Weekend Recovery – In Reality

Sometimes, recovery doesn’t mean doing nothing. For me, a “recovery weekend” often includes folding laundry, getting groceries, reorganizing my space, or catching up on small tasks that have been sitting on my to-do list for weeks. It’s about clearing the mental clutter that’s been adding onto the burnout, or adding up because of it. Some weekends are about soft mornings with coffee and comfort shows; others are about resetting systems that help me feel more grounded when Monday rolls around. Both can be recovery.

Unfortunately, for many professionals, a whole weekend of binging Netflix just isn’t realistic. Life doesn’t pause because we’re running on empty. Laundry still piles up, bills still need to be paid, and someone has to restock the fridge. The challenge is learning how to recover while managing the ongoing responsibilities of adulthood. True balance comes from including small, intentional moments of rest into the reality of a full life. Maybe that means listening to your favorite podcast while cleaning, cooking something comforting or ordering in, or giving yourself permission to leave one or two things undone. Find my list of other small self-care tasks you can fit into any jam packed day here. Recovery isn’t about escaping your life, it’s about moving through it more gently.

One thing that’s changed the game for me is finding ways to simplify the mundane. If there are tasks that constantly drain you or the list is simply too long, see what can be outsourced or streamlined. Maybe that’s a laundry service, a maid once a month, grocery delivery, hiring a gardener, or even posting your donation bin on a community page for someone to pick up instead of driving it across town yourself. Yes, most of these things cost money but sometimes, peace is worth paying for, even if it’s just taking one small thing off your plate. If that’s not in the budget, get creative with your support system. Trade “services” with a friend, host a movie night while you both fold laundry, or swap skills: maybe they’re great at organizing and you can help them tackle their recycling pile. Sometimes doing a friends chores is less daunting than your own, so trading can help you both get it done while also giving you time with others to laugh, connect, and unwind.

When work demands all your focus or energy, life can start to blur around the edges, relationships, rest, and self-care quietly and quickly fall off the list. I’ve learned that balance isn’t about equal time; it’s about awareness. Knowing when to push and when to pause. When I’ve had a week that drains everything from me, I’ve stopped expecting myself to “bounce back” in one day. A recovery weekend helps me refill what stress slowly empties out, a mix of doing and being, of care and catch-up.

And sometimes, recovery means letting your support system step in. Whether that’s a friend who listens without judgment, a partner who helps lighten your load (shoutout to my man for tackling my laundry when he knows I am stressed), or family who simply reminds you to breathe. It’s okay to ask for help. There’s real relief in letting someone hold space for you when you’ve hit a breaking point. That moment of support can feel like exhaling after holding your breath for too long.

If you’re stretched thin between work, life, and the pressure to keep up, take all the recovery weekends you need on your own terms. Let it be imperfect. Let it fit your real life.

If this resonates with you, share it with someone who needs the reminder that balance and recovery aren’t luxuries and unattainable, they’re essentials and able to be fit into everyday life so long as you are intentional. And for more reflections on burnout, balance, and being intentional in high-stress seasons, come find me on Instagram @s.idneylauren.