Who Says Fun Is Just For Weekends? I Flipped the Script on My Weeknights and TBH Couldn’t Be Happier

At the beginning of quarantine, I vowed to spend my Sunday-Thursday evenings being productive. No binge-watching a new show for me—now was the time to master new recipes, to learn everything there is to know about investing, to finally figure out how to braid my hair. To do, quite simply, all the things.

It’s probably no surprise that this fixation ended rather quickly. Overwhelmed with all my productive ambition, I ended up mindlessly scrolling social media and stressing out over everything I was not doing. And while there’s obviously nothing wrong with vegging out at the end of the day—especially considering how stressful the outside world is right now—I didn’t want to spend every evening in an Instagram hole or sitting around bored at home. It felt like I was stuck in an endless loop of identical WFH days.

Then it occurred to me: One effect of our new normal is that nothing feels normal—including our daily routines. So why not rewrite the rules on what a weekday is “supposed” to look like? From sipping on a glass of wine with a home-cooked meal (specifically Brancott Estate Sauvignon Blanc, please) or taking a work break to do a quick skin-care routine, I decided to flip the script entirely. Here’s why it’s the liberating move you need to try, too.

Bored at home? Keep scrolling for three ways I flipped the script on an average weeknight.

Tuesday is worth cheers-ing

Alt opinion: Any weeknight can be just as exciting as a Friday if you decide it is. As part of my experiment, that meant a late-night run through a drive-through or an impromptu 9 p.m. phone call with a friend—but more often than not, it meant sipping on a glass of Brancott Estate’s crisp Sauvignon Blanc.

Made with a citrusy blend of grapefruit, pear, and florals, it’s basically my new laidback, anything goes attitude in wine form (it helps that it’s from New Zealand, aka the land of chill), and instantly helped me shift from WFH to off-duty mode.

Embrace a YOLO attitude

To really commit to my newfound approach to upgrade every day of the week, I realized I didn’t need to wait until the evening to live my best life. The obvious move was making a point to unplug and take an actual lunch break, complete with a home-cooked lunch (like an upgraded turkey and cheese with mushrooms, pesto, and sourdough, for example).

I also swapped my usual boring cup of joe with a fancy jug of cold brew, and committed to doing the long version of my morning skin-care routine even when the day was about to be really stressful (actually, especially when the day was going to be stressful).

No more waiting until the weekend

Back when I had a long commute in the morning (longer than a few feet, at least), I used to dream of all the things that I could do if I had that time back. Then I did—and I didn’t use it.

But once I decided to reclaim that time for real, I went all in. Rather than bookmarking that delish meal-prep recipe and never making it, I made it happen (so far my favorites have been cheesy twice-baked potatoes and tons of stir-fries, both of which pair wonderfully with Sauv Blanc, just FYI). That virtual yoga class I wanted to try someday? Someday just happened.

Speaking of yoga, make your own virtual yoga (and wine!) session happen with a free class hosted by Brancott Estate and Vino Vinyasa. Sign up for the December 16 session here, then grab your wine and yoga set (including a custom GAIAM yoga mat) here. Because what’s more fun than a few Warrior IIs followed by a wine tasting?

Look, if your weeknights feel homogeneous or stressful, celebrating the little wins of the week (and yes, taking a moment for yourself with a glass of wine can be a win) might be a small thing—but small things have the power to transform your whole outlook. You just have to flip things around to see them differently.

Ready to not be bored at home? Get your wine and yoga set featuring custom GAIAM yoga mat, and don’t forget to sign up for a free yoga class here.

Art: Getty Images/mixetto, Brancott Estate, and Well+Good Creative