7 Things to do at the Weekend to Prepare for the Week Ahead

As if Mondays aren’t bad enough without starting it unprepared to make it SO much worse. I used to work hard to stay organized throughout the week and then when the weekend started it all went out of the window. It’s the weekend! Why would I want to follow a schedule when it’s time to relax! BUT when Monday came around I felt like I had to start all over again because I just hadn’t done anything.

That’s all changed now and I have a pretty good routine to make sure that my weekend isn’t wasted and I’m prepared for the week ahead. Here are the 7 things I do to make sure I start Monday organized.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details.

PREPARE LUNCH THE NIGHT BEFORE

If I don’t prepare lunch the night before work then you can guarantee I’ll be going hungry that day. I just don’t have time to do it in the morning so it’s super important that I set time aside on the Sunday to do this. If you’re into batch cooking then you can even prepare your lunch for the entire week in one sitting.

Preparing lunch the night before also means that I’m less tempted to reach for something unhealthy and more likely to make delicious stir fries like this!

Need a little inspiration? I like use Joe Wick’s Lean in 15 recipe book. It’s full of healthy recipes that you can prepare in as little as 15 minutes.

SET OUT YOUR CLOTHES FOR THE WEEK

Ironing and hanging up your clothes for the entire work week might not take long but it will save headaches in the morning. My partner irons his work clothes in the morning and it DRIVES MY CRAZY. Cue the call half an hour later to say he’s running late for work.

By choosing your clothes at the weekend, you can make sure that they’re washed in preparation. I can’t tell you the amount of times I used to want to wear an item of clothing to find that it’s still in the washing basket.

GO TO BED WITH A CLEAN HOUSE

I like to give my house a full clean on a Friday afternoon. It means that I don’t have to waste my Saturday cleaning and makes me feel so much better waking up to a clean house at the weekend. I like to think of it as ‘resetting my home’.

You know what they say – an organized home means an organized mind. Get into the habit of going to bed with a clean house on the Sunday evening. I guarantee you’ll wake up ready to take on the week.

SCHEDULE THE UPCOMING WEEK

My Sunday evening routine includes looking at my calendar for the following week and adding in any appointments and events. I also set out my to-do list which generally includes bills to pay, blogs to write and things to do.

If you write something down on paper then you’re more likely to do it. This definitely works for me. That’s why writing down everything that I need to do clears my mind and helps me to focus on the week ahead.

ORDER THE GROCERIES AND PLAN YOUR DINNERS

I find that if I don’t have a full fridge then I automatically feel unproductive. How am I supposed to prepare my lunch for work or have a decent meal at night? It also makes me more likely to have a takeaway. Unhealthy and not good on the wallet. BIG NO NO.

I prefer to do my grocery shopping online as I can order exactly what I need without being tempted by unnecessary purchases. Before doing the shop, I write out a grocery list of everything that I need. I do this by planning out my meals for the week and purchase ONLY the items that are required for that recipe.

SOCIAL MEDIA AND BLOG POSTS

In order to feel productive in my personal life, I also need to be organized with my business. I use my weekend to take social media photos and schedule the posts for the week ahead. I also set time aside to write and publish a blog post.

There are lots of social media scheduling tools that you can use. As I mainly use Pinterest and Instagram, Tailwind is my absolute favourite. I literally wouldn’t be able to cope without it.

You can grab a FREE month of Tailwind by clicking this link.

TAKE TIME OUT FOR YOURSELF

We’re all constantly on the go that we forget that it’s super important to take time out to RELAX. Allowing yourself to do something that you enjoy such as going outside, seeing friends and family or sleeping, allows you to mentally reset and get ready for the week ahead.

Do something you love, you deserve it!