the most of each day, don’t let themselves slip into that mindset.

For example, they continue waking up early and practicing their morning routine on the weekend. If you let yourself sleep in and forgo the routine you’ve worked so hard to establish, it doesn’t take long for that habit to weaken. The best way to keep a habit is to never stop practicing it.

They invest in deep and meaningful relationships

Maybe because I have young kids, I hear a lot of parents talking about investing in their kids and a lot of husbands talking about investing in their marriage, but not as much about friendship. But, when I sit down to talk with friends who have their lives together, they are more likely than anyone to have a close-knit group of friends, which they are equally proud of. This is no coincidence, as close friendships don’t happen by accident. They require regular investments of time and a willingness to be vulnerable with one another.

They keep up with household chores so they don’t fall behind

As I become an adult, I’ve gotten more organized with my YouTube subscriptions, Spotify playlists, photo album, and, of course, the rooms of my house. But there’s one area I was never able to tame— paperwork. There are few things I despise as much as opening a bill or piece of mail that I know has some kind of task attached. My wife and I have worked really hard in this area, and we’ve made great progress in the past few years. The secret: staying on top of our household chores so that our minds are clear and we’re able to focus on other things.

They prioritize physical activity as a source of energy and pleasure

I realize this isn’t a revolutionary insight, but I have to be honest that across the board my friends who have their lives together are all fit and active people. It shouldn’t be surprising that taking care of your physical body would improve your state of mind and make you more productive in every other area of your life. But it’s worth mentioning because many of us don’t prioritize exercise, and if we do, we don’t see instant feedback, and so we get discouraged. This is an area of your life to trust the process and know that the inputs will eventually lead to the outputs you’re hoping for.

They take care of their bodies and eat nutritious meals

Similar to prioritizing physical activity, each of my thriving friends are also careful about what they put in their bodies. None of them are extreme or dogmatic about what they eat. They simply avoid junk food and highly-processed foods and eat reasonable portion sizes.

They make time for extended rest and recovery

I’ve never subscribed to the idea that you can just jam your life full of commitments and be happy. You can’t hide your stress and burnout for long, and I’ve seen it many times ending up straining good relationships. There’s no way around it, for the vast majority of us, we need to build time into our weekends to replenish our souls and re-energize ourselves for the coming week.

They pursue hobbies that add joy and satisfaction to their life

If you want to live a full life and have your life together, you’ll need to make room for more than just taking care of your responsibilities and investing in your relationships. To be happy and healthy, you’ll need to do things just for the pleasure of it. People are naturally curious and desire to be creative, which is why it’s so good to have a hobby that you’re interested in. The happier you are, the better friend and family member you’ll be to those you love most.

They reflect on their goals and set new ones as necessary

Regularly reaching my goals and then setting new ones is one of the things I enjoy most in life. I know that not everyone is this way— it’s one of my blessings and curse. My friends who have their lives together and are thriving at what they do, are not unlike me in this way. They are voracious planners who are always one or two steps ahead of everyone else. When you’re awake for more than 90,000 hours over the course of your life, why would you let any weekend go to waste?