Last week my Monday morning did NOT start off right. There I was, happily driving to work with my favorite song on satellite radio, protein shake in one hand — when out of nowhere a frog ninja-jumped onto my chest. While driving. Needless to say — protein shake flew everywhere…. and I mean everywhere. And I still haven’t figured out how that frog got in the car in the first place. I mean, how do frogs use “slim-jims” anyway?
I pulled over to the side of the road (truthfully, I kind of swerved that way) and came to a rocking stop in the mud. After two phone calls and within a matter of minutes, work and car were covered. My work team jumped in to help with my first appointment and my husband volunteered to get the car cleaned.
Even with my work team and my husband pitching in, this type of Monday would have completely derailed my entire week in a former time. But it didn’t! After I zoomed home, I ran upstairs and grabbed the outfit that always hangs in a certain spot and is totally put together. The shoes, the jewelry and anything else I need (that matches, of course) is hanging with it. My mother taught me this and It’s a tip that’s saved many a day for me — thanks Mom! In two minutes I was ready to roll and get to work despite Mr. Car-Frog’s unexpected appearance.
My little incident took place on a Monday (ugh…) but don’t we all have unexpected “mini-disasters” come up during the week? Everyone is always busy, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed in today’s crazy world. With a little planning the weekend or the week before, though, you can avoid wrecking the rest of your week and keep on track.
Weekly planning tips for today’s hectic family life
- Meal planning: Meal planning can save time and money. Make sure everyone is on board so that whoever arrives home first can start the Crock Pot or throw something in the oven. My family does a good portion of our meal planning on Sundays, after we have picked up our groceries. You may want to hang a little calendar or chart of what meal is on for that night. Keep a Sharpie in the kitchen so instructions can be written directly on the package. Or you could try meal kits.
- Try shopping apps: Shopping apps like Instacart, through Publix, are my best friend. Anyone in the family can add to the list of what we need. Someone else does the shopping and lets us know when to pick it up.
- Do a family calendar review: Take the time to sit down with your family and be aware of scheduling needs. If there are any parties or get-togethers coming up, take care of supplies and gift buying the week before. Also, make sure everyone has a ride to where they need to be — and a backup plan in place in case something changes. (Nothing is more stressful than a child blowing up your phone in the middle of a meeting.)
- Be a part of the community: A lot of the moms I know are more than willing to help if my family needs it — and next time I reciprocate. This can make or break it when something unexpected pops up.
- Tackle house cleaning and laundry: Encourage everyone to evaluate their clothing needs for the week during your calendar review. Are soccer and baseball uniforms clean? Are there enough towels for the week? Are the dishes ready to go? Everyone can help — even little kids (and husbands, maybe) can sort laundry by color or texture!
- Pack your workout clothes for the week: I HAVE to follow this tip, or I find every excuse in the book to not exercise. I pack five days-worth of clothes and shoes for the entire week. I know that sounds crazy and you are probably asking “who has that many shoes?” …let’s move on.
- Prep your work outfits the week or night before: No one wants to wake up a little late and discover their favorite shirt they need to wear when making that critical presentation is still at the dry cleaners. If you have a good idea of what your work calendar looks like, you can plan so there are no rushed or panicked mornings. Hang up your entire work ensemble the night before so it’s ready to go.
- Organize your purse, backpack, or briefcase: Mine begins to turn into a black hole if I don’t take a few minutes to file receipts, deal with mail I dumped in it all week, consolidate loose change, and get everything streamlined.
Most importantly, make sure you set aside some “me” time and time to spend with your loved ones, friends, and pets too. Once Monday arrives, the craziness is inevitable — so have fun on the weekends.
With some simple everyday routines and planning, nothing — not even a car-frog — will derail your productive week!
June 2019
