5 things to do on sunday for a more productive week

You may have seen this quote on Pinterest or Instagram: “A Sunday well spent brings a week of content.” It usually means a restful, enjoyable Sunday starts your week off well. It’s kind of hard to argue with that logic. Getting a relaxing day to start the week sets a great tone for the rest of it.

But in our house, there’s a few other things that make for a good week. Specifically – planning and preparing.

Let’s clarify – those aren’t my strengths. They’re my husband’s. It got to the point where he pretty much had to demand we sit down and talk specifics about our schedules. But I had to admit, it makes a big difference when we do it, which is now every week. It actually makes for a more productive week, because I’m not feeling bogged down by things I might have gotten out of the way earlier.

Are you the type of person that dreads Mondays? Instead of staying up later on Sundays hoping the night doesn’t end, get your ducks in a row so that your week is a more peaceful one. Here are 5 things we do on Sunday for a more productive week:

1. Write out your schedule for the week and coordinate with your family. Penciling it in your calendar makes it stick in your mind. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been left scrambling because I relied too much on memory, and ended up forgetting everything! And then IMPORTANT – coordinate with your family as it applies. My husband and I have to talk about our plans, so that we a) don’t assume anything and b) end up with neither one of us planning to watch our son.

2. Write out a to-do list. Sometimes your to-do list goes beyond deadlines – it’s just things you need or want to get done. It’s helpful for me to write out what I want to see happen for the week, because it again makes it clear in my mind. It also is just so satisfying to be able to cross things off that list.

3. Plan meals and go grocery shopping. My week starts so much better when our fridge is stocked. It’s one less trip to the grocery store that I have to drag my little guy along to, since James can hang out with him. Planning meals keeps me from impulse-shopping, saves money, and lowers the amount of food we have to throw away.

4. Fold and put away laundry. My most hated chore! But similar to the fridge – it feels better when our laundry is folded, in the dresser, and ready to go. If not, I usually just procrastinate more.

5. Get quality time together. Sometimes we can see in our schedules that we’ll have some time together during the week, but even if that’s the case, it’s nice to hang out on Sunday nights. Instead of rushing around getting everything ready until late in the evening, we get to relax a bit.

That’s just our short list, and by no means do we get all these things done every week. Plus, everyone has different needs. I know some people iron, or pick out clothes, or prep food for the week. What are some things you can do on Sunday to get out of the way for the week?