Start Your Week Off on the Right Foot

Friday, September 16, 2011

Start Your Week Off on the Right Foot | Family Economics

Instead of constantly feeling like I’m struggling, behind and always late to soccer practice or swim lessons, I’d much rather feel like I’m beating myself at my own game of managing my family’s schedules. Wouldn’t you?

In order to stay a few steps ahead and keep our routines and schedules flowing without frustration, there are a number of tasks that I complete every Sunday night. This allows me to start the week out on the right foot:

1. Make a meal plan. Avoid the “what’s for dinner” syndrome and the temptation to go out to eat every night by finalizing on Sunday what you will prepare throughout the week. Check to make sure you have all of your ingredients for each meal and try to season, chop and proportion out all of your ingredients in advance.

2. Create a grocery list. If you discover that you don’t have all the ingredients you’ll need after you prepare your weekly meal plan, write down a complete grocery list. Go through your local sales paper and online couponing sites to purchase all of your items for the week at a reasonable price.

3. Anticipate expenses. Make a list of your anticipated expenses each week and discuss them with your spouse. This is a great way to stay in constant communication and have accountability for meeting your financial goals, whether getting out of debt, or saving up for a vacation or new home.

4. Set goals for the week. Write down five to 10 things you want to accomplish for the week. This could be anything from putting away a load of laundry every day to fertilizing the garden.

5. Tackle only three tasks each day. Simplify your “to-do” list by shaving it down to no more than three tasks per day. Think realistically about feasible tasks in order keep your “to-do” list from spinning out of control.

6. Load the lunch packing drawer. Store snacks in a lunch packing drawer. This will make packing lunches a breeze! After you prepare a sandwich, open the lunch packing drawer and add fruit and a snack bag or two to your lunchbox.

Staying ahead of your schedule and getting these things done on Sunday can make for a more enjoyable week!

What are some tasks you do on Sunday to prepare for the week ahead?

3 Comments so far

On Sunday, October 02, 2011, Jo from Manila wrote

I've always struggled on my to-do's every week and your practical guides are very helpful. You're right-just plan on at least 3 to do's in a day instead of making unrealistic plans which are not doable anyways.

On Friday, September 16, 2011, Grit Girl from Georgia wrote

The "Lunch Packing Drawer" is an awesome idea! Something that I never thought of.

On Friday, September 16, 2011, Amanda Armstrong, Sitter Pals wrote

Being prepare certainly makes a better start to the week, but don't forget about those activities to rejuvenate you over the weekend - http://www.sitterpals.com/blogmoredetails.aspx?blogid=67">http://www.sitterpals.com/blogmoredetails.aspx?blogid=67

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