Tips to planning your week…
Kids are back in school… 2 Tips on how to prepare for the week ahead as a mom with ADHD & multiple businesses.
This wasn’t even supposed to be a blog post. Just a Pinterest post, but I wanted you to actually gain something other than a half assed tip because I was trying to fit it in the description. I am going to be honest, there will be a link to the planner I created to purchase but even if you don’t go to the link, you can still apply this method in a notebook. And its been a game changer.
Kids are back in school.. YAY… until the stress sets in.
New school year means… older kids, new teachers (kids in 2 different schools in our case), new extracurriculars… new chaos.
Ya’ll… My oldest IS.ON.IT. You hear me.
She knows what she has to do for the week & as she’s going into 7th grade.. I haven’t had the slightest clue what she’s been doing since about 4th grade & she’s finished with A’s & B’s every year.
I strive to be like her & clearly she didn’t get it from me.
But that 2nd child… Me made over. And its a struggle.
He’s going into 4th grade & most days he isn’t sure what day it is. Enter the challenge, trying to stay on top of his stuff while the teachers are trying to teach independence (I very much appreciate & love this because this is my approach as well). But trying help him is frustrating, hard & one of my life’s biggest challenge.
Thankfully, I love a good challenge. And love learning from it too.
Speaking of challenge, last year I felt like a failure & cried more than him. I just went through 3rd grade with my daughter & we hit a little turbulence, but for the most part it was a pretty easy flight. Enter my sons 3rd grade year. HA! We hit more turbulence than anything else.
I knew I had to be more like my daughter. So I read every Pinterest blog, and created a system that works for me.
On Sundays I open my google calendar, a notebook (now the planner I created) & the 50 different places to look at schedules, extracurricular, bills, my work schedule. (My husband I and I own several businesses too… but that’s a different story).
This is the first thing I do every Sunday.
Print it then add names in each column. The last is usually for bills/household.
I am a pen and paper gal 10000%. But this planner can be used digitally in Goodnotes or other apps. After I created it I tried to use it digitally but I failed. However, the paper planner, I’ve used for well over a year.
Weekly Schedules:
This is the bread and butter of it all. Don’t come at me if you are 5 years ahead of me & is like DUH… I am a little late to the party.
The first thing I do is print out this bad boy & add each name to the columns and start to open all the school sites, extracurricular apps…
but the most important one my google calendar that is shared with every one in my family & Alexa.
I may have already added schedules in my calendar.. but shit changes. And I don’t always remember to change it in my google calendar, then <insert chaos>. I go through 1 persons schedules first for the week & go through everything. I write down anything I (or they) have to do for that day.
Ex: Bring candy, test schedules, extracurricular schedules..
I used to write bring candy to school on my to do list… but then I couldn’t remember who I had to bring candy for.
Once I am done with that 1 person, I go into my google calendar. Double check that with what I just wrote down because it syncs to my husbands calendar and each kid & Alexa. Then.. on to the next…
Here is the part that makes it the easiest.. and its so simple.
Each person has the same color pen as the same color google calendar so its all 1 color, I can easily look for a COLOR anywhere to see what it is and I will instantly know WHO its for.
Now you’ve just stressed yourself because you have to be in 3 places at the same time…
Let’s fix it.
This is the 2nd step
This is a must for me. This isn’t a checklist of what I have to do this week, this is everything that is floating around in my head. From grocery shopping to clean out the cabinet on top of the fridge.
Some I’ll get to this week… (like grocery shop) Some of it I probably won’t get to until next year. (like clean out the cabinet).
AND THATS OKAY!
I write down everything that is floating in my head. This isn’t a checklist of what I have to do this week, this is everything that is floating around in my head. Some I’ll get to this week… Some I probably won’t get to until next year. AND THAT IS OKAY. I break it up into 3 sections. Work - Kids - Home/Me. (sometimes sections will change.. but you do you boo and chose whatever you want).
After I just stressed myself, then simultaneously destressed myself, I will review it, then highlight everything I HAVE to do this week. Everything that is a non negotiable for this week only. As I am planning each day, I’ll come back to this brain dump and look for the highlighted items, cross them out if I completed it, or make sure it gets done this week.
Did you know? There is scientific proof that by doing this it helps to increase self awareness and decrease stress.. Can I get an AMEN! & if you don’t believe me.. google it.
If you would like to check out the planner Etsy Shop - Click here. Use code Inspired40 to get 40% off your entire purchase (1x only plz) just b/c I am thankful and grateful you’ve stuck around this far. :)
These are just 2 simple things I do every Sunday, to make life easier. I don’t want to overwhelm you.. but I’ll add a part 2 soon.
I really hope this helps you to get organized, reduce overwhelm for yourself, your household as we get back into the school routine.
