Hey Thuy: Sunday Routine
I am a total creature of habit and thrive off of organization and routine. I often get asked how I am able to do everything I do on top of working a full time job and I really owe a lot of that to being consistent with my Sunday routine. It makes our week seem to run so much smoother and when we don't have chaos, I am a much happier mama which is a plus for all involved! But don't think for a second that I don't fail every SINGLE day and that beyond what you see on my blog or Instagram, my life isn't just as messy as anyone else and giving myself a lot of grace is the only way I am able to keep going.
So first things first, by Sunday my entire house is clean and my fridge is stocked. I have changed my cleaning schedule to Fridays and grocery shopping to Saturday and it has been a HUGE change for us. It makes Monday's so much easier and less chaotic when everything is clean and organized and I took everyone's advise and I started ordering a big portion of my groceries online and I also started meal planning for the week but I don't plan for every single day which gives me a little freedom to dine out with the family or grab dinner with friends.
The next thing I do each Sunday is take about 30-45 minutes and open my planner ( yes, I do use a old school paper planner. I am currently using the Erin Condren Life Planner for 2018 and I absolutely love it! ) I look at what I have scheduled for the upcoming week with work deadlines and what is happening with the family with school functions and appointments. I then write out my to do list for the upcoming week into my weekly spread of my planner. I try to focus on 3-4 action items each day that need to get done and in the event I can't complete them all, I move that task to the next day to complete. It helps me plan mentally in my head when I can see what needs to be done for the next 7 days.
After I get my weekly planner updated and have an idea of what is coming up for the week, I then normally start my meal plan prep and when I say meal prep, I have a few things I do each Sunday that I like to have cooked and ready to eat throughout the week. I like to always boil a dozen eggs on Sunday and I normally add them to my snack box that I prep or I eat them for breakfast. Speaking of snack boxes, I like to prep a few for the week and sometimes I eat them at work or sometimes eat them for a quick dinner if I have a busy evening. I also make my Easy Quiche recipe mostly every Sunday and I also eat that for breakfast or lunch throughout the week. The quiche pairs great with a side salad or even my pasta salad. After I make all that, I then start my meal prep for the Mister to pack for work which normally consist of baked chicken or salmon with a side of roasted veggies and brown rice. He normally gets so busy at work and doesn't have time to leave so I try to help him make better choices with a prep meal versus going out for fast food. My little one also is a very picky eater therefore most of the times, I have to pack his lunch so I do plan out which days he will be eating school lunch versus packing and prep anything I can in advance.
After all my meal prep is complete, I then do my weekly check in with the boys and make sure their backpacks are emptied and that anything that needed to be completed or signed gets done. It makes life easier when the boys have everything that they need for the week and we aren't scrambling to get things together in the mist of morning chaos. I also make sure all the laundry baskets are empty so we don't have piles of laundry to do and it has helped a lot from being overwhelming that I break up our laundry and do a little throughout the week. The last thing I do each Sunday before I go to bed is make sure my desk is clean and organized. Since I do have a full time job during the day, most of my blog work happens after the boys are in bed and it helps me stay focus when my desk is cluttered free and I can focus on the task that needs to be done. I also am a firm believer in self-care so I always rest on Sundays before the busy week starts and pamper myself with a little facial mask.
Whew, well I think that basically sums up my Sunday Routine. I know it may sound like a lot but it truly does help me mentally to prepare for the week however, there are always times when I don't get everything I want to do done and that is ok too. I try not to put too much pressure on myself if things don't get done and sometimes I just have to go with the flow.