Do you start to feel down on Saturday night thinking about how the weekend is already almost over? Are you already having anxiety about having to go back to work on Monday? Here are some tips on how to feel more prepared for the work week and how to avoid having a ‘case of the Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.’
1. Ask Yourself “What does the upcoming week bring that I can look forward to?”
Do you have any exciting events throughout the week that you are looking forward to? If not, you need to start planning – NOW! This can be anything that interests you.
I asked a bunch of my friends what type of things they look forward
to throughout the week and here are some answers I got:
movie night with the kids, a date night with their husband (or a date if they are single), a hot bath, a yoga class, watching Homeland (Since the show is on Sunday nights, my friend said that she DVR’s it so she has something to look forward to throughout the week – I thought that was brilliant!), playing ‘CatchPhrase’ with his girlfriend, a bike ride, quizzo night at the local pub, a visit to the mall, a workout, a glass of wine, a good book, planning an upcoming vacation
What are some of the things you look forward to throughout the week?
Write down at least 2-3 self-care ideas you can do this week
2. Prepare a ‘To Do’ List for the week
Grab that journal thing I am always talking about and spend 5-10 minutes writing down a ‘To Do’ list for the week. This is the part of being an adult that I always dread. Mostly because my ‘To Do’ list consists of paying bills, doing work, and cleaning/doing laundry. Here is an example of what my current ‘To Do’ list looks like:
I will be honest...once I have written down my ‘To Dos’ for the week, I feel like a
weight has been lifted off of me.
This helps me to prioritize and more easily incorporate at least one of my self-care toolbox items into my weekly schedule (see my first Blog post ‘Helping the Helper’ Toolbox here: https://thefeelgoodpractice.wordpress.com/2017/01/18/blog-post-1/). I also like to keep this list somewhere I can see it (I keep it on the front of my refrigerator). As I complete a task, I place a check next the item and get a weird sense of gratification as I do this :).
3. Have a daily morning routine during the week.
Having a daily routine in the morning can keep you (and your family) on a path towards a more productive work/school day and a less frazzled morning. I know, I know. Moms reading this right now are probably thinking “I have kids and they are always unpredictable! How am I supposed to keep any routine with kids?” While it may seem impossible to consistently create a routine with kids, it can be done and in fact creates a less stressful environment for you and your family.
According to healthychildren.org, children thrive on routine and consistency. Routine helps to organize life and keep it from becoming too chaotic. This article gives great suggestions on how to incorporate routines into your family’s daily life. [Read full article here: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/family-life/family-dynamics/Pages/The-Importance-of-Family-Routines.aspx]
4. Plan your lunch (and/or your children’s lunch) for the week & plan your daily work outfits
If you live alone, making your meals for the week ahead can be a life-saver and not even take much time out of your weekend to prepare. If you have a family to make lunches for, this may seem like a more daunting task. You can always make a couple of different meals on Sunday and then freeze them for the week ahead OR you can use this awesome organization tip from one busy mom!
Lunch Organization Tip for the Busy Mom:
This mom shares amazing tips on how to stay organized and create more time in the morning without having to spend a lot of time making lunches. You can check out the article here: [See Full Article here http://fabulesslyfrugal.com/cold-lunch-ideas/].
This is idea is my favorite and is pretty brilliant…
DIY lunch bins
You fill bins with the items for lunch, with a number of how many to take, and then the kids grab whatever they choose from each of the bins! You can see more details on the original picture on Facebook which is shown here:
It is also a good idea to pick out your outfits for the week. WARNING!! You may have flashbacks of when you used to do this in high school! But believe me, no matter what age you are, this can reduce that overwhelming and rushed feeling in the morning!
5. Ask yourself “What are the positive parts of my day?”
Sometimes our thoughts gravitate towards the more stressful parts of our day, but it is important to be aware of the positives that we can look forward to each day. This can include:
a daily mantra
morning coffee
your favorite morning or afternoon radio show
a Starbucks run
watching your favorite tv series
playing with your kids after work
going to the gym
meeting with a friend for dinner
going on a date
reading a book
cooking your favorite meal
drinking a glass of wine in front of the fire after the kids have gone to bed
listening to your favorite podcast
getting a manicure or pedicure
taking a hot bath
Or in my case, making jewelry! I find this type of activity very relaxing for me. I have even turned it into a business called 1L Designs! Here are a couple of my pieces. This is one positive activity that I look forward to each day. Here are a couple examples of some 1L Designs Essential Oil Diffuser Bracelets that I have created!
It is important to remind yourself that whatever scary thoughts or feelings you may have on Sunday nights, they can be temporary and you can do things to help the beginning of the work week feel a lot less daunting. Remember to work on being mindful throughout the week, take more deep breaths, and take every day “one day at a time.” In no time, you find yourself more easily transitioning into the work week and then Friday arrives in the blink of an eye!
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