Once the NFL season begins WAGS know for the next four months free time as we know it becomes extremely limited. Our weekends become filled with game day festivities and watching our men play the game they love so much. Love it or hate it that’s our life. But somewhere in that 17-week schedule the NFL so kindly thought to bless us with the wonderful gift we call bye week. Well it’s not exactly for us, but I like to think of it as a gift just for me. Anyway, the blessing of bye week is circled on my calendar every year in hopes to have just a little time with husband. In the past, I have taken the initiative to plan a list of things my husband and I can do to enjoy our time off and let’s just say my plans were often ruined, leaving me feeling disappointed. Over the years I have learned, sometimes the hard way, on how to make the most of bye week. In hopes of saving someone else from being let down, here are 5 tips to help get the most out of your bye week.

1. Be flexible

I learned this the hard way. Like I previously mentioned I used to come up with a list of things I wanted to do with my husband during the bye and something always happened that would ruin my plans, leaving me feeling disappointed. Now, I consider myself a veteran at planning the best bye week. The key is DON’T! No really–don’t. plan. anything. Okay, maybe that is an overstatement but in all honesty you have to be flexible with your plans. The reality is that football is unpredictable— an injury, team loss, or last minute change to the team schedule can impact how much time your man will have off. To avoid disappointment, choose a few flexible options so that you can still make the most of the week regardless of what happens. It’s okay to make plans, just make ones that can easily be changed.

2. Schedule downtime

Regardless of how much time your man gets off for bye week, be sure to make time to unwind. During the season the schedule can get super crazy. Bye week is your chance to take some time off, relax and regroup. I used to think bye week meant mini road trips, a flight back home, or fun-filled weekend with friends from the team. Even though we often do some of that, I have learned to be mindful to schedule some time for my husband and I to do absolutely nothing. The NFL schedule can be grueling—even if it is just sitting and relaxing for a few hours not talking about football, shutting off the phones, sleeping in, or taking a whole day to just the two of you—take some downtime. You’ll both appreciate the relaxation and hopefully feel more refreshed and ready to finish the rest of the season.

3. Capture the moments

We have all heard over and over again how the reality is that football careers are a small chapter in our lives. For this reason, it is so important to capture all the moments. I’m big on capturing the pivotal moments of my husband’s NFL career, but the small seemingly unimportant moments are important too and that includes bye week. So why not take photos, capture video, or journal the memories? When it is all said and done and your man has retired you’ll have plenty of content to go back through to remind you of the great times you two shared during his years playing the game. It’s an added bonus that these memories captured will be great stories to share with your family, friends, and children.

4. Take time for yourself

This is a very important tip, especially if you have children and/or frequent visitors on game days. As much as our guys are out on the field putting in a ton of work, some of us are doing the same juggling crazy schedules. Balancing work, school, children, family and everything else we do can be draining and sometimes we deserve a break too. Take some personal time for you to unwind or get some tasks done that have been put off. Taking downtime can be the refresher you’re looking for to help you get through the rest of the NFL season (so don’t feel bad for taking care of you for a few hours). It's nice to have a free weekend so enjoy it!

5. Have fun

Last but not least, no matter how you decide to spend bye week the most important thing to do is to have fun! After all, it’s only a week off each season and that time together is so important. As much as I love football, it’s nice to have my husband home for some time (even if it's just for a few extra hours)!

Cheers to enjoying your bye week! Have any other tips on how you enjoy bye week? Please share below!

Xoxo,