Let’s face it: Weekday burnout is so real. Between getting out the door for your morning run, keeping your social and love life in balance, trying your best at work, and feeding yourself healthy meals, the daily grind can begin to wear on you (and that’s risking understatement). Fortunately, there is a way to manage your burnout so you don’t crash and burn by week’s end. It’s all about saving time where you can, and spending time where it actually matters. These simple tips will help you do just that, so you make it to Friday without crashing—and manage to have some fun along the way.
1. Plan your meals for the week. Yes, the whole week.
You probably already know that meal prepping is one of the best ways to keep your health, and your wallet, in check. But what you may not know is that how you approach this “meal prep” situation is key. Assuming you probably don’t want to eat the same meal four nights in a row—although if you do, you do you—the best way to go about cooking in advance is to make flexible essentials that you can simply mix-and-match throughout your days.
For starters, try whipping up a batch of whole grains like brown rice and farro, and green leafies like kale, Swiss chard, and spinach. Next, try roasting a big sheet tray of root veggies—we’re talking sweet potatoes, squash, brussels sprouts, you name it. If you want to experiment with overnight oats, we certainly wouldn’t stop you there. It’s also a good idea to keep your pantry stocked with staples like canned chickpeas, black beans, and whole wheat pasta. Once you have these essentials down pat, you’ll find that it’s easier than ever to assemble all sorts of dishes throughout your days.
So, how do you actually create meals out of this hodge podge of prepped items? It’s all about mixing and matching. Lunch, for example, can be any of your prepped basics in whatever combo you’re craving, plus a simple sauce or salad dressing. Add nut butter, tahini, or puréed avocado for a bit of healthy fats, and sprinkle on nuts or seeds for extra protein and crunch.
For dinner, try whipping up a big salad or bowl with the grains and greens. Supplement your meal with a quick-cooking protein, like fish or boneless chicken thighs, that can be seared or broiled for a healthy main in minutes. And the ultimate beverage pairing? A low-calorie, low-carb beer that lets you kick back without getting off track. Keep a couple bottles of 95-calorie, 2.6 carb, and 4.2% ABV Michelob ULTRA in the fridge so you can bust them out whenever you’re feeling the urge for a mid-week treat—but don’t want to stray from your healthy-eating plan. (And be sure to check out these tips if you want even more meal prep ideas—because we only touched on the tip of the iceberg.)
2. Treat yourself to a time-saving service to invest in your mental health.
You know that Internet-famous saying “You have as many hours in a day as Beyoncé?” Well, we love you, Bey, but let’s face it: That catch phrase is just wrong. She has all sorts of help, while you may or may not—which means it can feel especially draining to try to put in extra time at work, make a home-cooked meal, hit the treadmill, and meet your friends for happy hour after your workout.
That’s why springing for a time-saving service—like a cleaning service or having your groceries delivered—could be a smart investment in your mental health. Just ask Tracy Mann, a registered dietitian and wellness coach in Colorado. When she was pregnant with her fourth kid, she paid for a cleaning service—and says it was a total game changer. “It saved me time that I would have spent cleaning, but it also saved me the stress of worrying about it.” Of course, if you don’t think you can afford a service, it’s not a necessity. But you may want to try cutting back in other areas—you could end up surprised at how much you can make your budget work for you.
The most important part of treating yourself to a time-saving service, though, is how you spend the time saved not scrubbing your sink. Go with whatever recharges you, like a casual bike ride or hike with friends, a Netflix sesh, or just some extra z’s.
3. Try this five-minute do-anywhere yoga routine for when you’re feeling frazzled.
Even if you’re not a regular downward dogger, a little midday yoga can help you relax and release stress at work—and a growing body of research has shown how it can help you be more productive once you’re back at your desk (or wherever you are). So when you feel yourself tensing your shoulders or clenching your jaw, step back, take a few cleansing breaths, and try this no-mat-needed routine from Ame Wren, the director of The Boston Yoga School.
- 1st Pose: Upward Bound Knuckles
From a standing or seated posture, interlace all of your fingers. Turn your palms out like you were pushing into a wall and then raise your arms overhead and press the heels of your hands upward. Stay for a few breaths, then alternate the interlace and repeat.
- 2nd Pose: Downward Dog at the Wall
Walk up to a wall that has some space in front of it (no furniture nearby) and place your hands on the wall at hip height. Turn your fingers out a little bit and step your feet back until your body is an L shape. Push into the wall and down into your feet and lengthen your spine. Stay for a minute.
- 3rd Pose: Downhill Skier
Stand with your feet together and your arms by your side. Bend your knees like you were about to sit in a chair and shift weight into your heels. Reach your arms slightly behind your body and straighten them actively. Draw your navel in and stay for a minute.
- 4th Pose: Wide-legged Ragdoll
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Reach overhead and grab opposite elbows with your palms. Inhale and with the exhale fold over your legs and let your upper body dangle. If your back is rounding, bend your knees. Come back up, change the cross of your elbows and repeat.
- 5th Pose: Legs up the Wall
Sit side-saddle on the floor near a wall. Swing your legs up the wall and take your back to the floor. Open your arms wide like a T. Stay for a minute and breathe deeply.
- Bonus Pose! High Crescent Lunge
Only have a minute? Step one foot in front of the other and lunge deeply, keeping your front knee bent and your back leg straight. Raise your hands above your head, bringing your palms together. Take a micro backbend to release shoulder tension and sink into your hips while maintaining length in your spine.
4. Grab a friend and try a totally new workout.
It’s a common predicament: Your friend wants to meet for drinks after work, but you really want to go to the gym during that time so you don’t go too far astray from your routine. You could turn down drinks to hit the bike or treadmill, of course, and if you go that route, that’s totally cool. But! You could also invite your friend to try a new workout class with you—and then hang out and get drinks after (or a smoothie, your call).
Bonus: Not only will that second option help you kill two birds with one stone, but it’ll also help you prevent future injuries to boot. “Repeating the same workout is like bending a credit card. If you keep bending it the same way on the same line, eventually it’s going to break,” says Dr. Reed Ferber, director of the Running Injury Clinic in Calgary, Canada. In other words, varying it up helps your joints and muscles remain injury-free. Consider this your excuse to finally check out that spin class you’ve been wanting to try. A good-for-you workout that’s also fun? Score.
5. Take it outside.
This tip sounds very basic, but in the age of Netflix and Seamless and laptop jobs, it’s far too easy to spend the majority of your time indoors. Our advice: Whenever possible, don’t let your couch/chair/other sitting vehicle of choice trap you in. Instead, just try to get outside. Countless studies have proven that spending time in the great outdoors is really good for you. “Beta-endorphins increase with sun exposure, and beta-endorphins make you feel good,” Mann explains.
The good news is, you don’t have to take an entire outdoor trip or change your entire lifestyle to get the effect. All you have to do is swap your scenery during an activity you’re already doing, like eating! Instead of sticking to your sad desk lunch, grab a colleague and find a park bench for a mini picnic. Or, if you and your friends are looking for a good dinner spot, suggest a picnic in the park after work, or an outdoor patio situation. Bonus points for whoever brings the Michelob ULTRA.