5 Things to do on Sunday for a More Productive Week

Monday mornings don’t have to be stressful. Simply changing your mindset and planning ahead and visualizing your work week before Monday morning rolls around is the first step to increasing your productivity for the entire work week.

Here are 5 things you can start doing to begin feeling less stressed out and more productive and efficient.

1. Think of Sunday as the First Day of the Week

Get ahead of the week by starting it on Sunday rather than using Sunday as an extra day of the weekend to unwind and take it easy. Of course it’s important to decompress, but it’s also important to be on your A-game going into the work week and by mentally starting that week on Sunday, you will be more prepared, focused and ready to tackle the week!

You might even do this on Friday. The important thing is you build your list and goals for the week before the week even starts.

2. Create a Master To-Do List

Write out everything that needs to get done to prep for the new week and make sure you have a planner that meets your needs since the right organization system will help you stay organized.

Part of the reason my business partner and I created STARTplanner was because we wanted one place to manage it all…finances, health, work, family, vacations and meal planning. Whether you prefer writing out these lists or making them digital, it is important that you build them.

Begin the list with your priorities and hardest deadlines to make sure they get completed. You can do this by creating a “Top 3” list for every day. It’s important to go into each week feeling prepared and being on top of projects. Being thoughtful with your schedule will help make sure you get everything done as efficiently as possible.

3. Clean the House

I know most people dread this and it’s not your favorite way to spend the weekend, but if you can get caught up on laundry, dishes, and do simple tasks like vacuum and de-clutter the house, you will feel less stressed during the week because your home will be cleaner and more manageable.

I always feel more overwhelmed when the house is messy, but having a tidy house helps me de-stress and feel refreshed in all aspects of my life! Another thought if you can work it into the budget is to outsource it! Hire someone that helps to manage this so you can spend any and all spare moments investing in time with your family or friends.

4. Meal Preparation

Planning out your meals will help you save money on your weekly groceries, cut down trips to the grocery store and make your life easier. Cooking at home is also the healthiest way to eat! Write out your menu for the week paying attention to your budget and looking at the week ahead. The kids have soccer on Tuesdays? Make an easy crockpot meal.

Not a morning person? Make healthy and easy breakfasts that you can quickly grab out of your fridge, like overnight oats! Meal prepping for lunches for you and your kids will save so much time as the hustle and bustle of the week start to happen. This makes mornings easier for the whole family.

Also, planning out meals in advance let’s you think about ingredients that can be repurposed for future meals, including making enough food to have leftovers the following day. Another great money saver! Food is what fuels our productivity and it is imperative to make sure we are filling our bodies throughout the week with nutrient rich foods!

5. Time Block Your Days

Time blocking is so important. Schedule out your social media posts for the week so you don’t have to spend that time during the week when you are crushing your goals. Set aside time for emails so they don’t consume your day and get you off task for what really needs accomplished.

I typically say create a time two or three times a day to check emails and don’t let that be the first thing that you do. Also, make sure to include time for you! Whether that be exercising, getting your nails done, meditating…whatever it is that helps you re-energize and refocus.

Schedule like-minded things together. I have a day for meetings, a day to oversee operations, a day to do finances/forecasting. I even set aside certain days to take care of personal matters. You will save time in transit. Instead of going to a doctor appointment one morning, try to knock out all of your appointments in one afternoon.

It is also important to take into account what time of day you are most productive. For me I am most productive in the mornings so I don’t schedule meetings in the morning, but rather in the evening. It also leaves me feeling more accomplished and checking more things off my list. Hello productivity!

6. Set Times to Take Care of You

Taking care of yourself is so important. You will not be productive and be able to lead a team if you are not taken care of first. It sounds crazy, but it is true that if you don’t take care of you, you can’t take care of others. Set times and days that you will be exercising or taking a mental break.

It is just as important to take care of your mind as it is your body. Schedule times to be social and catch up with friends or family. Community is vital to happiness and it is part of taking care of you. Sunday can be a day of rest for taking care of you or it could be a day to go ahead and jump start on the week.

– Planning your week will help you crush your goals.

– Now get out there and STARTplanning!

Tags: Be More Productive Planning Ahead To-Do List