Time Well Spent: Bookending my weekend

One of the core beliefs I hold, both in business and life, is that time is one of our most precious resources. Not just how we spend it, but how we feel while spending it.

This weekend was a beautiful example of what I call "bookending your weekend" - planning intentional activities for both Friday and Sunday evenings to stretch out the experience of rest, fun and connection.

The term "bookending" is widely used as a metaphor to describe placing something at both the beginning and end of a period or event, similar to how physical bookends hold books upright on a shelf. A well-established productivity concept is "bookending your day", referring to establishing routines or rituals at the start and end of your day to create structure, improve focus and support wellbeing. Darren Hardy is frequently cited for advocating the power of morning and evening routines as the "bookends" of a successful day.

I like to take this approach and apply it to the weekend. Instead of letting the weekend rush past in a blur of household chores, bookending allows you to intentionally set a tone at the start and create a soft, satisfying close at the end - so your time feels abundant, not rushed. It’s a way to stretch time.

Here's what my weekend looked like...

Friday night book club

Friday evening kicked off with book club. Actually, let’s rewind a little because Friday is also my reflection and planning day… so earlier that afternoon I set aside time to clear my head, take stock of what’s working (and what’s not), and map out the week ahead so I can fully unplug over the weekend, knowing that everything is in place for a smooth and productive Monday start.

Right, back to book club. It’s a real highlight for me, where we gather with a small group to chat about that month’s read. There’s something magical about ending a full week with good conversation, laughter and a reminder of the importance of connection and community. Spending time with people is always worthwhile. This month we were reading Butter, which was interesting… I didn’t rate it as highly as the rest of the group. But it did get me interested in cooking again!

Saturday at the Glasgow Coffee Festival

Saturday brought one of my favourite outings this month, the Glasgow Coffee Festival. The atmosphere was fun - high energy, lots of local roasters, independent brands and loads and loads of coffee lovers! I went along with my now 14 year old daughter, who is not into coffee in the slightest… and as a result she got bored pretty quickly. I think I would have enjoyed it more if I was there with a friend. Will remember that for next time!!

I discovered (and rediscovered) some fab Scottish brands I wanted to highlight:

Figment coffee (from Aberdeen, my home town!) - We were treated to a little coffee journey where we tasted three different coffees including a washed coffee, an unwashed coffee and finally a fruity fermented one.

Shibui tea - We tried Berry Hibiscus tea and then I was intrigued by Chocolate & Ginger which we had a taste of too. It was delicious and I bought a tube to take home! Shibui tea is based in Edinburgh.

Bare Bones chocolate - A micro-batch, bean to bar company based right here in Glasgow. We tried two of their hot chocolates (yum!!) and purchased some to take home as well. (I may or may not be having hot chocolate with marshmallows as I type!).

Supporting small businesses and hearing the stories behind the brands was fuel for my own creativity and business! 

Sunday slow down

On Sunday, I leaned into slowing down.

In the morning, my daughter and I visited my best friend and her new baby - there’s something about newborn cuddles to reset your perspective on what’s important. I actually shed a wee tear…  he’s so cute! 

The rest of the day was a simple rhythm of walking the dog, tackling the supermarket shop, catching up with laundry and stealing some quiet time to dive into a new book.

This simple but full day was the perfect closing bookend: connection and self-care.

Why bookending your weekend matters.

When we intentionally frame our weekends, we can honour our need for both fun and excitement but also rest and relaxation. We start and end intentionally - and everything in between feels more expansive as a result.

Instead of rushing into Monday feeling like the weekend "disappeared," you step into the week refreshed and grounded.

If you're feeling like your weekends are slipping through your fingers, I invite you to try bookending next time:

• Plan a gathering, event or small ritual on Friday night to mark the transition from work to rest.

• Create a gentle activity for Sunday evening - like a family walk, reading time, a slow dinner with friends or setting intentions for the week ahead. If I can manage, I like to go to Reset Yoga’s Sunday evening candlelit yin yoga - it’s bliss!

Your time is precious.

Let's spend it well.

Ready to dive into my free Time Audit workbook and get a handle on where your time is going? Grab your copy here.