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Planning Your Week on Sunday | Simple Tips for Sunday Planning

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Sunday Planning and Meal Prep @ AVirtuousWoman.org

“Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.” Proverbs 16:3

This year is the first year my daughter Hannah has participates in our ice rink’s annual Nutcracker performance. As you may remember, we live 2 1/2 hours from the ice rink and it’s been a huge commitment to make ice skating a priority.

So, when we signed up for the Nutcracker, I knew that the extra practice days would be a challenge. Nutcracker practices began in early October and we’ve been spending 3 or 4 days a week – or more – in Knoxville away from home. Over the next two weeks Hannah and I will be home for three days total. And this past week we weren’t home at all.

Going into the new year I’ve had to make some big decisions about how we’re going to handle Hannah’s ice skating schedule and increasing need for more practice time on the ice. In fact, two weeks ago I made a huge decision to go ahead and pay for a program our ice rink offers called, “All You Can Skate.”

You see, she’s just passed her Freestyle 4 test and has recently begun working on her Axel jump. This was a huge milestone. For any of you who skate or know an ice skater, you may have experienced this very common scenario:

We meet someone new. They find out Hannah ice skates. They ask the question, “Can you do the axel jump?” 

The axel jump is one of the hardest jumps to learn. It can take a year or more to learn the jump once practice begins – if the skater practices several days a week.

Hannah’s schedule for the last three years since she began skating has been to skate one day a week on Wednesdays. I’ve been told that if she only skates one day a week it could take her 3 or 4 years to land the jump consistently.  And you can’t pass and move on to the next level until the jump is consistent. A lot of skaters never get the jump. 

So, I know she needs lots more practice time. Which means we will be spending a lot more time in Knoxville instead of at home. If I want to accomplish anything during this busy season of my life, I definitely need a plan.


I know my crazy schedule isn’t necessarily typical for most of you. However, I do know that it’ important for each of us to attend to our family’s needs, keep a clean house, and enjoy life too.

Sunday Planning + Prep

Planning your week on Sunday can help ensure that you’re making the most of your time. Not only can you schedule items from your to-do list around important appointments and events, but you can ensure the most important things get done and that your priorities are met.

Sunday is the day that works best for me. I usually sit down sometime on Sunday afternoon to make plans for the week and work on prepping for the coming week. However, if another day works best for you, that’s okay! Just try to make your planning time consistent.

Pray Over Your Plans Before You Begin

We will always be more successful if we begin with prayer. Amen?

Spend a few moments asking God to guide you in your planning so that His will is done in your life. Also acknowledge that whatever plans you might make, He is the one in control.

“Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.” Proverbs 16:3

Gather Your Supplies

I like to sit down with my planner, my favorite pens, stickers, cookbooks, Pinterest, notepaper, and other items that will help me in my planning. Pour yourself a cup of warm tea and you will enjoy your planning time even more!

The Purpose 31 Planner Week at a Glance with Meal Planning @ AVirtuousWoman.org

Create a To-Do List for the Week

Sit down on Sunday and make a list of everything you want or need to get done. It helps to have categories so that you remember to write down each item. For example, you might have a category for errands, one for home, one for the kids, etc. Choose categories that work best for you. Put down everything you want to get done, even if you might not have time for it.

This is where goal setting can come in. What are your short term goals? What are your long term goals? Consider these goals when making your to do list. My Purpose 31 Planner has a monthly section for goal planning!

The Purpose 31 Planner @ AVirtuousWoman.org

Prioritize Your To-Do List

Once you have your to-do list for the week ready, go back and prioritize each category. There are some items that will be more important than others. For example, in the errands category, stopping to pay the gas bill would be more important than checking the sale items at the craft store.

For example, in my Purpose 31 Planner there is a column on the upper left side for a few to do list items that are “Must Do.”

The Purpose 31 Planner @ AVirtuousWoman.org

That Must Do List is your top priority for the week!

Check Your Schedule

After prioritizing your list, you want to check your planner for any appointments and events that are already scheduled that week. I usually schedule these into my Monthly Calendar section when they come up.

If I’m at the doctor’s office and we schedule a follow up appointment, I write the appointment into my calendar so as I plan my week, I know what appointments we have and other events that are scheduled. This also allows you to plug in your to-do list where it makes sense. For example, if you have a doctor’s appointment across town, you can schedule to stop by the nearby grocery store on the way home.

Schedule To-Do List Items Accordingly

You want to make sure you’re scheduling to-do list items so that they make sense. For example, don’t plan to make a large dinner on the night that your kids have soccer practice. If you know that you’ll be pressed for time, don’t schedule anything for that time period. There’s no reason to add extra stress to your already busy schedule!

Leave room in your schedule for buffers. What this means is leaving a bit of time open just in case something takes longer than expected. There’s nothing worse than always feeling like you’re rushing to get everything done.

Sunday Planning and Meal Prep @ AVirtuousWoman.org

Menu Planning

I like to plan my menu for the week on Sunday afternoon while I’m making other plans. Menu planning is one of the biggest helps to my poor brain each day! This is when I pull out my favorite cookbooks, check out recipes on Pinterest, and think about what’s in the pantry that needs to be eaten before it goes bad.

Think about busy days you have coming and plan for freezer meals of easy crock pot meals on those days! Also, don’t forget to utilize easy to prepare foods like frozen vegetables into your meal planning.

Prepping Meals on Sunday

Sunday afternoon is also a great way to get ahead on meal prep. By prepping ahead, you’ll feel less stress in the morning or evenings when time is tight. In order for this to work, you will need to have already done your grocery shopping. Prepping meals and snacks on Sunday can also help keep your healthy goals and/ or lose weight. By preparing healthy snacks and meal starters ahead of time you’ll be less likely to eat junk food.

If you want to prep meals on Sunday, I would suggest working a week in advance on your menu planning so that you can get the grocery shopping done in time. Here are a few ideas of ways to prep meals on Sunday:

  1. chop vegetables and find ingredient overlaps in your planned recipes
  2. prepare mason jars with overnight oatmeal
  3. place smoothie ingredients in baggies for healthy breakfasts
  4. pre-cook pasta
  5. prepare casseroles, wrap in aluminum foil and refrigerate or freeze
  6. prepare breakfast burritos or sandwiches for the freezer
  7. chop and prepare salads for the week
  8. boil eggs and/ or make egg salad for sandwiches
  9. portion out healthy snacks
  10. bake muffins and any desserts you plan to have during the week

Don’t forget to label all of your prepped food so you aren’t confused later in the week!

Get Things Ready for Monday

Last, but not least, spend time getting ready for Monday on Sunday night. Get lunches packed, choose your outfit for the next day, have everyone’s items by the door ready to go, etc. Follow this step each night of the week so that you’re not rushing around in the mornings, trying to get ready.

It pays to spend a bit of time each Sunday getting ready for the new week. It helps you determine what needs to get done each day and helps you prioritize your to-do list for the week.

What helps you the most in preparing for the coming week on Sunday? Share your tips below!

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One Comment

  1. As an adult with a husband who is rather messy and as picky as I am about foods, i couldn’t possibly have time to keep my life straight otherwise. I think the difference for me is that I had a dad already going to the store and didn’t need motivation to make the trip, plus cooking for others is more responsibility and thus more time consuming since I worry over it.

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