If there is one thing I am guilty of, it is not putting myself ahead for the week. To the point that when Wednesday comes around I feel horrible about not accomplishing a single thing that I had HOPED to have had done. Partly because I never set myself up for success. I simply hoped that my brain would work the way I wanted it to without any help which is wrong. I do need a lot of help!

One thing I am starting to do seemingly this year would be that I want to plan my weeks out. Similar to work. When I was actually working and before I had kids I would plan out my week. I would know my shifts, when I would meet people, when I would have free time. Obviously it goes without saying that you really can’t plan every single detail but if you have specific things like an appointment or something then you certainly can plan that out also too. Like meals can also be planned too, even specifics like if you have to make phone calls. Why make phone calls every day when you can plan it out to be one day where you get all of that done. Sometimes planning fun things is also important too because we forget that planning does not have to be all business and it can also be things that we enjoy. Maybe you want to binge a show, or maybe start a painting idea that you have had for weeks. Planning your week can help you keep track and maybe even get ahead of your list too.

Doing something for you as I mention above is SUPER IMPORTANT. I am guilty of this but I am starting to do this more. Whether it be sewing, watching something, writing these blogs or planning them, scheduling my socials or making videos and being able to do specific things. There is many things that I do for myself. Even if that means taking a drive to pick up a coffee from Tim Horton’s or something in the process. Scheduling a video chat with a friend even. So much so that scheduling things does not have to be all about business and seriousness. However if you are like me trying to make poetry collections and published books, or even your art and sewing as part of a business then it is important to plan that stuff out. Especially if you don’t want to be waiting till the last minute (which I am guilty of). My whole mindset is that I want to set myself up for success and to spend as little time as possible on the computer. I want to make sure that things are going as planned and helping myself take steps forward and not steps back.

Relax! Have a bath is one thing that I need to do more of especially in the new year. I mean I can obviously start it now too which I should and will but I want to be more mindful. What is more relaxing than starting your week by having a nice warm bath before you head to bed and start the dreaded day of the week Monday. Especially in the winter if there is a chill in the air or something when you want to bring a book in the tub, or maybe watch a tablet show, or even just sit in there floating and relaxing as your muscles loosen up and you have a warm drink beside you (Or maybe even a cold one too!) and just letting the worries float away. I have so many bath bombs as I write this that it really is a disservice to myself for not wanting to have more baths!

Going to bed early is something that I need to do and is so much easier to say than it is is to do. Are you like me where you tend to go to bed early and then sit there on your phone and are still awake just as long as you would be sitting on the couch watching tv? Yeah that is me too. One thing I want to do to be mindful is I want to start reading in bed. I want to set a hard bedtime where I turn off all the lights. I also want to disconnect. I want to start reading a book and tiring my eyes that way instead of trying to use the screen to do that. As you may know, using the screen does not tire your eyes at all in fact it can make you even more awake and have an even worse sleep due to your eyes and the glare the screen has.

Overall, there are many things you go to to set yourself up for success for the week. These are just the ways that I am going to do in order to have a great week. I can say that when I do end up doing this, It actually is some of the most productive weeks I ever have because I have these goals and I don’t let anything get in my way of completing them! Though with holidays and things with life coming up, it can be challenge to do this I am going to do my best to develop these habits now in order to keep them going for many many weeks to come, if not for years and years.

Don’t forget too, There are going to be weeks that you are just super busy and maybe even don’t feel like planning things out, maybe you are sick or on vacation. Don’t beat yourself up about it. Nobody in this world is perfect or even close to it. If you miss a little bit there is always time to come back and set yourself up for another week too. I know we beat ourselves up but there is never a too late when it comes to success or planning anything out!