5 tips for calming a stressful week (before it begins)

Big deep breath. You can do this.

I hope you’re having a good day. Today I wanted to share with you five quick tips to calm a stressful week before the week begins.

This is going to be a bonkers week. My husband’s work schedule is all over the place, I’m on deadline for two projects and wrapping up our school semester. (And prepping lots of things for the holidays!)

So I did somethings this weekend to make this week run a little bit more smoothly.

Clear visual clutter

I am not claiming to have a pristine and clutter-free home. But I took time Sunday night to clear off my countertops, scrub down the kitchen, vacuum and put away everyone’s shoes. It was awesome to wake up to a clutter-free space.

That took a little bit off my plate.

Take away unessential tasks

I am a schedule crammer. I enjoy being highly productive. I joke that I have two modes, Energizer Bunny or coma. There is no in-between.

But I have to look at this realistically. There is only one of me. And four children and a full-time job. I can’t physically do all the things. So I had to remove a few unessential tasks from my to-do. I outsourced some things. The rest I just let go.

If it wasn’t something I needed to do to care for my children or to do my job it was removed from my list.

Plan lunches (or any other meals)

I am a meal planner. I love to meal plan and I offer lots of tips on how to do that. And we have a breakfast rotation (which I HIGHLY recommend). But lunches confound me. I hate stopping to fix lunch. So I grabbed my planner and jotted down lunch ideas.

Cheese and muffins

Peanut butter and jelly

Quesadillas and fruit smoothies.

Make sure you have clean clothes

Jason and I took time to fold every single piece of laundry in our house and put it away so there weren’t piles of laundry baskets lying around and if I skip laundry for a few days I know everyone has underwear.

Line up child care

I realize this is a HUGE luxury. I made sure that I had childcare lined up. A few years ago this wasn’t something we could afford, but I have weekly child care one day a week now and it’s been a GAME changer!

BONUS TIP: Prioritize rest

Take time to take care of you! Set an alarm to remind you to drink water. Make time to read a book or go for a walk. Put your phone away. Taking time to chill out and relax and be gentle with yourself. If you need to rest for a few minutes after work you’re not lazy.

We need to stop viewing rest as being nonproductive because your body will not survive without it. Be at peace with where things are.