Monday mornings can be difficult. You likely stayed up later on the weekend, did things you don’t normally do during the week, got off a regular schedule. All of that can put a damper on your start to the new work week. However, it doesn’t have to be that way. By spending  some time on Sunday evening doing some prep work, your Monday can be a lot more pleasant. These 5 things can help take the stress out of Monday morning and help you get off to a good start.

MEAL PLAN

This helps me tremendously. I got away from meal planning last November. Life was hectic and I never knew if I would be home to make dinner. This went on for months. Life has settled back into a normal routine recently, so I started planning dinners again. I make my nightly dinner choices, create a grocery list, have the groceries delivered and viola; I’m ready for the week. 

This is a sample dinner plan for the week:

Monday:  Chicken, Zucchini and Corn skillet

Tuesday:   Baked Cod and Asparagus

Wednesday:  FREE NIGHT

Thursday:  Chicken & Feta Sausage with Pearled Couscous

Friday:  Corned Beef and Cabbage

Saturday:  Pizza

Sunday:  Beef Tips and Egg Noodles

You can plan breakfast and lunch too if that would be helpful. I used to plan everything down to my daily snacks but feel good just having dinner decided. 

BONUS: meal planning decreases stress and helps you make healthier food choices. 

CHOOSE OUTFITS

I work from home, so I don’t normally plan my outfit in advance. However, if I have plans to go somewhere during the week, it definitely helps me to choose what I am going to wear the next day. From a logistical standpoint, the night before also gives you a chance to spot imperfections — wrinkles, pesky stains, colors that don’t match — and address them.

This is super helpful if you have young children who aren’t ready to pick out their own clothing. Choose the outfits for Monday on Sunday evening and that’s one less thing you have to deal with when the alarm goes off.

My kids have to wear uniforms to school, so that makes things easier on all of us. My 9 year old picks out her own outfits but my 6 year old normally wants me to do it for him. 

5 reasons why letting your kids pick their own clothes is a good idea (1)

• It can boost their self esteem.
• They can develop their own opinions.
• You’re giving them some freedom.
• They will learn how to make decisions.
• It’s easier for you.

DO DISHES

This one may sound silly for all y’all who do the dishes right away. That is hit or miss in my house depending on my mood. Although, it definitely helps my mood on Monday morning to walk into a clean kitchen. So while I may not always go to bed with a clean kitchen counter, I absolutely do on Sunday night. I make sure the dishwasher is unloaded while I am making dinner so I can load it back up when we finish eating. Sometimes I even cheat and use paper plates on Sunday night. Anything to make my life easier. 

5 Mental Health Benefits of a Clean Kitchen (2)

• Sense of order and control. A 2017 study on young adults found that clutter was linked to procrastination, feeling overwhelmed and lower quality of life.
• Familiarity and consistency. 
• Released endorphins. 
• Improved focus. 
• Regulated emotions.

PUT LAUNDRY AWAY

This one goes along with a clean kitchen. Getting rid of the clutter helps your mental and emotional state. In my house we have a laundry couch. Clean clothes come out of the dryer and land on the “laundry couch” (I wish I had a mud room but I don’t). They often stay there, mostly sorted, for way longer than I’d like to admit. 

Putting away clothes is an important final step in the process because it returns the clothing to its rightful place. It is much easier to find the clothes you are looking for in the drawer or closet than they are a big unorganized stack.

My goal is to start putting the laundry couch clothing away over the weekend. I know this would go a long way to help me get off to a better start on Monday mornings. 

PACK LUNCHES

I struggle on Monday mornings. I usually hit the snooze button at least once and I move slower than normal. Generally, that makes it more difficult for me to think and come up with lunch ideas. When I take the time on Sunday night to plan and pack lunches for my kids (or myself when I worked outside the home) it saves me time and frustration on Monday morning. 

Below are some easy lunch options. Having the proper food containers can help with this to ensure that food stays fresh. 

Lunch ideas

1. Cheese Quesadilla, Guacamole, Salsa, Tortilla Chips, Strawberries 
2. Hummus, Pita Bread, Grape Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Sliced Oranges
3. Pasta Salad, Yogurt, Granola Bar, Raspberries

It’s not difficult to get a jumpstart on the workweek. All it takes is a little time and prep on Sunday to get off on the right foot. Try putting at least one of these into practice. If you do, comment here and let us know how it helped you.