10 MINDFUL QUESTIONS FOR YOUR MID-WEEK CHECK IN
However much we can plan the week ahead, sometimes life sends us off in the other direction. Stop your diary and your To Do list getting the better of you with these 10 mindful questions for your mid-week check in to nurture a healthy and positive body and mind even when your week gets busy.
WHEN YOUR WEEK GETS AHEAD OF YOU
We all know that we can plan the week ahead in advance, have our To Do lists written and our time mapped out. We can prep all those meals, make a commitment to get up early, fit in some exercise and spend time with our loved ones, but then… life happens. The week gets ahead of us and all our best intentions get a little lost along the way…
If this feels familiar, I know how you feel. And it seems that just planning our week in advance isn’t enough when the pushes and pulls of modern life are doing all their pushing and pulling!
REGULAR WEEKLY PLANNING
It helps to plan ahead for the week. I do this every Sunday because I have a little bit of free time where I can sit quietly and think carefully about my week ahead. You could try these things to do on Sunday for a productive week ahead, or this post on how to plan for the week ahead.
Whatever you include in your regular weekly planning, the key here is to be consistent. Make a date with yourself once a week when you’re not likely to be disturbed. Grab a notebook and pen and your diary, paper is fine or go digital if you prefer.
Map out what you’re going to be doing, where you need to be, errands to run, important dates to remember and what meals and snacks you’re going to need.
- Do you require childcare or time off work?
- What about free time, fun time and time for you?
- Perhaps even squeeze in a date night for yourself and your partner?
Getting a head start on the week will help you plan and prepare more and stress less.
But… sometimes life throws us a curveball and that mapped-out week takes a different turn. Maybe something comes up at work, or your child is off sick from school, or the car breaks down or the dog is ill and needs the vet. Time for yourself slips to the bottom of the priority list, you grab a chocolate bar and double espresso to keep you going because you missed your lunch break. Perhaps you’re just tired and teary and need a break.
That’s where a mid-week check in may be just what you need!
WHAT IS A MID-WEEK CHECK IN?
A mid-week check in is exactly that. It’s a short little moment for you to check in with yourself during the week to see how that week is going. How are you feeling, how are you plans going and do you need to change anything now instead of waiting until your normal weekly planning?
Sometimes niggles or problems need to be addressed now so that they don’t get bigger. A mid-week check in is also helpful if you’re trying to meet a goal or target (e.g., personal, health, financial etc) and need to evaluate how you’re doing.
If things aren’t going the way you’d like them to then knowing what’s going wrong is the first step in knowing what to change. For example, if I’m planning to eat more healthily but my mid-week check in reveals I’ve actually been too tired to cook and I’m relying on microwave meals and sugary snacks, then I know that my weekly meal-planning isn’t working and it needs a tweak.
A mid-week check in doesn’t have to take long. Here are 10 mindful questions you might like to use for your own mid-week check in.
10 MINDFUL QUESTIONS FOR YOUR MID-WEEK CHECK IN
- How do you feel today? Are you happy, content, at ease?
- Have you chosen healthy food and drink options to nourish your body?
- Have you been getting enough sleep and rest?
- What have you been doing to look after your mind?
- Has anything gone wrong this week or not gone as planned?
- What has made you feel happy and grateful this week?
- What are you looking forward to doing this week?
- Who have you enjoyed chatting with or being with this week?
- What have you enjoyed learning about this week?
- What would you like to achieve this week?
Choose a quiet time during the week to mull over your responses to these questions. You could write them down in your notebook or just make a mental note of anything you want to do or change.
This check in doesn’t have to be time-consuming or yet another thing for your To Do list. It could just be some questions to reflect on whilst you’re commuting to work, sitting in a traffic jam or walking back from the school run.
MORE RESOURCES TO HELP YOU PLAN FOR THE WEEK AHEAD
Here are some more articles and resources to help you be productive with less stress and more ease:
- How to write a great To Do list
- How to set boundaries
- 18 signs you are too busy
- How to find calm when life gets busy
- Maximise Your Time – my popular little time management and productivity course to help you overhaul your schedule, declutter your time, get organised and carve out more time and space for what really matters to you.