Well, Friday is here.  If you’re anything like me, you’re breathing a sigh of relief that another rough work week is nearly over.  Finally, you’ll be able to turn away from the drudgery of the daily grind for a while.

So, what are you going to do with your weekend?   You could spend it lounging in front of the television, dancing with your friends or bathing in rose-scented bubbles (which are all excellent choices).  Or you could devote a portion of that free time to some tasks that will make the following week a whole lot easier.  Here is a list of 7 simple steps that will take some of the sting out of a busy week.

1. Do some meal prep.

When I’ve had a rough day, I barely have enough brain power left to propel me towards my couch, let alone devise and prepare a healthy meal.  I’m  likely to grab a fast-and-nasty takeaway meal, which only leaves me feeling more sluggish.  To combat your end-of-day cooking aversion, spend a bit of time planning your meals for the week ahead. Go shopping to make sure that you have all the ingredients you need at hand.  If you’re feeling really motivated, you could even cook and freeze some dinners in advance, so all you have to do each night is hurl it in the microwave and hit ‘reheat’.

2. Plan your outfits for the week.

I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve been late for an event because I’ve been faffing about choosing an outfit.  It’s so easy to get caught up in the cycle of trying and second-guessing every item in your wardrobe.  Save yourself the hassle by planning a couple of outfits in advance.  Check the weather forecast for the next few days and use this to educate your decisions.  Hang the outfits in your wardrobe, alongside the accessories you plan to wear with them.  Now all you have to do in the morning is get dressed, minus the uhming and ahing.

3. Have a brain dump

A ‘brain dump’ is an exercise I do when I’m feeling overwhelmed with the tornado of yet-to-be-completed tasks that are swarming about in my head.  Basically, you write down absolutely everything that you have to do.  Write down every task, big and small.  Then take out your calender or planner and start scheduling them in.  It will help clear your head and you’ll feel very smug and organized.

4. Get ready to sweat.

 To make sure that you get in a couple of sweat-sessions this week, jump onto Youtube and bookmark a couple of workout videos.  There are literally thousands of free workouts available, and you can choose anything from aerobics to zumba.  Choose three or four that look interesting, and then paste the link to the video into your planner.  Set an alarm to remind you when it’s time to work out.

5. Do a bit of cleaning.

If you don’t like cleaning (and let’s face it, who does?) this is a really fun way to motivate yourself to tidy up your living space.  Pop a CD into the stereo, or make yourself a playlist that is 10-12 songs long.  Choose music that is fast-paced and energetic.  Now, clean until the music stops.  Once the playlist ends, you can pat yourself on the back and call it a job well done.

6. Pay the bills

Jump on your computer and set up a direct debit to pay all of your regular bills.  Organise to have your rent, gas, phone and electricity automatically taken out of your bank account.  Now you don’t have to worry about actually paying your bills, it will all be done for you.

7. Do your laundry

To avoid any awkward “oh, I need nude underpants to wear with this dress, but I only have clean black thongs” moments, spend some time sorting, washing and then ironing your dirty clothes.  You can watch a movie while you do your ironing, and your house will smell like freshly laundered linens.

This weekend, pick one of the above steps and get it done.  If you’re feeling really motivated, you could try to knock over a whole bunch of them.  For a little bit of effort on the weekend, you’ll save yourself a mountain of stress during the week.

Do you have any tricks for simplifying your week?