Weekly Planning Tips for Families: A Comprehensive Guide
If you’re a mom, then weekly planning can be a lifesaver. Planning for the week ahead, rather than letting it happen to you, can help you make the most of all the great things in your life. Consider these important things to include in your weekly plans!
Why Do Weekly Planning?
A new week is a fresh start and a chance to enjoy all the good things in your life. Set yourself up for success with weekly planning so that you’ve got all the basics covered. Without weekly planning, you may find yourself having to do things on the fly. You’ll also miss opportunities along the way, chances to enjoy your people more or simple opportunities to make a mundane monthly task a little easier.
Grab the free post-it note to-do list printable to get started with weekly planning.
What to Include in Your Weekly Planning
Your life is different than mine, but there are some common activities that we can all plan for. When we plan something, we can prepare to make it happen. Swap out the unique circumstances of your life for any of these weekly planning tasks that aren’t on your plate these days.
1. Plan Your Meals
When you do regular meal planning, life is easier, tastier, and a lot more fun. You know you gotta eat, so even if you just jot down three meal ideas you know everyone likes, you’ll be ahead of the game. Having a meal plan gives kids some direction, especially the picky eaters. They are seemingly always hungry and asking what the next meal is going to be. You will all do better when you have an answer for them.
Having a meal plan helps you shop better and get meals on the table in a timely manner. Need some meal planning inspo? Check out the Back to Organized Goodie Box. Once you’ve got a meal plan, shop your kitchen so you don’t buy more than you need. Then, get thee to the store for the items you’re missing. You don’t want to be out of milk by Tuesday morning. It kinda messes with the flow of things.
2. Check the Calendar
I track appointments and other plans in Google calendar. I get an email reminder every morning that helps immensely because I often forget to check the calendar. But things run the most smoothly when I plot the week in my weekly time budget in my planner. It’s a weekly page in the Print & Go Planner. It’s one thing to have a calendar and a plan; it’s another thing altogether to actually check it.
Yeah, that pretty monthly planner you bought, go dig it out of the pile and put it to work right now. Survey the week and see what you’ve got on the horizon. If you’ve got many things coming up over the next couple months, you may want to take a glance farther, but at the bare minimum, see what’s going on this week and plan accordingly.
3. Plot the Week in Your Weekly Time Budget
Does Jimmy need to be at ball practice the same time Jane needs to be at choir? Knowing this now will help you better avoid disaster — or having to be two places at one time. (Last time I checked, that was still impossible.) If you don’t already, do yourself a favor and invest in a planner that has a weekly spread.
4. Plan a Family Night
After 20+ years of parenting, we’ve figured out that sometimes you need to PLAN to watch a movie, take the kids to the pool, or go to the beach. Reconnect with your spouse. Sometimes in the busy-ness of family life, it’s easy to forget why you started this family in the first place.
Why You Don’t Have to Be a Planner Person to Benefit from Weekly Planning
You don’t actually have to be much of a planner person – paper planner or otherwise. The simple act of checking out what’s happening over the next week can really help your life as Mom. Weekly planning can be a lifesaver for moms, planning can help you make the most of your life’s great things, and you can prepare for opportunities and make mundane tasks easier with weekly planning.
Tips for Implementing Weekly Planning into Your Family’s Routine
- Start small: Begin with just one or two things to plan for, like meals and appointments.
- Make it a habit: Set aside a specific time each week to review your plans and make any necessary adjustments.
- Be flexible: Life can be unpredictable, so be prepared to make changes as needed.
- Involves your family: Encourage your kids to take ownership of their schedules and plans.
- Review and adjust: Regularly review your plans and make adjustments as needed to ensure they are working for your family.
Conclusion
Weekly planning can be a powerful tool for families, helping to reduce stress and increase productivity. By including meal planning, calendar checks, plotting the week in your weekly time budget, planning a family night, and reconnecting with your spouse, you can set yourself up for success and enjoy a more balanced and fulfilling life.
