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A healthy work-life balance is so important to our happiness but achieving this balance doesn’t always come naturally. We all know that feeling of there never being enough hours in the day to get through everything we hoped to achieve. With the new year coming around fast its the perfect time to get organised and change this!

I can personally attest that a little bit of planning on the weekend can go a long way. When the weekend finally comes around it can be tempting to spend your rare days off avoiding all responsibilities but there are a few simple tasks you should always try and fit in to avoid that Monday morning panic and set yourself up for productive and happy week.

1. Update your calendar
Writing those important dates and plans down in a diary or on your calendar can help to visualise the week ahead and make the best use of your time. Make sure you not only schedule in those important work dates and life chores but pencil in personal events like date night, time with family & friends or that activity you have always wanted to go to but never seem to make it.

Your phone calendar is a great place to start but if you want to get a bit more creative there are so many exciting printable calendars online like this gorgeous yet functional calendar and weekly planner here or this cute design here.

2. To Do list
Even just a quick to do list of your most important tasks for the week can help you hit the ground running on a Monday. I always try and write down the top 5 important tasks that I need to complete during the week before making a more detailed list. That way, even if you don’t make it through your entire list you can still feel accomplished having checked off the most important things that needed to be done.

There are so many fantastic cross-platform list apps like my absolute favourite, Wunderlist but there is also no better feeling than crossing tasks off a written to do list. Invest in one of these Kikki K lists or check out some free printables like here and here.

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3. Organise your wardrobe
Scrambling through a jumbled up mess of clothing on a Monday morning trying to find something you can throw together into an outfit can be a nightmare. Washing and hanging up your clothes in the wardrobe on a Sunday evening and planning a basic 5 outfits for the week can save you a lot of time and frustration throughout the week. Plus it leaves a little bit of extra time to sleep in!

4. Clean up your desk
There is nothing better than a nice clean desk to start the week afresh. Having to hunt through clutter on a Monday morning trying to find that important document or file is never a good start to the week. Organise any loose papers and rinse out last weeks coffee cups so that you can sit down feeling fresh on a Monday morning.

5. Meal Plan
Meal plans often change during the week depending on what you feel like at the time or that surprise lunch date. However, it’s still a great idea to jot down a general plan of meals to get you through the week and to do your grocery shopping so that everything is ready to go. Not only will this help you eat healthier but it can save you a lot of time on unnecessary trips to the shop all week.

Do you have any weekend planning habits that work for you?

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