Confused? You should be, but I will explain my madness. In my mind, my madness is pure logic, so here goes.
As the end of the holiday period approaches everything shifts (marketing wise) to the new year. Inevitably, that means being inundated with good will messages regarding new year's resolutions. Commercials, articles, conversations etc. about everyone's forthcoming resolutions that will ultimately change their life course by the end of January.
I for one am finding it rather tiring. Not the actual plans to improve our lives but the constant unrealistic one-upmanship that seems to become more of the focus.
Do you find that it's all too easy to become discouraged and then knowing that the milestone of a new year is 10 or 11 months away leads to the subconscious decision to do nothing?
So, in aid of all this do-nothingness, Sunday has become my new year. Not in a Hollywood Life Changing Moment just in a Let's plan a bit and ease the week in beforehand kind of way.
Time to re boot for the week ahead. Making sure the groceries for the week are in so there are fewer pit stop shopping trips can be incredibly helpful. I hate remembering, at 1:30 am, that I have no fruit for my kids lunches the next day. Or that I forgot to pay a bill so now I have screwed up my credit rating for 6 months.
Ringing any bells? I'm sure I'm not the only one. I can't be! I refuse to believe I am.
Laundry -ugh. Help me Rhonda. It just never ends. I have tried various methods, more clothes, fewer clothes, one load a day, one day with many loads...
It seems to change with our weekly schedule but I do try and have it ready for Monday morning. Then like the groceries, it's a no brainer for the week.
Menu planning is another life- easer for me. I'm not overly fond of this term as I feel it implies a certain level of professionalism that I am not up to. I don't get crazy over it, no multiple course meals or incredibly restrictive recipes that I only have 2 of the ingredients for. When I'm doing my groceries this comes into play. Another boon I have recently discovered (it takes me awhile), is grocery delivery.
AWESOME! Now before you start reeling about the delivery fee, think for a moment. No browsing, means less spending. You stick to your list so you actually end up saving money and for someone with a hectic schedule this is easily off set by the nominal delivery fee. Success.
Back to my original point about grocery delivery is that I can take my time when it's convenient for me and think about 3 or 4 meals I would like to make during the up coming week. It's so easy to then buy everything you need and if you forget something, you don't need to walk back 3 aisles, it's just a few finger taps away.
An added bonus is that if you live in a flat, walk-up or have a bad back there is no lifting, shifting, dropping or breaking.
So, every Sunday - or whatever time in the week fits the bill for you, is a moment to think about the upcoming week and decide on 2 or 3 things you can do that will make your week easier for you. I have shared the things that help me right now with my life, this is very subjective. Think about your needs, your family's needs for the week ahead. A year is too big of a chunk to be realistic for me, one week is my max.
Some other helpfuls for my week:
hard boil eggs for the week's lunches
prep kids schoolwork that I help them with (not homework but extras that we do)
ironing - sometimes
vitamins in the daily vitamin boxes
fill in my calendar/phone with the week's commitments
clean out your purse
charge all devices
Please do not try and do a marathon Sunday of endless prep for the next 6 days. Choose 2 or 3 only and just try and stick to them.
If you fall off the wagon mid week then refresh your mind and continue - giving up is self-defeating. Just move on and help yourself. If your re boot day has to be observed again mid week, so be it. No rules, no failings, no judgement - it's about making things easier not harder.
If you have any ideas you'd like to share that help you get through the week - please do.
A Favourite quote, Winston Churchill - "If you're going through hell, keep going..."