Another weekend has come and gone. If you’re not careful you’ll look up and next thing you know it’ll be Wednesday, the work week is halfway over and you’ve accomplished nothing on your to-do list. After many years of running around like a chicken with my head cut off, I have developed five things I do every Monday.

Here a few tips and tricks I use to get the most out of my week.

1. Plan out your entire week in a planner- every Monday morning I’ve made a routine of planning the upcoming week. This means that every detail goes into my weekly planner. I personally think it is best to keep your work and personal appointments in the same planner. It gives you a better recap and idea of everything you need to accomplish.
2. Meal prep Monday- I don’t know about you but Sunday’s are my day of rest. I relax and mentally prepare for the week. Which is code for, I sit on my couch watching Netflix pretending like the weekend will never end.  I typically have leftovers from the weekend that I eat for lunch Monday, but after work it is all about meal prepping for the upcoming week. Not only does this help me stick to my meal plan, it is a great way to save money.
3. Use your Monday evening to get ahead- if you need me and it is Monday you can bet I am doing laundry, cleaning and cooking. Using my Monday to focus on organizing my “life” helps to put mentally put myself at ease and feel like I have gotten a jump start on the week.
4. Decide your outfit the night before- this is hands down the best thing I have ever done. Remember when you were younger and your mom used to lay out your outfit before you went to bed? Well, she was on to something. I kid you not, this saves me twenty whole minutes of my life in the morning. Plus who likes to start the morning running behind, wearing two different socks and a wrinkled shirt?
5. Prioritize- life is crazy and something will always come up. I’ve found that when I make a “this must be done” list at the beginning of the week life becomes so much simpler. If you are anything like me then your mind is constantly running, you easily forget what you are looking for when you enter a room and yes the coffee pot is still on from this morning. Making a list helps me to hone in on what HAS to be complete before Friday. And there is also no better feeling then crossing something off the list.

Remember, planning and prioritizing is the key to productivity! It is okay to say no to your coworkers who want you to join them for happy hour if you have a mile long list of to-do’s. Figure out what is important, how to accomplish your list and attack the week!

I hope this was helpful! I would love to hear what some of y’alls go to’s are for a productive week. Comment below with your favorite tips and tricks for an accomplished week!