By Sheyanne Bruyere
Starting a new week can feel so good; if you’re ready for it that is. All of last week’s craziness is over and it’s time to prepare yourself to tackle another week. On Sunday’s, I’m sure we all are pretty much on the same page when it comes to realizing that tomorrow is that dreadful Monday. So why not start off on the right foot and go into the week with a positive attitude already feeling productive? I know the majority of people live busy lives and often find it difficult to get everything done on your to-do list in one day, so I’ve come up with a short list of some things you can do over the weekend that can help start your week more productively.
Be productive with your time
If you’re setting time aside to do things that need to get done (such as some of the things I’ve listed below), try to make sure you’re being productive with your time. Instead of spending that extra 30-minutes scrolling through Instagram, why not throw in a load of laundry. You’ll likely be happier you did! If you’re like me, its great to make a list of the things you need to get done and visually see what will take more time and what tasks are more urgent than others.
Take a look at what your week is looking like
Similar to being productive with your time, it’s nice to be able to see on a calendar what the week ahead is looking like. This can help you figure out what tasks are priorities when you’re busy, and when you aren’t.
Get up at a reasonable time
Sleeping until late morning/early afternoon on the weekend can set yourself up for a rushed day. Your body might naturally have an internal alarm and wake up relatively early, but I would say 9 a.m. is a perfect time to slowly get up, have coffee and breakfast and then get going on your day by 11:30-12:00. If you do any running around earlier in the day, you’ll have plenty of time to relax and unwind later!
Tidy up your house/room
Although this isn’t a fun one, a cleaner house can make for a more positive attitude! I know that when there is a mound of dirty dishes sitting on my counter and toiletries spread out all over the counter in the bathroom, I instantly feel annoyed. Like how and when did it get this messy? I somehow do this to myself all the time and continuously tell myself “I’ll clean it later.” Well… it’s later! The dishes aren’t going to do themselves, so tackle them sooner rather than later. Then, when you look over from the couch and see a pile of clean dishes, you won’t feel as guilty.
Also! When you come home from work or school on Monday, you’ll likely be less stressed cause you’re coming home to a clean environment.
Laundry
A fresh week should call for some fresh clothes. Doing laundry can sometimes take all day, but the good thing about it is that you can do other things around the house while your clothes are in the wash or dryer (like studying or homework).
Meal Prep/grocery shop
In conjunction with laundry (and if you already have your groceries), you can meal prep! Or at least loosely plan out your meals for the next few days. One of my biggest frustrations is trying to figure out what I’m taking for lunch the next day or will have for dinner, which is why I like to plan out what I’m going to have (or try to have) in advance. Meal prepping can also reduce the likelihood that you’ll have to buy lunch every day. Regardless if you’re meal prepping or not, it’s a good feeling going into the week knowing you have fresh food in your fridge.
You can read more of Sheyanne’s tips for surviving student life at her blog “Student Notes to Self”
