6 Weekend Habits That Are Making Your Weekdays Harder, According to Therapists

Excessive Screen Time

Whether it’s binge-watching your favorite show or falling into a TikTok rabbit hole, these activities take very little energy and can offer quick relief from stress and mental fatigue. “It lets you feel plugged into other people’s lives without the effort of face-to-face interaction,” says psychotherapist and author Carolyn Karoll, LCSW-C. “[But] spending too much time on screens, especially late into the weekend, can throw off your body’s natural rhythms for sleep, hunger, and energy.” This leaves you feeling mentally foggy and physically drained just as the workweek begins.

Karoll recommends creating balance by building in mindful breaks. “One practical strategy is to set a timer or create a bookmark moment. For example, after finishing an episode or a scrolling session, deliberately pause and step away from the screen.” Doing something tactile, like cooking, journaling, or stretching, can help you reconnect with your body and emotions, so you can better recognize what you really need in the moment, whether it’s more rest, time with others, or a different kind of stimulation.

Skipping Movement Entirely

“After a stressful week, people often swing to extremes, either overscheduling their weekend or collapsing completely,” says Karoll. “The idea of moving can feel like ‘work,’ especially for those who associate exercise with punishment or body judgment.” But because movement supports mental clarity, emotional regulation, and sleep, we can feel more sluggish, anxious, or emotionally reactive when we go without it for too long. “Instead of thinking about exercise as something you have to do or how it should look, focus on what helps you feel present and connected to your body,” says Karoll. That could mean a gentle walk, dancing while tackling chores, or stretching for five minutes before you start your day.

Not Prepping for the Week Ahead

Planning for the week ahead, whether it’s figuring out meals or coordinating kids’ drop-offs and pick-ups, can feel like the last thing you want to do when you’re trying to relax. Karoll points out that we tend to overestimate how hard planning will be and underestimate our ability to deal with any discomfort it might bring. Plus, it can feel like planning cuts into the weekend’s goal of staying present. “But ironically, avoiding the task of planning often makes the anxiety grow, because it keeps the looming demands vague and unresolved,” says Karoll. “Instead of approaching the week with calm intention, you may find yourself reacting to challenges and deadlines, which can make everything feel more stressful and harder to manage.”

Her advice is to start small. Identify the lowest-effort action that still helps you feel more grounded, which could be just checking your calendar to see what Monday looks like or jotting down one thing you don’t want to forget. “Keeping the bar low matters—when we feel stuck, it’s often because we imagine the whole task will be exhausting or unpleasant.”

Disrupting Your Sleep Schedule

Sleeping in for hours or staying up late on the weekend can feel like a form of freedom after a week packed with deadlines. “It’s a way to extend pleasure, avoid responsibility, or create a sense of spaciousness that may be missing during the workweek,” says Karoll about shifting sleep patterns. But when your sleep cycle gets too out of sync, your body doesn’t have enough time to recalibrate before Monday hits. “This can lead to fatigue, brain fog, irritability, and even disrupted appetite or mood regulation,” says Karoll.

She recommends anchoring your wake-up time. “Even if your bedtime stretches later than usual, waking up around the same time each day gives your body a consistent signal.” As well, bring a little more awareness to your evenings. If you’re staying up late, ask yourself whether it actually feels restorative, or if it’s just another round of mindless scrolling.

Cramming the Weekend With Errands

For many, weekends feel like the only time to squeeze in errands, so we dive into a to-do list. “After a weekend full of yard work, house cleaning, and laundry, we might feel accomplished, but we won’t feel fulfilled,” says therapist J Cangialosi, LCPC. “There’s a strong lack of satisfaction that comes from a weekend that feels like an extension of work.”

But when you’re able to spread your time between errands, catching up with friends, and downtime, you’re more likely to start the week with resilience, flexibility, and an overall improved mood. “It’s important to find the balance between everything you feel you have to do and the things you want to do,” says Cangialosi.

Mentally Clocking Out Completely

Mentally checking out for the weekend and avoiding all responsibilities, and even people, can feel like the ultimate escape. But Cangialosi says this can backfire, leading to feelings of isolation, irritability, and even depression. “If we completely shut off from seeing anyone or doing anything, we aren’t being productive, accomplished, or social. All of which are direct contributors to increasing anti-depressant brain chemicals such as dopamine, endorphins, serotonin and oxytocin.”

One easy way to break the cycle is to make a low-pressure plan, like meeting a friend for coffee or grabbing a meal together. “Just a few simple hours of social interaction can do the trick.”