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As a hairstylist, I follow a different type of week than many other people do. I typically work at the salon Tuesday through Saturday, which makes Sundays and Mondays my weekend. I do sometimes teach for Davines, the professional salon brand I represent, on Mondays, but Mondays are usually my Sundays.
And what do I like to do on my “Sundays”? Well, I definitely don’t rest on my laurels. I am very much a go-getter and love to be productive even on my days off. But I also like to make sure my schedule is sustainable and habit-keeping. Here are some of the things I like to do on my Mondays. I may not do them every week but this is the outline I follow and generally how that day of the week goes for me.
Purge the Fridge
Every Monday I go through the fridge and throw out anything that’s expired, questionable, fuzzy, or scary. This includes leftovers that are no longer edible, rotting produce, and expired items. Doing this weekly helps me keep the fridge organized and makes room for the grocery shopping I’ll be doing.
A Little Homesteading
As I go through the fridge, I see if I need to save or salvage anything. If there are fresh herbs that I know won’t make it through the week, I set up my trusty little food dehydrator and dry them. If the fruit bowl on the counter is holding any citrus or apples that aren’t going to last much longer, I will slice those and add them to the dehydrator as well.
I store the dried herbs and fruits separately and add the fruit slices to drinks or cocktails. I also use the both for making DIY cocktail and herbal infusion kits as gifts for friends and family throughout the year. This is so easy to do and only takes a few minutes to get everything set up in the dehydrator. Then I just turn it on and go about the rest of my day and come back to it later when everything is dry.
If I have certain veggies or herbs nearing the end of their lifespan but I don’t want to dehydrate them, I will prep (peel and or slice/chop) and freeze them to add into stocks, broths, soups and stews. (Just make sure you write down what the items are or what they’re for! You don’t want to have to play a guessing game later on.)
Appointments and Errands
I generally choose set days of the weeks for appointments and errands. I learned long ago assigning certain days for these to-do items means I use less gas and spend less time driving around all willy nilly. Mondays and Thursdays are my dedicated days for appointments (medical, dental, personal care) and errands (shopping, post office, etc.).
That’s not to say I don’t sometimes have to run an emergency errand on another day but I do find it easier, cheaper and less time consuming to plan out my appointments and errands for specific days. Even if I know my path to my destination, I will still put my places into my map app if I’m headed to more than one location. That way I can plot out my course and proceed in a logical fashion to minimize my mileage and gas and save time.
Grocery Shop and Meal Prep
On the weeks I’m really hip and with it, I like to conduct my meal planning and prepping over my “weekend.” On Sundays, I’ll meal plan or look up meal plans and recipes and write out my grocery list. I really love Eating Well’s The Prep because there are a variety of meal plans and included grocery lists. Then, on Monday, I head to the grocery store. When I get home, I get the groceries put away and prep any lunches or dinners I can. You can check out The Prep here.
Bake
I do try to make our own bread and baked goods whenever possible. We love fresh bakes in our house and it feels healthier to not have foods loaded with chemicals and preservatives. I will usually make a nice loaf of bread (like a challah or Italian loaf) and, if I’m super ambitious that day, a healthy or heirloom dessert. King Arthur Flour’s All-Purpose Baking Cookbook is an absolute must for every kitchen, in my opinion. And I love A New Way to Bake from the Kitchen of Martha Stewart for updated classic dessert recipes that have been made healthier. You can buy the King Arthur cookbook here and the Martha Stewart cookbook here.
Gardening and Garden Planning
If weather permits, I get outside and work in my garden. I have a LOT going on and am currently in the midst of a major landscaping project at our new homestead. This is year three of the five year plan. If weather doesn’t permit, I check-in on my garden plans. Depending on the time of year, this might be reviewing upcoming planting dates, starting seeds indoors, or reorganizing my potting bench and gardening station in the garage. I spend about 30 minutes to an hour on this activity and it’s good exercise if I’m working outside.
Water Indoor Plants
Every Monday I water our houseplants. I never used to be a big houseplant person. I maybe possessed a short-lived orchid from time to time. But my friend, Lori, introduced me to low-maintenance, easy going indoor plant options and it gave me the confidence to start incorporating more of the greenery (and better air quality) into our home. I now have air plants, ZZ plants, a fern, and something in my office that I can’t even remember what it is but it’s beautiful and continues to grow healthily.
Get a Little Work Done
This goes without saying if I’m teaching. As my fellow stylists know, salons are typically closed on Mondays so this is my most often requested teaching day. But I don’t teach every Monday and on those weeks I don’t, I still like to make sure I’m doing some kind of income-producing activity. Nothing major – this is my “weekend” after all. If I’m feeling inspired, I might write a blog post, or work on my cookbook or one of my trashy romance novels. If I’ve got writer’s block, I will just do a few quick Pinterest pins for one of my websites or I’ll work on promoting my Poshmark items to recent likers.
Recently, I started setting aside early Monday evenings to meet with my bestie for our podcast, Romance on the Rocks. Some Mondays we record a podcast episode and others we just meet to discuss housekeeping items or touch base on life in general. Our podcast is a labor of love and it’s our excuse to connect with each other since I moved to North Carolina.
You might be wondering why I would choose to do work on my day off. I honestly like to get a little work done on a day like this because there’s no pressure or stress. If I’m not feeling it and decide to skip working, it’s okay, cause it’s my Sunday. But, often, I find the lack of pressure of having to work like you would on a weekday more inspiring and motivating. I’m free to do what I want . . . or nothing at all.
Finish Out the Day
I like to finish out the day by making dinner for my hubby and I, then relaxing with him on the couch watching a movie or some shows. It’s relaxing and great downtime for us. I make a point of keeping the breakfast table available for us to eat at, which helps us feel connected as a couple. (Just don’t look at my dining room table, it’s usually loaded up with my current projects.) I find I can easily unwind when I feel like I got some things accomplished and got us set up for the rest of the week.
Are you a hair stylist? I’d love to know how you schedule your week. How do you spend your Sundays or Mondays? Let me know in the comments below.
