Inspiration for this group of articles (listed below) comes from Jack Canfield’s bestseller - How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be. I am taking the principles from the book and applying them to life as a parent.

I find that I function much better when I’m a step ahead, and apparently it’s not just me, one of the most powerful tools of high achievers is planning their day the night before. Here is how I am currently *trying* to stay one step ahead;

Organising My Day The Night Before

In fact I plan about a week in advance and then tweak things as I go along.

Meal Planning

I have meal planned for as long as I can remember. I note down all the nice recipes and dinner ideas I see in my diary - one for each weekday, on the weekends we have ‘free’ meals which we choose and buy produce for on the day.

I order the week’s food online on a friday and it arrives on a monday morning. I have been using this system for several years and I find it’s definitely the most efficient for us.

Food

Most people herald batch cooking as a great way to stay ahead but I’m pretty fussy and like to eat fresh food. I find that if I have all the ingredients on hand this isn’t a problem. In general we eat simple meals like marinated grilled meat with pasta or salad, pasta bolognese, or chicken skewers with salad. Dinner rarely takes more than 20 minutes to prepare.

Erin eats what we eat wherever possible, but I have some frozen homemade alternatives if we’re having something she can’t eat.

Birthdays & Christmas

I usually do my christmas shopping in Novemeber so we can do crafts and christmassy things during December. I start thinking about and buying birthday gifts about three or four weeks in advance so there’s no last minute rush.

What are your tips for staying one step ahead?

Other Articles in the Series:

Compartmentalizing Time
Remember Your Purpose Outside of Parenting
Aim High
Get Organised