Do you ever find yourself sitting in your living room on Saturday evening and the realization hits you that the next day is Sunday? Well, that’s where I found myself last night. I didn’t accomplish ANYTHING on Saturday, unless you count taking two (yes, TWO) naps! So last night I found myself scanning my bullet journal/daily calendar to work on my editorial calendar for my blog.
It just feels like ever since I returned from the BlogHer 16 Conference (which was in LA), I haven’t sat down and written any blog posts except for one. The other two or three that I posted this past week were already written and scheduled to post. And then I found this #Bossbabe quote: “Sundays should feel like top knots, sweat pants and preparing to make the next week your best every.” It all began to click.
I don’t have to do any grocery shopping. I can do my laundry while I write some blog posts. I don’t have anywhere to go or anything to do today. Because I’m free to do as I please today, my goal is to set myself up to make this upcoming week one of the best weeks ever!
Earlier this year, I wrote another blog post about how to be a #BossBabe. (RELATED POST: Sunday Inspiration: Be a #BossBabe). If you do nothing else, remember these three tips: “Make some goals. Organize your week. Stay focused.”
So how am I going to set myself up to make this a successful week? Well, I’ll tell you. I’ve read a lot of other blog posts about how to use your Sundays to increase your productivity for the rest of the week, and here’s what I’ve learned.
- Find a clean, calm space in which to work. You can set up some nice smelling candles and soft music to set the tone. Having a serene place to work, with very few distractions, will improve your productivity.
- Grab a beverage of your choosing (coffee, tea, water, soda, wine) and relax into a rhythm.
- Get all of your must-have items, like your notebook, planner, journal, laptop, pens/pencils, etc., so you’re not running around looking for something. Having everything you need on hand will also improve your productivity.
- Write out all of your goals, both personal and professional, that you want to accomplish this week.
- Create a list of projects (kind of a to-do list) for the week, both personal and professional. Then write a list of tasks that need to be done for each project, prioritizing that list, and highlighting what needs to be done on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, etc.
- Pack your bag for the gym, for work, for school, or for whatever. Doing this will eliminate your running around like a chicken with your head cut off. Your morning should not be spent doing this. Also planning your outfits for the entire week is another time-saving tip. Organization is key.
- Prep your meals – breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks – so you’re not falling in the fast-food rut. By prepping your meals, you’ll make healthier choices for you and your family.
- Work in 90 minute cycles. Set a timer on your phone, work diligently for 90 minutes, then take a 15-30 minute break.
- Wash and change the sheets on your bed. De-clutter and organize your bedroom and your bathroom. Hang up any clothes laying around and put clothes away immediately after doing the laundry. And organize your workspace for the next time you sit down to work.
- And finally, unplug at least two hours before bed. If you’re like me, I take my iPad to bed and watch YouTube videos, scroll through my Instagram and Facebook feeds, or clean out my emails. Then I realize it’s midnight and my alarm is set to go off at 5:15 a.m. So unplug early, take a relaxing bath, pamper yourself, and then crawl into your bed (with fresh, clean sheets) early enough to get a full eight hours of sleep.
How do you plan your week? What are some of your productivity tips and tricks?
Yours Truly,
Vanessa
