The first week of isolation is over and I must admit, it’s been a bit of a weird one. I started the week on a high – full of energy, writing myself to-do lists each day to keep me focused and, as a result, was very productive… come Wednesday though, this all just seemed to slip away. The sofa (and my bed) came calling and I found myself sitting back watching as the days began to merge. Comfy clothing quickly became the new norm and I found it increasingly difficult to motivate myself to do anything. Who else became a fully-fledged member of the all-day PJ Squad? *slowly raises hand*
However, I’m determined to put a stop to this and instead make the most of the coming weeks in isolation to better myself and dedicate to growing this blog. No more sitting around endlessly scrolling through social media for a few minutes that quickly become hours … oops!
If, like me, you have a long list of things you want to get done during this time, here are some ways you can utilise your Sunday to set yourself up for a productive week ahead:
1. Take some time to reflect on the week gone by. What went well, what could have been improved? Reflect and take all of this on board in order to implement positive changes throughout the week ahead.
2. Set yourself some alarms so you don’t sleep the days away. However much you may want “just one more” lazy day in bed, it’s not going to help you out in the long run. Set yourself a reasonable alarm that allows you a lay in but still means you see daylight. The earlier you wake up, the more time you have to get things done.
3. Get moving – As little as 30 minutes of exercise each day will improve physical health and sense of wellbeing, as well as being scientifically proven to help mental wellbeing also. Plan your exercise for the week ahead by setting yourself some exercise routines for each day. It can be as simple as going for a walk to get some fresh air. Whilst this is inevitably going to get harder to do during lockdown, make use of your garden! Where this isn’t possible, remember to implement strict social distancing rules to maintain the safety of yourself and others if you leave your house for your exercise allowance.
4. Get dressed – You are going to need to change out of your Pjs unfortunately (sorry). In order to be productive you need to separate your working and relaxing hours and clothing plays a big part of this. Get dressed as if you were going to a normal day of work/uni etc and only when you finish working should you put comfy clothes on. Clothing plays a big part in how we feel about ourselves i.e. if you wear comfy clothing you associate with sleeping or relaxing, you are going to feel less inclined to work at your best.
5. Get those chores done! Simple things such as making your bed each day will have a huge impact and make it seem harder to crawl back into. Use your Sunday for general tidying up, cleaning the dishes, putting that pile of dirty clothes in the wash (the pile you’ve refused to look at all week but know you’ll soon run out of underwear if you put it off any longer? Yeah, that one) and hoovering around all means that you can use the week to work without the distraction of housework. Additionally, having a tidy space is proven to help achieve a sense of wellbeing and is a great way to maintain productivity throughout your week.
6. Clear your inbox! Respond to those messages and emails that have been hanging around in your inbox for several days (or weeks). You know the ones I mean. The ones you have been putting off answering because you know you “haven’t had time to” or have struggled forming a response. Start the week with a clear inbox with no notifications hanging around from the week before. You’ll feel better for it, trust me!
7. Set your goals for the week ahead and give yourself a step by step plan of how you will achieve them. This will enable you to prepare yourself for the week ahead, complete any outstanding tasks that need doing and plan how you can make the most of any spare time you may have. Another important factor to consider is to allocate time for yourself, daily self-care is so important!
A great way to make tasks seem more manageable and to maintain focus throughout the week is to write daily to-do lists – breaking down and writing out exactly what you want to achieve each day will give you focus and once you start ticking items off, you’ll feel great!
8. Finally, Indulge in some pampering. Let’s not forget, Sundays should also be a time for you. Do your skin care routine - like, really do your skin care routine. Take the time to put on a face mask and to properly wash and moisturise your face. Read a good book, watch that film or an episode or two of that boxset you’re currently obsessed with. Treat yourself!
A last little message from me …
Remember to be kind to yourself during these uncertain times - Even implementing a few of these things will increase your productivity levels but it’s important to take care of your mental health and not beat yourself up if you didn’t quite achieve everything that you wanted to. This time is for you. Don’t feel pressured to become the best version of yourself, get in the best shape of your life or start a new business. Look after your mental health the best way you know how, whatever is it. Be enough for yourself first, the rest of the world can wait.
Sending love to you all xx
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