Putting the mask on you first: Making it happen!

We’ve come to the last part of this very important series; Putting The Mask on You First. This week I’m going to give you some simple tips to help you actually make it happen!

If this is the first blog you are reading in the series, let me explain what Putting the Mask on You First means. When we fly in airplanes, we are told to put the mask on ourselves first before helping others. Realistically if pressure did drop in the aircraft, and those masks did come down, and we reached out to help someone else first, we’d pass out in abut 10 seconds and be absolutely no help to anyone, including ourselves!!
So why is it so hard for us to realise the same will happen in our daily lives. If we don’t put the mask on ourselves first, prioritise our own health and wellbeing, we will be useless to ourselves and to anyone else too.
Click here to go to the first of the four blogs if you want the full series.

In this last part of the series I explore in detail how I ensure I put the mask on myself first each and every week! How I make it happen.

Sunday planning day

Busy lives doesn’t need to mean chaotic or stressful lives. The trick is to plan. I can’t tell you how many times people have wondered how I’ve juggled kids, big leadership roles, cooking everything from scratch, the house and life admin we all have, particularly when I was a single mum. Let me be clear, I am NOT super human or even a wonder-woman and not even good at juggling! I plan. I am super clear about my values and priorities and use this to help plan my days and my weeks.
Sundays are my planning days. I really love them because when I’ve finished the day, I feel so prepped and in control of my week and I know I’ve set myself up for success, even if things don’t go to plan! Here’s what I do.

Prep the planning
In the morning, not too early, I get a nice cup of tea, put some music on and basically make a nice space for myself (maybe even light a candle). I then start with reviewing the week that was. What worked well? What didn’t? What did I move forward? What still needs my focus in the coming week?

Building the week ahead
Using what I wrote in the previous blog, I then build up my week in my calendar putting in my big rocks first, pebbles then room for sand. I note any events I, my husband or kids need to get to, particularly if it means a home meal may be skipped.
I put everything in, even if I need time to prepare dinner. That way I’m not squeezing everything into my life. Feeling like I’m running from one thing to the next, which can and does cause incredible stress to your body and mind. I can see the time I have or don’t have and sometimes that means a tough choice needs to be made.
I’ll be honest, estimating time continues to be a learning for me as I can be overly optimistic with how long things need to get done, but I’m learning!!

Planning meals
I’ve found over the years, if I don’t plan my meals, then the 'reach and grab whatever is there’ happens. Just to keep me going. And usually that reach and grab is processed food or fast food. To keep my body thriving, I plan so I’m not caught out.
I get onto my favourite meal planning tool Real Plans and get creative for the week. You can use any meal planning platform and again your calendar if that is simpler for you. The benefit with a meal planning platform is the different recipes that are served up as well as the ability for the platform to build your shopping list automatically based on the recipes and quantities you need. For me this was critical as I would go from 2 in the household to 7 in a given week.
Once I’ve planned the meals I head into my kitchen to look at the shopping list and tick off the ingredients I already have. This is the best because then my shopping is purely for the things I’m missing. No waste!

Shopping
I then head off shopping. I try and head to the markets if I can or my local supermarket. If I’ve happened to plan my food on Saturday, I would then shop online for pick up or delivery on Sunday.

Prepping the week
Given two of my priorities are fitness and food, I spend Sunday afternoons in the kitchen prepping some recipes for the week. I love my afternoon in the kitchen, music on and the aromas I’m creating. Also knowing that what I’m doing now will be relished during the week by myself and my family. I also know this will de-stress me during the week. Having a casserole already made up and needing to be reheated simply takes the pain out at the end of the day. If you feel lazy about getting into the kitchen on a Sunday afternoon simply ask yourself “What would my future self want me to do?”. I guarantee you it would be to prep and take the stress out of the week.

The other prepping I do is for my ‘fridge salad bar’ as I call it. Whether I’m working from home or going into the office, I love to throw together a salad, a bowl or soup to eat for lunch. So I cut up sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips or other vegetables and roast them. I might dry fry some pine nuts or pumpkin seeds. Cut up some pre-bought roast chicken. Once all ingredients have cooled, I put them in air tight containers into the fridge ready for whatever salads, bowls or soups I feel like during the week. It’s amazing how many combinations you can pull together with this approach.

So there you have it. You now know how I get through my weeks where I do now get me time, fun time, family time and fitness time. You now also know where you can find me basically every Sunday afternoon!

Put the mask on yourself first, enjoy Sunday Planning Day and thrive again!

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