Different Routines for Workdays and Days Off
Keep separate workday and day-off routines with different steps. Choose their weekdays, check the saved week and record each routine’s own turn.
Use separate routines when different days need different steps. Before leaving for work, you might check your first commitment and pack materials. On a day off, you might check personal plans and get a hobby ready. Give each sequence its own checklist and chosen days.
We make Play This Life. This illustrative week shows two routines alongside the projects, habits, workouts and chores in your planner. Adapt the steps and dates to your own commitments.
Compare the steps · Choose the days · Check the week
Compare the steps first
Write down the actions for each kind of day. If the sequence stays the same and only its usual time changes, change its future schedule. Use two named routines when the actions differ.
“Workday” and “day off” are names you choose. Select the actual weekdays. A working Saturday or Tuesday off needs a deliberate adjustment; the name does not select dates for you.
For help grouping the actions, compare habits, routines and projects.
Keep two short checklists
These durations are planning estimates.
Workday departure — seven minutes
- Check the first commitment: three minutes. Look up its time and location where you keep appointments.
- Pack the needed materials: four minutes. Gather the notebook, cable or documents you need.
Day-off start — ten minutes
- Check personal plans: three minutes. Read existing commitments before adding activities.
- Prepare hobby materials: seven minutes. Put what you need where you can begin.
Keep each sequence as a separate saved routine, with its own steps inside it. Put the weekly repeat on the routine; these example steps have no independent repeat or time.
Set each routine's days
Begin with two saved routines that do not already repeat. For each, open Task details and choose Edit task if shown. If needed, set View to Routine and select Save view. In Repeats, set:
- Repeat mode: Calendar.
- Every: 1; Calendar period: Week.
- Starts on: November 9, 2026; leave Ends on (optional) empty.
- Days: Monday–Friday for Workday departure; Saturday and Sunday for Day-off start.
- Time (optional): 07:30 for Workday departure; 09:30 for Day-off start.
- Requirement: Mark complete; Missed windows: Skip missed windows.
- Repeat timezone: Asia/Kolkata.
Select Save repeat. Reopen the saved details and check each routine's steps, weekday selection and time. This example uses midnight Day start; choose your own timezone and intended dates.
Check the whole week
The rules both start November 9. The day-off routine first appears on Saturday, its first selected weekday. The two routines do not share a date in this example.
| Date | Routine | Start |
|---|---|---|
| Monday 9 | Workday departure | 07:30 |
| Tuesday 10 | Workday departure | 07:30 |
| Wednesday 11 | Workday departure | 07:30 |
| Thursday 12 | Workday departure | 07:30 |
| Friday 13 | Workday departure | 07:30 |
| Saturday 14 | Day-off start | 09:30 |
| Sunday 15 | Day-off start | 09:30 |
Open these dates in Planner and check the intended routine and its steps. The table shows one week; neither repeat has an end date.
Select Start routine, check the steps you do, then select Finish routine. In this illustrative example, Monday's routine runs from 07:30 to 07:37 and Saturday's from 09:30 to 09:40. Each completion belongs to its own routine and date. Both saved checklists remain available for later turns.
Fit both into the week
The separate free weekly planner lets you estimate seven minutes on each chosen workday and ten on each day off alongside your other plans. Download its CSV before leaving and reopen it manually next time. It does not create saved routines or sync into the app.
Explore the all-in-one planner for saved routines and Ginger. Its seven-day trial requires a card, followed by a paid subscription; see prices and trial terms.