A weekly reset is key to starting the new week refreshed and with good energy! Here are 10 things to do at least once a week for a more productive, organized and overall more fulfilling life! These simple weekly habits will help you stay on track with your goals!
Living a healthier, more organized and productive life is about incorporating small sustainable habits into your weekly routine. For me, doing the following ten things at least once a week has helped me achieve more in a few years than in the decades before, it has made me healthier and last but not least – helped me feel at peace.
These ideas are practical and easy to integrate into your weekly routine and you’re probably doing some of them already. Whether you want to improve your physical health or reduce stress and tension, these weekly habits are a great start.
It’s important to remain consistent, so I’m also sharing some examples of how to make these activities part of your routine without falling behind on other significant tasks. So, take a look and choose the changes you believe would improve your quality of life when you feel ready!
1. Spend Quality Time with Family and Friends
It’s easy to get caught up in work and forget about spending time with the people we care about the most. But spending time with your favorite people reduces stress, boosts your mood, and increases your feeling of belonging and connection.
You could take a day trip, have a family dinner or game night, or simply go for a walk together. Or if all that’s not possible because of distance – CALL! You could schedule a weekly video or phone call, send regular updates and photos, or even plan a virtual movie night. Whatever it is, it will be a memorable experience that will bring you closer together!
2. Review Last Week
Reviewing the past week is an important practice that helps us learn from our experiences, identify areas for growth, and introduce improvements. Reflection time makes us more self-aware and intentional in our actions, which can ultimately lead to greater success and fulfillment.
Create an environment that allows you to focus and think deeply, then write down your reflections in a journal. Consider what you are satisfied with and what didn’t go as planned. Think about any challenges you faced and how you overcame them.
Next, identify any areas for improvement. These could include being more productive during weekdays or making more time for self-care. Be honest with yourself and come up with a realistic plan for the next week.
3. Set Priorities and Goals For The Week Ahead
Setting weekly goals has improved my life SO much! Like incredibly. It helps me stay organized and focused on the actions that can bring me closer to what I want to achieve.
Spend a few minutes each week to create a list of goals and write down the tasks and habits that will move you towards those goals.
To create the to-do list, I usually brainstorm all of the activities I need to accomplish in a given day, week, or even month (altogether). Whatever comes to mind – these might be work-related tasks, personal errands, and any other obligations you might have.
Next, prioritize the tasks on your list based on their urgency and importance. Identify the tasks that are most critical or time-sensitive and prioritize them at the top of your list. It’s best if you handle these first instead of wasting time on the less important ones.
I like to use a planner or a notebook and physically write things down. I used to use my phone and laptop for planning, but I just don’t like looking at them and having 40 tabs open every day. It stresses me out.
However, I know we’re all different, so do whatever works for you here – whether it’s a physical or digital planner.
4. Meal Prep and Make a Meal Plan
Meal prepping will help you maintain a healthy and balanced diet even at your busiest times. When you cook your own meals, you have more control over the ingredients and portion sizes, which leads to healthier food choices that are in line with your dietary goals.
To start meal prepping, you should first plan out at least some of your meals for the week. Think about your breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks and the types of healthy foods you want to incorporate into your diet (e.g., fruits and veggies, protein, healthy fats…). Then, it’s time to create a grocery list and go shopping!
I like to prepare single ingredients – mostly the protein, dressings or dips, so that I can assemble a salad or a bowl very fast. Other than that, meal prepping whole meals might be something for you.
5. Do Laundry & Clean
I think most of us can agree, that doing laundry once a week is necessary! Because we all need clean clothes…and fresh bedsheets never hurt nobody. It’s also important to keep your home clean and doing it at least once on a weekly basis will keep huge messes away.
I’m not huge on cleaning, but I KNOW how good I feel when my house is organized. Messes accumulate, even if you don’t have kids or pets…I don’t know about you, but personally, living in a messy environment stresses me out. And it actually puts me in a really negative mindset, I become very unproductive and kinda lazy – pretty much don’t want to do anything.
I try to clean the bigger messes every day for 15-20 minutes and whatever I can’t get to, I just do at the end of the week.
