It’s Friday!  But if you’re like me and feel like your weekends always evaporate in the blink of an eye, here are five tips from a time-management expert:

1.  Plan it out.  If you don’t plan anything for your weekend, chances are you’ll end up mindlessly watching TV or browsing the internet for hours.  Plus planning fun activities for your weekend gives you something to look forward to during the week.

2.  Compress chores.  Chores have a tendency to take over the whole weekend sometimes.  Instead, designate a chore time for a few hours on Saturday or Sunday.  Giving yourself a time window will make you more motivated to get things done quickly so you can move on to the fun things.

3.  Flex different skills.  Doing something different on the weekend lets your mind and body recover from the stress of the workweek.  So rotate in a couple activities you don’t usually have time for, like playing a sport or practicing an instrument.

4.  Cut down on tech.  Having time away from the computer and phone is important! Encourage your family to put away their devices for a few hours each weekend.

5.  Do something fun on Sunday night.  Sundays can be rough as the reality of returning to work the next day sets in.  Having something fun planned on Sunday night can help take your mind off of Monday morning.