Weekdays are, simply put, busy and filled with a lot of different responsibilities. The kids have school, different drop offs, pick ups, activities, & homework alongside dinner prep, daily chores, and keeping up with my side hobby: The Champagne Theory 🙂 I find that the most effective way to manage the chaos of the week is to prep ahead. For some, Sunday’s are a day of rest. For me, I get sh*t done. Every Sunday looks a little something like this:
Discuss the week ahead and review the family calendar with my husband
My husband travels a substantial amount for work (and for play, let’s be honest) and is typically gone at least one night a week. He is really good about putting his travel schedule on our shared calendar so I know when he is gone but I like to sit down with him and review everything in person. I like to know exactly what time he lands from his trips because this helps me coordinate school pick ups, sporting activities, and above all else, dinner plans. Will he or will he not be home for dinner and bed time and then I can plan everything else. It also helps me know what mornings I can get up and get a workout in, can I sneak off for tennis, yoga or Pilates if he’s home, or can he help with any drop offs, pick ups, or games/practices the boys need to get to. Long story short, a lot of weeks we are two ships passing in the night and sitting down on Sundays and going over, in detail, what our week looks like sets us up for success and causes way less stress on me when I know if, when, how, where he can help me get the boys from point A to point B.
Grocery shop//Meal plan
I have gotten way better about doing the grocery shopping and meal planning on Sundays so I am not at the grocery store every afternoon before picking up the boys. Some weeks I need one more run for extra fruit but otherwise, I get all of my shopping done on Sunday and plan out our dinners. If Britt is traveling, it’s a kitchen sink salad for me and nuggets for the boys but if we’re all home, we have family dinner before heading out to their individual sporting activities, which is currently 5+ nights a week. I don’t make new recipes every week because I don’t have the energy.. we keep it really simple over here. A protein, a salad, a vegetable, or potatoes. If I decide to cook a recipe, it’s usually from Skinnytaste, Half Baked Harvest, or something I find on Pinterest. I pin recipes here. I have also found that meal planning helps me stay on track with healthy eating during the week. It’s so easy for me to run the boys through McDonald’s or pick up a pizza on the way home and then I’d just end up eating that crap too so if I meal plan Sunday and have the food at home, I am way less likely to run through fast food for the kids. I try to limit the fast food to once a week and it’s usually when Britt’s traveling and we’re going straight from school to a field but otherwise, we eat at home as a family.
Map out my workouts
I sit down and look at the calendar so I know what days I can play tennis, pickleball, head to yoga, or just get it done at home. Alix and I team up at least once a week for an early morning workout so that keeps me accountable. Having a friend or someone to take a class with is always a great motivator so I am lucky that I have her to push me harder or outside of my comfort zone. But word to the wise, don’t actually try and keep up with her on the treadmill cuz you’ll get injured.. I speak from experience. I love to switch up my workouts and think that has been key in not getting burnt out and if I ever do feel lazy or unmotivated, I always go for a walk (on the treadmill or outside) and instantly feel better. When I plan my workouts ahead of time, I am able to schedule all other appointments around that hour of me time.
Wash sheets//laundry
Sunday wash day. Our sheets get a fresh wash, all of the boy’s laundry gets done for the week ahead, and I love going into Monday with empty hampers. There is just something about clean beds and clean closets that sets you up for success. Here is how I make our bed and get it extra comfy and cozy.
Family time & self-care
After all is said and done, my phone gets put away early and I typically like to hop in the sauna or bath, do my skincare routine while the boys take their own bath/shower and then we make popcorn and watch a movie as a family. Once the boys are in bed, it’s a show for me and my husband and lights out before 9 pm. I talked about a lot of these habits in this post here and I’m sticking to it. It truly sets me up for Monday morning feeling energized and refreshed.
How do you start your week on a fresh note? Would love to know your routine!
Xx, Heather
