Start Your Week Off On The Right

Picture this: it’s a Monday morning and it’s a frantic one, as per usual. You’re trying to herd the kids to get them ready for school while getting all of your own stuff ready for work. At the same time, you’re trying to make sure that everyone gets a good breakfast and has a healthy lunch packed – all before 9 am. 

Here's the secret: a good week really starts off on Sunday. The more prep work you do, the smoother your week will go! Here’s how to start your week off on the right foot so you can stay happy, healthy, and as stress-free as possible. 

Map out your week before it starts.

Preparation is everything if you want to have a stress-free week. So one of the best things that you can do during the weekend is to sit down and take stock of all your goals for the next seven days! 

Before you go to bed on Sunday night, take a mental inventory of all the things that need to get done, like work projects, school events, social events, gym time, et cetera. 

It’s especially helpful to write things out somewhere: whether you prefer a digital planner or the pen-and-paper version, taking some time to write out your plans for the week can give you a little more clarity on the things that need to be done. 

It’ll also make it less likely to forget some of the important things on your list for the day! 

Meal prep for the next couple of days. 

Cooking is a necessity if you’re trying to stay healthy, but it can take a lot of time out of your day. Besides cooking itself, you also have to think about what it is that you’re going to be cooking that aligns with your health goals. You also have to make sure that you have all the necessary ingredients! These things can eat a ton of time, and many people fall into the trap of simply forgoing their healthy homecooked meal and ordering a heavy restaurant meal instead. 

So the best thing you can do to stay on track for the rest of the week is to do some time-saving meal prepping during the weekend. Use Saturday to plan out your meals for the rest of the week and hit the grocery store for all the necessities. Then, take some time on Sunday to actually cook it all and divide your meals into healthy portion sizes that you can reach for throughout the rest of the week. 

Or better yet, order some meal prep.

It’s now easier than ever to get fresh, health-conscious meals that are already prepped for you. Using a meal prep delivery service means that you get all the convenience of a food delivery without compromising on your fitness goals for the week. It also saves you a ton of time, letting you focus on more pressing matters during the weekdays. 

If you are in the Los Angeles area, check out My Healthy Penguin for properly portioned, nutrient-dense prepped meals that are delivered straight to your door. We also have kids menu options and breakfast items so that every single meal of the week is covered! 

Take care of the stressful stuff first.

Procrastination on some of your most stressful and time-intensive tasks is always tempting. After all, who reallywants to work on boring, difficult, or menial tasks? But getting these things out of the way early on in the week is really a better option: you can cross them off of your to-do list and avoid that nagging feeling throughout the week when you know that you’re putting something important off. 

Get into the habit of taking care of those tasks as soon as you’re able to in the week. If you have time to get it done on Monday, do it then! You’ll be able to relax for the rest of the week and minimize some of the stress that can turn a good So?

So?

With a little bit of forethought and planning, you can cast away those Monday blues and give yourself the opportunity to have a good, productive week. By taking care of all the small stuff first – to-do lists, meal prep, and planning – you’re taking a ton of stress off of your plate and giving yourself the gift of time for the rest of the week!