Last month I shared the first post of my new “Reflecting on…” series. My intent with this series is to close out each month with a reflection on something. Some months might be a personal reflection, like I did HERE when I shared my thoughts on being 41 before I turned 42; others might be related to home stuff, like I’m intending for this post. Honestly, I’m not sure what will flow from my fingers today as I take some time to reflect on… being a Weekend Warrior!
So what is a Weekend Warrior anyway?
According to the Google, a Weekend Warrior is someone who participates in an activity only in their spare time. Merriam-Webster specifies that it’s typically a strenuous physical activity. And Wikipedia says it’s usually a sport or something outdoorsy.
I would classify Weekend Warrior-dom as working on a project, particularly a home project, over a weekend. Or multiple weekends, depending on the scope.
I think that most of us who work full time jobs in fields that are different from the projects we want to take on would be considered Weekend Warriors. Don’t you agree? Unless, of course, you’re doing those projects during the week…
In my current stage of life, the majority of my spare time is definitely during the weekend. And I fully recognize that my life could be way more complicated and busy. That said, the reality is that I’m still far too tired in the evenings after work (like maybe it’s an actual medical issue), particularly on the days I go to my Mom’s for dinner and get home later (which is most nights). And mornings afford me SOME free time, but nothing substantial enough to complete a whole project.
Perhaps project planning can be done in these small pockets of time, which isn’t nothing. But any project I want to accomplish (at least the physical execution of) has to be done during the weekend hours.
Either way, weekends or evenings or some other period of time, the idea is the same. You’re taking on something that is outside of the realm of your normal work and life responsibilities. And as the term warrior suggests, it’s something done with seriousness, ideally for the greater good, and with a commitment to working hard and with focus to see the project through to completion.
The Reality of Weekends…
My problem (and this is not just relegated to home projects) is that I often overestimate what I can get done in a given period of time. Or maybe it’s that I underestimate how long something will really take? Maybe that is two sides of the same coin…
I also think I’m always going to be the best, most energetic version of myself. And that’s not always in the cards.
Another reality is that weekends have a limited number of hours. If I count the weekend as Friday evening after work until my bedtime on Sunday night, it’s about 52 consecutive hours. In actuality, it’s more like 18 waking hours that are available for whatever I want to accomplish. That also includes errands, chores, hobbies, exercise, freelance work, and of course other life plans! Fun! And rest!! Ah, to veg!
Combining these realities—underestimating how long a project will take and/or my energy levels, and the limited amount of hours available for everything— makes the Weekend Warrior life a little more complicated to figure out. But that doesn’t stop me! Usually, or at least not completely…
My Plan Moving Forward
At the end of each month I take some time to plan out what goals I’d like to strive for the following month. This week I’ve been looking at all of my intentions for March (that is, both home project related as well as in all other areas of life) and making a plan to somehow get it all done. And I’m afraid I have yet again put too much on my plate. I just have so much I want to accomplish. But it’s time that I admit to myself, and to you, something that I’ve known for quite a while: I need to cut back.
So what is my plan?
In regard to my home projects (and any goal), step one is to really evaluate what is involved to accomplish them. Mostly in the realm of time. List out all the steps, breaking the project down into the smallest chunks. Come up with an estimate and add a buffer.
Something else I find myself facing from time to time is that I’ll start a project only to discover I don’t have all of the supplies (or at least not the right/best ones). This delays a project’s timeline if I have to go buy them, or ends with a less than ideal result or longer execution time if I just try to make do. Case in point, I recently painted a whole wall in my bedroom with a small 5” foam roller because I didn’t have a usable large one. It looks good, but took a lot longer. Sigh…
Once I’ve gotten a realistic time estimate (plus buffer), and make sure I have adequate supplies ahead of time (this is something I could figure out in those small pockets of time on weekday mornings), I need to look at my calendar and everything else I want to achieve, and set aside a realistic amount of time during the weekend hours I have at home to get it done. If I don’t have the time, it doesn’t get scheduled. Or it goes where I do have time, or I move something else to prioritize the project. This all makes sense, right? Yet I still struggle with it so much…
All that said, the truth is that most of my deadlines are arbitrary. So if something ends up taking longer, it’s really not the end of the world.
Some of My Projects
I always have a long list of projects to tackle. In life, but in home ownership too. Even when I think I’ve captured everything, something new pops up. I am hoping to check most of my list off this year. My current projects includes:
- Patch and paint walls
- Paint ceilings (my favorite!)
- Hang new shelves, fix existing
- Create and hang artwork
- Fix woodwork in various places
- Install Govee lighting strips
- Organize storage closet
- Outdoor cleanup
Maybe the list above doesn’t look like too much to do in a year’s time, but these are overarching categories with each of those bullets having multiple sub-projects under them in different areas of my home. Once added to some of the purchase-based tasks and outsourced projects I want to get done, the full list is quite long. But these are the main things I will be tackling in my Weekend Warrior-dom this year, and what I need to plan for in terms of time required.
I have a loose plan plotted out, with four tasks assigned to each month this year (except April, which has five) through November. This comes out to about one per week. As I plan each month, I’ll evaluate what I can do, and when, based on everything else that is going on.
I think (and hope) it’s a realistic plan. I will pivot if needed. And of course, I will report back! Stay tuned for all of the reveals!
So what’s the final verdict? I am a Weekend Warrior, just not always a very consistent one. And I’m okay with that. I love the feeling of accomplishment when I check a project off my list, but I don’t have to complete a project EVERY weekend. That sounds exhausting anyway. But I’m also not giving up. I’m just giving myself grace when I need to.
Are you a Weekend Warrior too?
Photo by Athena Sandrini on Pexels
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