One of the worst feelings you’ll find a lot of people suffer from is the anxiety of being disorganized. Sometimes, it can be debilitating to start a week, or even a day, without being prepared for anything. After all, what if it rains, when the forecast predicted sunshine? What if your boss isn’t in the best mood for your jokes? What if a major accident suddenly stopped all public transport, and your boss expects you to go to the office?
First of all, take a deep breath. Relax. And make a checklist of all the things you need to do, before you actually need to do it. One of the best ways you can counter this anxiety is by preparing for the week ahead on Sunday! Of course, you can probably think of a lot of things to add to that list, so here are a few to start you off on your ultimate Sunday reset checklist!
1. Separate Your Daily And Weekly Chores
Your mind is a reservoir of thoughts. Some thoughts can sink to your subconscious, while others float to the top of your consciousness, and because of this, some of your everyday habits can get lost somewhere in between. So, remind yourself of them by writing them down. Better yet, separate your daily and weekly chores, so you know on what days you need to do them.
For example, your daily tasks could include making your bed every morning, taking your multivitamins, or even walking your dog. Whatever you do every day, list them out under your daily tasks. On the other hand, your weekly tasks could include taking your bins out the night before bin day, changing your bedsheets, or watering your house plants. When you identify what your daily and weekly chores are, and you have a visual reminder to do those tasks, it’ll be easier to remember to do those things, when you need to. It’ll essentially, help you establish a routine.
2. Schedule Some “Me Time”
Don’t forget that you still need some down time for yourself during the week. Even if it’s just for an hour or two, or even 20 minutes, schedule in some “me time”, at least once in the week. This will help you lower your stress levels and help you reset for anything important, like giving a sales pitch at work, or working with a difficult client. Take some time out before these important tasks, to reset your stress levels, and you’ll be able to handle these situations without feeling exhausted.
“Me time” can be anything from taking a 20-minute walk or booking out a spa day. Essentially, you need to take some time out of your day, to focus on yourself, and not let the world distract you from the here and now. When you take some time out of your busy schedule to reset, you avoid burning out. By taking some “me time”, you avoid letting even the smallest problem from becoming a problem, and you’ll even be able to handle the larger problems without letting them affect your emotions.
3. Highlight The Important Jobs
Nearly every week you’ll have at least one important job to do, whether it’s having a meeting with your boss, paying off a major bill or even planning a family outing. These major events and jobs will take up a lot of time even before your week starts, and sometimes, you may forget a task that could make or break whatever it is you’re doing. So, make sure you list out every task you need to do.
This way, you won’t forget what you need to do, to ensure your major job or event is a success. So, always remember to highlight the important jobs you have, as well as the tasks that you need to do, to accomplish those jobs. After all, these jobs and tasks are what highlight your week. So, prepare for them by writing them out before your week starts.
4. Add A Meal Plan To Your List
Sometimes figuring out what to eat for lunch and dinner can be difficult, especially if it’s a last-minute decision. So, why not add a meal plan for the week, to make things easier during the week. Of course, sometimes, you might not want to stick to your meal plan, but at least it’s there to help you make those decisions. A meal plan can go a long way to saving you time during the week, and you won’t have to worry about what you’re going to eat every day.
So, add a meal plan to your checklist, to help save you time during the week, or even better, prepare your meals before the week, so all you need to do is heat them up when you need to eat them. Not only that, but a meal plan will help with your overall health, since you’ll be able to see what you’re eating, when you’re eating and how much you’re eating. After all, buying food from restaurants might seem like you’re having varied meals, but if you break it down, they’re almost the same.
5. Add Color To Your Checklist
Color is one of the best ways ensure you remember your lists. So, color coordinate your checklist, to help you remember which task is which. You can do this by either writing out your lists in different colors or highlighting your tasks with different colors. For many people, color can help identify which tasks are more important than others, and which ones are habits or routines that they’ve established.
Not only that, but color always helps. Think about it. When you see red, you think urgent, or when you see green, you’d think easy. Color can always help you remember those tasks that are more important, and those that are more routine. So, add color to your checklists. Of course, it’ll help with making your lists look more attractive, especially if you add stickers, doodles, or paints to decorate your lists.
