5 Ways to have an Organized and Productive Week

 

Do you struggle throughout the week to have an organized and productive week?

What if through 5 practical strategies, you could begin to change the narrative and have a week that runs smooth? By reading this post and discovering 5 tips for an organized and productive you week, you will be on your way to having an organized week which will free up your time to enjoy life more.

 

1.Use Sunday As A Extended Prep Day

In the wise words of Dale Carnegie, “An hour of planning can save you 10 hours of doing.”

For many individuals, the workday starts on Monday.  Using Sunday as a planning and prep day allows you to complete many tasks on the forefront which in turn allows for a more organized and productive week.

It also saves you hours of “doing” during the week which on top of work is often filled with church activities, appointments, sports, school, and overall life.

• Create a weekly menu and grocery shop for the week. If possible complete this task during this morning.  Ensure to include breakfast, lunch, and dinner items on your list.
  • Completing this activity on Sunday morning will allow you to meal prep on Sunday Afternoon.
• Complete all laundry on Sunday.
• Prepare 5 outfits for the work and school week.
  • In the morning M-F when preparing for the week you don’t have to think about your outfit for that day which can often create stress and decreases the amount of time that you have before you need to leave for work or start your day.
• Write down in your in you planner any appointments or meetings that you have for the week. Add the events on your phone with reminders (Review this planner every day and add in any last-minute events if needed).

2.Cook Easy and Quick Dinners During the Week

The weekday can be filled with many tasks!  Our children have after-school activities and doctor’s appointments.  We may also have appointments and obligations throughout the week.

Strive to cook dinners that take less than an hour to prepare and cook.

On most days I plan and cook a meat dish, a carbohydrate dish, and vegetables.

For example, a go to in our household is baked chicken paired with rice and asparagus.

Don’t forget to utilize your slow cookers.  I often put on my slow cooker before leaving and when I return from work, I only need to add a vegetable and quick starch with it.

Well Plated has slow cooker recipes for every dish that you can think of!

Cooking double portions allows you to serve leftovers the next day.  Many leftovers marinate and actually taste better the next day!

On Sunday when I prep for the week, I purposely cook double portions for to the next day!

Cooking enough for Monday allows me to come with one less task to complete for the day.

My kids love leftover days!

They help clean the kitchen and know that there will be fewer dishes on leftover days which allows us as a family to have time for other tasks!

Tip: Aim for meals that take less than an hour.

3.Lay out clothes the night before

Laying out your clothes will take less than a minute if you have selected the items on Sunday.  When you wake up you can easily take a shower and have your clothes ready.

I also like to have a general idea of the shoes that I will also wear with the outfit.

If you have a uniform, laying out your clothes the night before will be super easy!

Look at the your weather app as you may need to make a quick adjustment.

Tip: If you have small children who have meltdowns over outfits (I’m raising my hand, both hands) involve them in the process and let them pick out their outfits the night before.

4.Do Not go to sleep with a dirty kitchen

After eating dinner we often go into a “Food Coma,” feeling tired and sleepy.

On top of a long day at  work, This may prompt us to say “I’ll clean the kitchen tomorrow.”

Going to sleep with an unclean kitchen means that you will wake up to an unclean kitchen.

If you attempt to clean the kitchen in the morning, chances are you will run late for work.

If you don’t attempt to clean the kitchen in the morning, chances are the disarray will cause your energy levels to deplete before your day even officially begins.

The time spent cleaning the kitchen in the morning if completed at night can allow you to use your time in other ways that need your attention.

Lastly, the unclean kitchen will be also be there awaiting you when you return that evening if you do not clean it in the morning.

Tip:  Clean the dishes as you cook, recruit your kids to help, and use the dishwasher!

5.Reflect on the Day’s Events

Reflecting on the day’s events allows you to make adjustments and changes to events that may not have went well.

For example, I recently reflected on my morning commute.

Leaving my home 3-5 minutes earlier allowed me to avoid traffic at one major intersection during my morning commute. I am now able to arrive to work approximately 10 minutes earlier which allows me extra time to unpack and gather my thoughts before my coworkers arrive.

Which tips do you use in your home for an organized and productive week?

These tips have allowed me to have a blueprint for an organized and productive week. Do you use any of these tips when organizing your week?

Feel free to list your weekly tips on how you plan for your week to be productive in the comments and check out this Tips For An Productive Morning for additional tips!