Let’s be honest: how many times have you said “Let’s just get through this week”? Or “Only three more days till Friday”? It’s like we’re all collectively waiting for our lives to start… but only on the weekends.

And it makes sense. Weekdays can feel like one giant to-do list: emails, errands, commute, crash. The glow-up outfits get saved for Saturday nights. The fun plans are penciled in for Friday. Monday to Thursday? Survival mode.

But somewhere along the way, I started to realize something: I was spending most of my life in countdown mode. Living for two days a week and just coasting through the other five. And that math wasn’t adding up anymore.

So I’ve been unlearning the whole “TGIF or bust” mindset. Because your life isn’t on pause just because it’s a Tuesday. And honestly? The little things you do during the week do count — sometimes more than the big weekend plans ever will.

Here’s how I’ve started making my weekdays feel less like a waiting room and more like the main event:

1. Plan weekday plans. Yes, really.

Who says the fun has to wait until the weekend? If your schedule allows it, try planning a little something to look forward to mid-week. A solo sushi dinner. A walk to your favorite coffee spot after work. A friend date on a Thursday night. Or, if you’re like me, your weekly The Summer I Turned Pretty watch party, complete with snacks and a group chat live commentary.

It doesn’t have to be big or elaborate. It just has to feel good.

2. Romanticize your routine.

You’ve heard it before, but I’ll say it louder: your life is not a dress rehearsal. Wear the good perfume. Put on the outfit you almost saved for Saturday. Light a candle while you’re doing emails. Put on music while you cook — even if it’s just pasta and you’re eating it standing up.

There’s something powerful about treating your normal, regular day like it matters, because it does.

3. Make your environment work for you.

If you work from home, your space should feel like a place you actually want to spend time in. Fresh flowers, a cozy candle, your current favorite playlist on low volume… the little details matter. If you work elsewhere, maybe it’s keeping a fun lip gloss or a cute notebook in your bag that makes you smile.

Beauty doesn’t have to be reserved for “special occasions.” Bring it into your 9 to 5.

4. Find rituals, not just routines.

Routine is brushing your teeth. Ritual is the slow coffee you make in the morning with your favorite mug. Routine is your morning commute. Ritual is picking a podcast or playlist that matches your mood for the ride.

When you turn your routines into rituals, your whole day starts to feel more intentional — and less like something to rush through.

5. Stop waiting for “the good part.”

There’s this quote that always stays with me: “How you spend your days is how you spend your life.” If we’re constantly fast-forwarding through our Monday to Friday in hopes of reaching the “good” parts on Saturday and Sunday, we’re missing the real thing.

Yes, the weekend will always have a different energy. But your weekdays can be beautiful too — in a slower, quieter, more consistent way. And the more you allow them to be, the less pressure you’ll put on your Saturdays to be perfect.

So here’s your reminder:

You don’t have to wait until the weekend to live a life you love.

You can eat the good croissant on a Tuesday morning. You can put on your favorite playlist while folding laundry. You can have a solo dance party in your kitchen at 6:30 PM on a Wednesday just because your day was long and you need it.

Start finding joy where you are. Right here. Mid-week. In the middle of your real, messy, lovely life. Because life isn’t just the highlight reel.

Love, Laura