Mondays can really be tough especially after a long holiday weekend. All routines are off after taking it easy over Christmas and New Year’s break. Staying up late and not being prepared to are often the reason for the “Chaotic Morning Rush.” Waking up late, searching for something to wear, finding breakfast, loosing car keys, preparing lunch, finding keys…Kind of like a scavenger hunt when you are just waking up. Everyone leaves feeling rushed and usually something is forgotten at home. To top it off, there is only enough gas in the car to get to the gas station where you grab and Coke and honey bun for breakfast and maybe even chips for lunch. When you go thru the long car pool line, you realize how messy your car is because the backpack has drug the trash in the floorboard out. The school calls because she is tardy again. Walk into work with a waiting room full of patients that you aren’t ready for. Then after long day at work and school, you head home hungry and irritable. You hope none of your utilities are cut off for nonpayment and can’t remember the last time you made a payment. You pick up fast food because it seems easier and then do a repeat last night and this morning.
To have a perfect Monday you have to develop a plan.
Car-full of fuel, washed and vacuumed. I don’t want to leave anything such as a simple backpack in the car so I won’t wake up to a smashed window from a thief.
Laundry-fresh bed linens, clean towels, clean clothes
Menu Plan- inventory what you have and make a list of what you can eat over the week.
Shopping-Milk, bread, eggs, toilet paper, snacks…
Backpack/Gym Bag- Packed and at door
Phones: Charged and ready
Check calendar- school notes, tests, projects, fees, pictures?
Bills- Organize your bills and pay online from your bank account on your paydays. I get payed twice a month so I only have to work on this on 1st and 15th. I put my mortgage and car note on auto pay so they will always be payed on time and they are safe!
House-Picked up and tidy, swept, mopped, dusted, trash out, kitchen and bathroom spotless.
Outfit – Everything layed out and ready to go including underwear and shoes. Sweater? Jacket?
Lunch- Healthy lunch packed in fridge and ready to grab
Pamper night – Saturday or Sunday evening we have a home spa treat. We deep condition our hair, facial mask or scrub, mani/pedi, shave, bubble bath, blowout hair and moisturize skin esp. dry feet. Since we have to do all this stuff anyway, why not turn it into a treat
Bed time-Go to bed at a reasonable time so you will feel rested.
Wake up-When you wake up early you can relax and make the less stressful for everyone. I wake up at 5am and then wake Hannah up at 5:30. Enjoy good breakfast and take meds/vitamins. Check weather report.
The time you invest over the weekend getting ready for Monday will make a huge difference in your week. We have to do all of this anyway and it is so much better to have it done in advance.