Keeping your wardrobe and your home tidy will save you lots of time when getting ready for work in the morning and will make you feel more organized and HAPPIER in general.
6. Make a Workout Plan and Follow It
Regular exercise is essential for maintaining a healthy lifestyle and it can make you more productive too. Curating and following a workout plan is the best way to get enough physical activity each week and progress towards your body goals.
Think about what types of exercises you want to include in your workout plan. These can be cardio, strength training, and flexibility exercises and will depend on your fitness level and whether you want to lose weight or build muscle. You should also decide how many days per week you want to exercise and what time of the day works best for you. This helps to create a schedule and stick to it.
Keep in mind that it’s not necessary to go to the gym to remain physically active. You can walk, go for a run in the park, take a yoga class, do your favorite sport like tennis or swimming, or even get a mat and exercise at home. Just stay consistent even on days when you don’t feel motivated and focus on the enjoyment you get from the activity rather than the results you want to accomplish.
7. Disconnect from Technology
Our constant connection to technology might lead to feelings of stress, anxiety, and burnout. It may also negatively affect our sleep, attention span, and productivity. That’s why there are many benefits of taking a break from technology and social media at least once a week.
Choose a day of the week that works for you, and commit to disconnecting from technology and social media on that day each week. You can either turn off notifications for social media and other apps, so you don’t get constantly distracted by your phone or use airplane mode. The best approach would probably be to ditch your phone in a drawer and focus on the present moment.
But what do you even do on your technology-free day? Well, believe it or not, there are lots of fulfilling activities you can engage in! Pick up a book and get lost in a good story, go for a walk, hike, or bike ride, get in touch with your friends and family and have a picnic, or play a board game. Even if you don’t have any other plans for the day, you can use the opportunity to complete tasks you’ve been putting off, like decluttering a closet or cleaning out the garage. There are plenty of things to do, when you look around.
8. Get Outside and Enjoy Nature
Spending time in nature is an essential aspect of maintaining a healthy and balanced lifestyle. It is shown to improve mood, increase creativity and an overall sense of well-being. It’s easy to become disconnected from nature, with our busy schedules and hectic lifestyles. So it’s therefore, worth the effort to spend at least a day each week outside and reap all the benefits.
There are many ways to get outside and enjoy nature. You can plan a hike in a nearby park or reserve, take a bike ride through the countryside, spend time fishing or swimming in a nearby lake or river if the weather allows, or simply take a relaxing stroll through a garden or nature preserve.
Just think about an activity or place that you enjoy and would be an escape from the stresses of everyday life. And, of course, it’s more fun and memorable if you have the companionship of a friend.
9. Keep Trying New Things
Trying new things on a regular basis is a great way to challenge yourself, learn, and grow. It’s easy to get stuck in our routines, but making a conscious effort to open ourselves up to new experiences can help us break out of our comfort zones. This will give you the opportunity to expand your knowledge and skills, and potentially find new interests and passions. It’ll also help keep your mind active, which is important for cognitive health.
Trying something new each week doesn’t have to be a big or expensive undertaking. It could be as simple as trying a new type of cuisine, visiting a museum or gallery, or even taking a different route to work. It could also involve learning a new hobby like painting or playing an instrument.
It’s fine if you don’t enjoy every new thing you do. What matters is that you are actively seeking new experiences and challenging yourself.
10. Express Gratitude
Expressing gratitude at least once a week every week can be incredibly beneficial for your mental and emotional well-being. This simple weekly habit will help you cultivate a more positive outlook on life and optimism, which is lacking these days. If you’re someone who often compares yourself to others (I think it’s hard not to with social media), this will help you build appreciation for your life.
Setting aside five to ten minutes a day is enough. I find it best to write things down, even a brief practice can have a significant impact.
As little as once a week…
The goal is not to overload yourself with additional responsibilities but rather to introduce small changes that would enhance your organization and improve your physical and mental health. So try these weekly habits for about a month and you will see amazing changes in your well-being, the work you do and your relationships.
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Originally published in February 2025, last updated in April 2026.