How I get ready for the week ahead, in my experience, will determine the outcome. I tend to use the “Sunday routine” method to help me stay ahead of the curve.
The Sunday Routine is simply the act of dedicating a few hours of the day to preparing for your work week. Of course, you can use whatever day of the week works best for your schedule.
If you have children and/or a spouse, then it can feel like a pretty heavy investment of time. But, it’s completely worthwhile. The return on the investment is the ability to cruise through each day in your week feeling successful, on track, and less stressed.
When time gets tight *BAM* you’ve already got plenty of food ready and waiting in the refrigerator. When your day gets hectic *SURPRISE* you already scheduled time for your evening workout, have food to eat before leaving work, and have your gym bag waiting in the trunk of your car.
My Sunday Routine always involves making sure my family is ready for the week, too. In this case, it was having some fresh cookies on hand for my kids.
How to get the Routine going:
Grab your calendar: get a sense of your week - are there any after work events you will be attending? What is the schedule of your kids activities? When will you fit in your trips to the gym?
Hey, while you’re in there - go ahead and schedule a time for your workouts and any other mid-week meal prep you anticipate needing to do.
If the week looks really jam-packed, can you schedule time for an after dinner walk or a home workout?
Does your gym require an appointment? Then go ahead and actually BOOK the appointment now.
Take action! Hit the grocery store, start your laundry, clean the house… Do the actions that you can do TODAY to set yourself up for a successful week.
Make some food or whole meals in bulk. This doesn’t have to be fancy. And, if you’ve never done this before, be patient. The first go-round, you may not get it perfectly.
Here are some of my go-to’s - they all keep well for at least a few days:
Burgers (turkey or beef)
Chicken (any type)
Fish
Beef stew
Hearty soup
Rice
There are unlimited options here
No cookies for me, this is more what my personal prep tends to resemble!
Having the discipline to get all your meals ready and gym bag packed ahead of time is important. The more you can create a grab ‘n go situation for yourself (and even your family), the better! So, pack your meals the night before and get your clothes ready ahead of time, too.
On the occasions when I arrogantly ignore my weekly prep, foolishly thinking I’m ready, when I’m not, or that I’ll “make it through.” I always end up regretting it! Food I thought I had on hand, quickly diminishes within a day or two and low-and-behold, I have virtually no clothes to wear. Seriously, it gets bad.
Take some time today or on whatever day you like and set yourself up for success with the Sunday Routine.
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