Sunday is the fresh start to your new week and can dictate a lot about how your Monday goes. Most of us get to Sunday and realize we are exhausted from the weekend and not exactly looking forward to the Monday ahead. But by doing a few simple things on Sunday evening we can have a successful week ahead.

5 Things to Do On Sunday Evening or a Successful Week

I can always tell a difference in my week when I take the time on Sunday to do a few things to start my week well. We try to reserve Sunday as much as possible to spend time as a family resting, getting ready for the week ahead, and giving our family permission to slow down. Most of the time, we are home by lunch or shortly after. We spend the afternoon hours resting and make sure to end the evening with a few productive tasks to set us up for the week. Many times it takes a little effort to push through the exhaustion and desire for that lazy Sunday, but every time we do I am more than thankful when Monday comes around.

To start your week off with a fresh start, be sure to do these five things Sunday evening:

Weekly Meal Plan

This is probably my least favorite thing to do, but thankfully I can sit down and watch a good show while looking for a few meals for the week. I keep our breakfast and lunches pretty much the same and just rotate them around, so I mainly have to focus on dinner. I don’t always do this on Sunday exactly, I try to make sure it is done so that I can pick up groceries for the week on Sunday. Walmart Grocery Pick Up is my BFF when it comes to grocery shopping because it takes way less time out of my day, I don’t have to drag the kids in, and I am not tempted to grab things we don’t need. In fact, I am pretty sure we save money using Grocery Pick Up! I usually aim to pick up our groceries right after church or sometime in the evening.

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Meal planning is the most important step to making sure that we have healthy meals throughout the week, we aren’t tempted to pick up take out, and so I am not wondering what to make. I might swap out Monday for Thursday if we really aren’t in the mood, but still sticking to the plan helps a ton. Eating out can get out of control and isn’t always the best for you so meal planning can really help. If I skip this step, then my week definitely knows. Especially my empty refrigerator…

Check the Calendar

Every Sunday I make sure to look at the calendar on my wall, the one in my phone, my son’s school calendar, AND ask my husband if there is anything upcoming this week that I should know about. When I have checked all the calendars, I make sure any important information is included on the calendar on our wall. Most of the time, I have already taken care of this at the beginning of the month, but sometimes new things come up. The calendar on my wall is front and center so it really helps make sure I don’t miss anything. Managing five people’s schedules and routines can be very overwhelming after awhile so this is a must do. Then I know what I need to prepare for the week ahead, if anything, which leads me to…

Write a To-Do List

I am NOT a list person…at all. I have to MAKE myself write lists. Writing lists help keep all those crazy to-dos in my head in one place so I don’t get overwhelmed with everything that needs to get done. If I look ahead and see dates on the calendar that require me to have something done beforehand, I write it on the list. If there is something that is a priority for my week, I write it on the list. If I have deadlines for work, I write it on the list. Because truth be told, my kids will demand much of my attention that if it isn’t written down I will forget to get it done or start a project and leave it unfinished. This pretty much keeps the mom brain from turning into mush.

Pick Out Clothes for the Week Ahead

Now, picking out my clothes is impossible. I wear what I feel like, and most of the time it’s something comfortable. I do however pick out the kid’s clothes for the week. We have a clothing drawer system in their rooms to help organize all the clothes for the week ahead. That way there is no scrambling around the morning of to find what we need. I check the weather for the week, pick everything they need down to their socks and shoes, put it in the drawers and after that it’s their responsibility! Elyse can be a bit picky on her clothing choices, so she helps me pick them out and put them in drawers and that solves any early morning tears.

Give Yourself a Clean Slate

I don’t like to do any heavy cleaning on the weekend, and Monday is usually spent getting my house back in order from the weekend. But when school is in session, taking a few extra minutes on Sunday evening so that I can start with a fresh slate Monday morning is a huge deal. The most important room for me to start with a clean slate is the kitchen, nothing is worse than waking up and not being able to find clean dishes or counter space to make breakfast. There isn’t enough time to manage the weekend chaos on Monday morning, so a clean slate makes a big difference.

Bonus Tip

I use a supply box to pack the snacks for the week ahead at one time! Five snacks and Jase can pick which snack he wants each day. Then I don’t have to worry about forgetting the night before, and none of his snacks get crushed!

Tips for a Productive Week

Simple changes can make a big difference in the overall flow of your week. All it takes is a little preparation for you to feel like you are a bit more organized for the busy week ahead. I have been surprised by how these simple changes have made such a big difference!

What are a few things you do for a successful week?