4 Quick Steps to Prepare for the Week Ahead

Knowing you have a busy week ahead of you can cause many a sleepless Sunday night, knowing what the week is going to entail.

Your to-do list in your mind may seem like it’s never ending and going to be impossible to complete.

During these stressful and busy times, you have to be able to organize your life to relieve some stress and make for a more productive week.

Here are a few steps to follow to reduce anxiety and prepare for a seamless week ahead.

Making a list

Creating a list of what you need to accomplish for the day or week helps organize thoughts and get them down on paper. Studies have shown that making lists provide many benefits. They provide a process where confusion can be walked through, prioritizes situations, creates commitment and action and most importantly organizes that inner sense of chaos. All of which, makes your impossible day or week ahead feel more manageable.

Setting small goals

If you have a large goal to complete by the end of the week, set small accomplishable goals each day. Break your large goal down into smaller ones. Write them down, of course.

Setting small goals can act as a mental note for you to measure how much you have completed and what is left to accomplish. Completing small goals that lead up to the large goal bring a sense of accomplishment and provide motivation to continue.

Preparing the night before

Take the time to actually get organized. Know where everything is that you’ll need for the next day. Avoid procrastinating and wasting time to help provide a more organized and productive week.

Learn to make night time your new morning.

Preparing the night before eliminates any decisions you have to make early in the morning which will help your day flow smoothly.

Plan and prepare the decisions that you already know you’ll have to make the next morning. Lay out your gym clothes if you are planning to go to the gym or prepare your breakfast and lunches as much as you can.

Making “No” your new favorite word

Learning to say “no” can save you time and trouble. If you really do not have time to join in on whatever the event or task might be, practice saying no more often. Saying no allows you to say yes to what you really want to spend your time doing.

Ultimately, don’t beat yourself up.

It’s okay if your week is still not perfect as you would like it to be. Whether obstacles come up that you have to overcome or unplanned events seemed to just come up out of nowhere. Taking these steps to prepare for the week ahead will still help you through the week to feel productive and accomplished.