Monday’s coming.
Feeling anxious?
I’ve been there.
Dinnertime rolls around and we realize we forgot to thaw the meat for the day’s meal. Or when our kids ask, “What are we doing today?” we’re not exactly sure what to tell them.
As someone who works from home, it’s always apparent to me whether or not I spent a bit of time on the weekend to prepare to have a great week.
I’ll sit down to my desk during my Monday morning work hours and feel… lost.
But it’s the same for everyone, work-at-home or not. Just a bit of weekend preparation can help us make every week count, from avoiding a Case of the Monday’s, through sidestepping the typical TGIF.
Will you jump in with both feet, totally present and ready to have a fantastic week?
Are you ready?
Avoid a Case of the Monday’s and sidestep the typical TGIF when you do these 5 Simple Weekend Actions to Improve Your Week. Tweet this.
So what can you do?
Check your Calendar.
Take a look at the upcoming week, and be sure to note any events or activities that happen on a certain date. This could be birthdays, after-school activities, work meetings, doctor appointments, library due dates, or anything that must be completed on or by a specific time.
Each weekend, I write anything that affects my daily actions or preparations on a weekly calendar that hangs on our refrigerator. That way, it’s always there for my husband and I to reference, so we’re literally on the same (calendar) page.
Do this because:
Having a plan on paper frees up your mind. You’ll know what to do ahead of time and what to expect. You won’t get a phone call from your kids’ school asking who is picking up Aiden today (because you forgot it was a half-day.)
Plus, if you have a one-car family, working out the logistics of the schedule ahead of time will take some of the, “But will I be able to get to the dentist appointment on time?” stress out of the picture.
Make a plan on paper to free your mind. You’ll know what to do ahead of time & won’t get caught off guard. Tweet this.
Double and Freeze a Meal.
You don’t have to have a huge freezer or invest hours in huge batch-cooking projects in order to take advantage of the convenience of freezer meals. Just making double of a freezer-friendly meal on a weekend day and freezing half of it for later can be a huge help.
Do this because:
Some days are going to be busy. Maybe Tuesday’s swim lessons go right up until dinnertime, and you have no time that morning to even get a crock pot meal together because you have a meeting at the library followed by errands, school pick-up, after school sports, and so on.
Some days you will feel tired. Some days you’ll just want some food that SOMEONE ELSE COOKED (like past-you, last weekend). Some days you won’t want to clean up all of the prep dishes from making a delicious meal.
Basically, it’s never a bad idea to have a meal or two tucked away in the freezer for the days that might otherwise have you speed-dialing the pizza place for delivery.
Double your dinner & freeze some for later. Do your future-self a favor, and avoid speed-dialing the pizza place. Tweet this.
Make a Meal Plan.
Keeping your scheduled events in mind, plan your meals for the week. There are a billion different menu planning styles, but you just need the one that fits you best.
Do this because:
Shopping and cooking will become quicker and more efficient. Your meal plan will streamline your grocery shopping, and help you know exactly what to make each day without rummaging around the kitchen for ideas. Plus, planning ahead will allow you to actually try some of those recipes you’ve pinned or bookmarked.
Plan your meals for the week to make your shopping easy & efficient. Plus, actually try some Pinterest recipes. Tweet this.
Reset Work Areas.
Whether your work area is a craft room, the kitchen counters, your desk, or your homeschooling room, take a few minutes on the weekend to get things ready for the week ahead.
File papers you’re finished with. Clean the surfaces. Take out the tools you’ll need first thing Monday morning.
Do this because:
When you come to your work area on Monday, you’ll be able to get started without digging around for the things you need. You’ve hidden any potential distractors, and you will be able to focus and accomplish a lot more than if you had left things as they were at the end of last week.
Focus quickly on Monday morning by resetting work areas. It just takes a few minutes, but makes a huge difference. Tweet this.
Enjoy Quality Time.
Turn off your non-stop to-do-list-making brain. Push your kids on the swings. Read together. Visit a park or a museum. Go to farmer’s markets and smell the sun-warmed tomatoes. Snuggle in a couch-pillow-and-blanket fort and eat popcorn. Hike.
Do something together. Anything.
Whatever your family looks forward to, make sure you soak it in. Live the moment. Don’t look forward to anything else in that moment.
Just be.
Do this because:
Life isn’t all about preparing for the future. It’s not just about preparing for the coming week, tomorrow’s dinner, next Thursday’s baseball game.
Life happens now.
And all of the preparation in the world is worthless if we don’t also practice existing in the present.
All the preparation in the world is worthless if we don’t also practice existing in the present. Life happens now. Tweet this.
Which actions will you take this weekend? Which of these simple actions are you going to take to improve your week?
- Check your calendar.
- Double and freeze a meal.
- Make a meal plan.
- Reset work areas.
- Enjoy quality time.
Even if you only do one of these, it will help. But try to work your way up to doing all of them for the most benefit!
Take 15 minutes today to choose one.
Make it happen.
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