I was home sick for a couple of days last week, and while I'm feeling much better I think my schedule is still recovering... Does anyone else feel like they don't know who they are, what day it is, or what they're supposed to be doing after missing a day or two of work? That's been me for the last part of the week!
Here's how I am getting re-organized for the coming week:
Making lists - I am an avid list maker, and I often write things down in multiple places. I use a wall calendar in my studio to schedule in time to work on specific paintings and mark various deadlines, as well as a personal day planner that I carry around with me so I can keep track of my work and social calendars, appointments, and other important dates. Sean and I have been making use of the weekly calendar in our Navigator's Council journal, which has been a great resource as far as managing our expectations for what our "free" time is looking like each week. I also use weekly calendar sticky notes that I can stick on my desk or to my computer so that I can always easily see what's coming up for the week. In addition to these calendars, I make detailed to-do and shopping lists in a notebook and on my phone. This is just what works for me - I find writing everything down and creating a checklist keeps me calm, and organizing information the way I do in my studio/personal/work settings helps make everything on my plate seem a little more manageable.
Getting chores done throughout the week rather than letting them pile up for the weekend - I mentioned a couple of weeks ago how grateful I am to finally have a weekend again after working 6-7 days a week for most of last year... so you know I'm not about to spend my weekend doing laundry! It's tough because let's face it, I never WANT to do household chores, but I always feel so much more organized when I do! I really am making an effort to be more on top cleaning my house so that I feel generally more relaxed, so I've been trying to tackle something each night of the week so that my weekends are free, and using the Tody app to keep everything organized. It's a great way to keep track of what and when your different chores need to be done.
Starting The Simplicity Challenge - This challenge was created by Emily Ley (author & creator of The Simplified Planner), and technically started January 1st... better late than never! The idea of this challenge is that each day you're given a task to simplify your life that can be completed in just 15 minutes!
Reserving Sunday nights for prepping for the week and relaxing - Sean and I usually make Sunday "our" day as it's our only day off together. But I try to use Sunday evenings to prepare for the week ahead. This usually includes cooking a hearty meal (I love cooking but always feel so rushed to make dinner after work so I don't get to enjoy it), meal-prepping for a couple of days, laying out my clothes for the week, and then making myself as relaxed as possible! I've struggled with anxiety and depression over the years, which is always heightened/worse in the winter. I try to make Sundays the night where I do all of my self-care (hair & face mask, bath, body scrub, fresh sheets, fresh jammies) before making a cup of tea and chilling with bae before bed.
I've also got a couple of books lined up that I'm hoping will provide some insight on organizing my home and my priorities. I've already started reading Present Over Perfect by Shauna Niequist, and I'm hoping to get started on The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo later this week.
What do you guys do to get your schedules back on track?
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xo,
Rachel
(Photos by Eryn Hartmier)