Without a shadow of a doubt, I can guarantee that my week will be a mess if I don’t prepare effectively. I have found that doing three things in particular drastically changes the outcome of my week. I not only find that I am more productive, but I find that my mood and confidence level is higher. Just incorporating one of these elements will surely allow for a better week, but why not try all three for a killer one!
On Sunday…
- Plan and prepare your meals
- Pick out and prepare your clothes
- Write out a daily schedule for the week
Now, if you find that you have effectively done each one of these tasks and your week is unproductive [outside of an uncontrollable life event]- you let me know!
Plan and prepare your meals
Nothing makes the week more difficult for me than when I don’t know what to eat. I start to get a little looney, and then have no idea what to do with myself. Let alone what to eat. I have actually noticed blog posts on why meal prepping doesn’t work, I don’t get it! Nor do I care to learn their reason why, because it is seriously a life saver.
Before I begin prepping my meals, I first plan what I will make. This depends on many things, such as the weather, my body, what I ate last week, etc. I usually prepare 3 options, as I get bored easily.
- Decide on 3 recipes that you would like to eat throughout the work week as a lunch/dinner option and purchase all ingredients.
- Prepare each recipe with enough servings for 3-4 meals of each.
- Pack each serving in its own container and store in the fridge.
Note: If there is more than just you in your house, make more servings if you know they will be eaten!
Pick out and prepare your clothes
My biggest issue in the morning is deciding what I am going to wear. Putting on my clothes is the last thing I do before grabbing my lunch tote and leaving for the day. When I am rushing before I actually get to the task of picking out my clothes, there is a very high likelihood that it will be a frustrating experience. Planning out my outfits is a surefire way to avoid added stress in the morning.
- Check the weather for the work week.
- Ensure that your laundry is done and you have at least 5 outfits to wear to work.
- If needed, iron any wrinkled articles of clothing and hang them all together in your closet.
- Pick out the shoes that you plan to wear with each outfit, and organize them all together in the same place.
Note: Remember, If you don’t like what I imagined to wear for that day, you have four other options ready to go.
Write out a daily schedule for the week
This one might be the most important of all! Pull out your to-do list, your planner [or smartphone], and begin assigning your tasks for the week. Be sure to add the following applicable items to each day that they should occur:
- Wake up time
- Bedtime
- Work hours
- Gym [or fitness activities]
- Family tasks [such as family time, children’s activities, date night, etc.]
- Meetings or obligations outside of work
- Self-care activities
- Every item from your to-do list
- Whatever else you want!
Note: You can be as broad or specific as you would like, just be sure to give yourself an outline of your expectations for the day.
If done correctly, it will be a time consuming part of your day. I won’t lie to you! However you can always start on Saturday, and work your way into Sunday. One thing I know for sure, is that this will make your week more productive.
