Have you ever wondered why your week was not productive? Having a productive week does not always come super easy. There are a few things you can do on Sunday to help jump-start a productive week. The following seven reasons help contribute to a less productive week.
You did not set smart and realistic goals.
Identifying and setting your weekly goals are the first steps to take in order to build a blue print for the week. Designate a time to determine what you need to do and how to accomplish this. Identify small tasks as well. These tasks may be as simple as remembering to take your child to get a haircut because Tuesday is picture day. Click HERE for information on setting Smart goals.
You did not get proper sleep.
In addition to food, water, clothes, and shelter, our bodies need the proper amount of sleep. Although many professionals have determined the human body needs eight hours of sleep each night, its important for you to know exactly what your own body needs and get it. If you determine you only need 6 hours, you need to plan for at least 6 hours and try your best to achieve it.
You did not meal plan.
Save time and money by determining what items you will serve for yourself and your family. Meal planning can be as simple as knowing which restaurants you’re going to get take out from or preparing a weeks worth of freezer meals. By creating your meal plan, this will leave one less thing to plan during the week. Although it may sound simple, meal planning takes the guess-work out of what you will eat each day.
You did not use your organizational tools.
In our informational age, we all have many organizational tools at our disposal. We have tons of apps, online calendars, paper planners, and other organizational items available. Use your tools and systems to keep your home and life organized.
You did not get your clothes ready at least the night before.
At a minimum, make sure your clothes for the week are clean. If you are in a position to outline your wardrobe for the week, do it. Standing in front of your closet each morning trying to figure out what to wear will kill a lot of your time. Try preparing your clothes including ironing them for the week on Sunday. You can also prepare your children’s weekly clothes as well. Check HERE to check out my previous post on the 7 things to do each night to have a productive tomorrow.
You did not schedule “down” time.
No matter how busy you are, prepare your “down” time. This time is needed to let your body and brain relax. Consider designating some relaxation time during your evening routine. This will also assist in trying to achieve a good night’s sleep. Check out my 7 Tips to Avoid Being Overworked.
You did not prepare your work bag the night before.
Have you ever been late for work or an appointment because you couldn’t find your keys or an important item during the morning. I recommend preparing the items you need to take out of the house, the night before. Your work bag, school bag, lunch bag, gym bag, or any other bag should be prepared the night before. Each morning, you should only have to grab your bag and go.
I hope you found this information helpful. If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to ask in the comments section below.
If you need help getting your home and life organized, register for my free “5 Days to an Organized Home & Life” email course. You’ll receive tips and suggestions for five days and a copy of my eBook. You can register for the free course Here.
As always, thanks for stopping by. If you have any planning, organizational or decorating questions, please do not hesitate to ask. I would love to hear from you. For information concerning our decorating services and products, please visit Divine Elements of Design.
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I giggled and said YES GIRL YYYYYES lol… BUT I’m fixing that I even posted about it… The lack of sleep oh it’s hitting me HARD this AM. Hubby was leaving for work at 4 am and his work back dropped on the floor with a big boom and there went my sleep. I foresee a nap for me when my little girl goes down too! Here is to a productive upcoming week 🙂
Naps are awesome. If you can get one, go for it!!
So true! Have to be well rested and have a plan to be successful!
Thanks for reading.
Well, that explains it all! Actually, I felt bad about this yesterday, so I pinpointed that I really have to make a daily list (either at the beginning of the day or the end) so I can plug away at my goals. It’s so easy to get lost in monumental tasks ahead of me, when I really just need to break it down into actionable steps.
YUP! When I do those things, the day goes smoothly. When I don’t, it’s a time suck! Great post 🙂
Thanks for stopping by.
Tell me about it! I’m going to try and incorporate these helpful tips. Thank you!
You’re very welcome. Thanks for reading.
I’m the worst at like all of these but proper sleep. You are so so so right about productivity/organization apps and tools. There are SO many out there, I’m finally breaking down and using Buffer to schedule my posts and it is SUCH a help.
Sara
http://www.thelegallybrunette.com
Thanks for stopping by.
Great post! I definitely need to add setting goals to my weekly plan. I plan my things to do for the week, but never thought to add my goals to my planning.
Yes, goal setting is awesome.
Really good tips! My reason this week is no proper sleep for sure, with a sick toddler the nights are kinda BAD!!
Poor thing! I hope your little one gets well soon.
Ugh…so many of those this week! No sleep + no meal plan= bad week. I will do better next week. Thanks for the great tips!
Stop back and let us know how the tips work.
I’ve had a lot of that this week too. Must be the weather.
Lack of sleep and over-planning are two things that are the main reasons for me not being productive enough. great post- I’m sure a lot of us can relate to it!
— DT | Here I Scribble
DT recently posted…Thankful Thursdays — a Link Up party!
I guess my problem is not setting smart, realistic goals. Sometimes it’s hard to know what is realistic! As a working mother trying to get an online business going, it’s up and down every day. Any suggestions?
Yes, it is tough. I’m trying to get back adjusted with a 6 week old. My main tip is to not overwhelm yourself. I’m offering a free workshop soon where we go over how to set realistic SMART goals. Check back soon or follow this blog so you can get updated when the workshop is scheduled.
I never schedule down time, I never even thought about doing this!
I bet that’s making me get slower by the end of the week because my brain just breaks by Thursday!
Yes, we must schedule our downtime. We work so hard, we need to give our brain a break. Thanks for stopping by.
how did you know this is my week?! This is exactly why this week has felt so chaotic! I need to be better this sunday night! thanks for the great reminder!
You’re very welcome. Thanks for stopping by.
Isn’t it strange that you have to schedule in sleep, meals, and downtime? But, it is SOOO true!!! If I didn’t get enough sleep the night before, my motivation is close to zero, and I could sit at my computer all day long, and not get anything done! Definitely need to work on my meal planning this weekend before making a trip to SAMs Club! Thanks for sharing! <3
Ah, these reasons could not be any more TRUE! I definitely need to work on the sleep thing AND getting my outfits picked out the day before would be so helpful. Loved this post, girl! xx, Elaine
Thanks for stopping by. Getting the proper amount of sleep is tough for many of us.
This is so spot-on! Having a productive week has so much to do with preparation and taking care of yourself so that you can take care of your business! Thanks for sharing!
So true! I normally get ready for the coming week on Sunday night. If I miss that planning time, my week is completely thrown off. That includes setting goals, meal planning, etc. Great post.
Yes, Sunday planning is an absolute must for me. Thanks for stopping by.
Yup! All great tips! People forget how important it is to schedule down time!
Rachel | http://www.theconfusedmillennial.com
I keep forgetting that productivity has to do with setting myself up for success. Once I fail to plan and ensure I can get things done, my week falls apart. Thanks for the reminder!
Soo true. It’s all about planning and preparation. Something I’m trying to get better at now that I have three kids to chase around!
This are all so true ! I really feel crappy when i felt un productive. Great post!
http://www.aprilwashere.com
This list is sooo true! I can always predict I will be behind a week if one of these aspects aren’t done correctly. Especially if I’m not getting enough sleep! These are things you don’t always think about, but definitely have the biggest effect.