Ever wonder how you can start your week off on a positive note?  Believe it or not, there are small things you can do that will set you up for a productive, successful week ahead. Whether you are preparing for a long week in the office or tackling another day in your role as mom or dad, follow these tips to have your best week ever!  All it takes is a little extra planning, the right attitude, and a dose of positive energy! Read on for more.

1. Set out your clothes the night before.  This might seem simple, but making sure that you have everything you need to get dressed will ensure that your morning is smooth and stress-free!
2. Run the dirty dishes from the weekend.  As tempting as it might be to crash on the couch and enjoy your last few hours of downtime before the work week cranks up again, this will set you off on the wrong foot unless the house is straight and the dishes are clean!  The easy task of loading and running the dishwasher will make it so much more pleasant when it comes time to cook dinner after you get home from work.  Trust me on this one–I know from experience!
3. Write down your goals for the week.  Setting goals for the week–however small–is a great way to increase your productivity and give you a sense of purpose for the coming days.  I like to categorize my goals into different areas of my life such as personal health, home/financial, and work-related goals.
4. Create a “To Do” List.  Creating a “To Do” List is one of the quickest ways for me to alleviate the anxiety that comes when Monday draws near, and all the things I need to get done in the coming week start playing on repeat in my head.  By writing down the things I need to do, I am able to release the stress and anxiety and relax before the work week starts.
5. Spend time with God.  Saying a prayer and giving over your worries to God is an excellent way to set yourself up for a positive week.  Whether you spend time reading the Bible or just have a conversation with God about what’s on your mind, you will feel better after connecting with the Creator and setting things into perspective.  This is also an excellent time to reflect on what you are grateful for in the past week.  Gratitude resonates at a high frequency, and the act of being thankful will immediately give you a boost of positive energy.  Whether you think about what you are grateful for, tell God what you are thankful for, or write down your gratitude list, making time to be appreciative of your blessings is a sure-fire way to set yourself up for a joyful and positive week.
6. Get adequate sleep!  I know you’ve heard it before, but it is so important to get the proper amount of sleep.  Getting a minimum of 6-8 hours of sleep Sunday night will allow you to wake up refreshed on Monday morning and tackle the week with good energy and a positive attitude.
7. Turn off electronics!  In the world that we live in today, it is so difficult to get away from electronics, but your mind and body need a break in order to recharge and recuperate.  Turn off the TV, plug your phone into the charger, and take at least an hour before you go to sleep to read, meditate, reflect on the past week, and mentally prepare for the upcoming week.  Your body will thank you for the break from EMFs (For more on why it’s important to turn off electronics in the bedroom, check out this awesome article from the National Sleep Foundation here).
8. Plan out your breakfast and set the timer on your coffee machine.  It’s so easy to grab coffee and breakfast on the go, but if you take the time to plan out your breakfast at home and drink your java there too, you will save an amazing $1,460-$2,555 per year (the average cost of a fast food combo meal)!  BONUS:  Eating breakfast at home is much healthier than eating breakfast on the go, and the extra nutrients you get will fuel your brain for the day ahead.  🙂
9. Set your alarm only once!  I am the queen of setting several alarms, but research shows that hitting the snooze button interrupts the sleep cycle and ultimately leads to less restful sleep (To read more, click here).  If you are like me and can’t resist the urge to hit snooze and catch those last few ZZZs, try putting your alarm in the bathroom or on the other side of the room so that you have to physically get up to turn it off.  After you are up and moving, it’s much easier to go ahead and attack the day ahead of you.
10. Make up your bed!  If there is one thing to do as soon as you wake up in the morning, it is to make up your bed.  I read a great article in which U.S. Navy Adm. William H. McCraven explains why accomplishing the task of making up your bed sets your day up for success every time.  I know that I always experience more productive days and weeks when I take 5 minutes to make up my bed before I leave the bedroom.

Follow these (10) tips, and you are sure to have an amazingly positive, high energy week.  These simple tasks take no time at all, but they can create a profound energy shift in your mind and environment.  Now it’s time for me to get prepared for the upcoming week, and start shutting down the electronics!

Sending you positive energy and success,

Casey