Creating a Weekly Prep Plan: Balancing Operations and Personal Life Tasks

As a restaurant manager, you’re constantly spinning plates—literally and figuratively.

The hustle is real, with inventory checks, team schedules, and daily operations demanding your full attention.

Then there’s the personal side: errands, appointments, and maybe—just maybe—time to relax.

When there’s no plan in place, the pressure piles up. Details get missed, exhaustion kicks in, and your work-life balance becomes a joke you laugh about with your staff.

this is you before a weekly plan

But what if you could take control of your week instead of letting it control you? That’s where a weekly prep plan comes in.

With the right system, you can tackle your biggest priorities at work and make time for the life you deserve outside the restaurant.

Why Is This Important?

Running a restaurant is demanding, but it doesn’t have to run your life.

For restaurant operators or managers, where every decision feels personal, it’s easy to get bogged down in the chaos. Without a plan, you’re in constant “reactive mode,” chasing fires instead of building systems.

“A good plan gives you the freedom to focus on what matters most—your restaurant and your life.”

When you set up a weekly prep plan, you’re creating space to focus on what truly matters:

• Your restaurant’s success.

• Your mental and physical health.

• Your relationships and personal goals.

It’s not just about being productive—it’s about finding freedom in structure.

How to Create a Weekly Prep Plan

Start with a Brain Dump

Grab a notebook or open a blank document.

Spend 15 minutes listing everything you need to do this week—no filtering, no overthinking.

Include work and personal tasks. Think inventory checks, payroll deadlines, supplier calls, and staff training sessions.

On the personal side, add grocery shopping, appointments, school drop-offs, and downtime activities.

Once it’s all laid out, sort your tasks into categories:

• Must-do: Critical tasks with deadlines.

• Should-do: Important but not urgent.

• Nice-to-do: Tasks that can wait or be skipped entirely.

This step is key for clearing your mental clutter and setting priorities.

Batch Your Tasks

Stop hopping from one random task to the next. Instead, group similar tasks together to save time and brainpower.

how you’ll look saving brainpower

Here’s how batching can work:

• Admin Time: Emails, invoicing, scheduling—get it all done in one focused block.

  
  

• Inventory & Ordering: Dedicate a specific time each week for stock counts and supplier orders.

  
  

• Personal Prep Day: Dedicate a day or evening to tackling household tasks like laundry, meal planning, and grocery orders.

  
  

  For example, spend Sunday afternoon planning dinners for the week, ordering groceries for delivery, and prepping easy-to-grab lunches for busy days.

  
  

• Errand Runs: Batch in-person errands like picking up dry cleaning, visiting the post office, or restocking supplies into one trip.

Batching minimizes distractions and keeps you in the zone for each type of task, whether it’s at work or home.

Set Daily Priorities

Each day, focus on 3-5 tasks—no more. This keeps your to-do list realistic and manageable.

For example:

• Work Priorities: Review sales reports, approve team schedules, check vendor deliveries.

• Personal Priorities: Schedule dentist appointments, pick up dry cleaning, plan weekly meals.

By focusing on what’s essential, you’ll avoid feeling stretched too thin.

Automate and Delegate Where You Can

You can’t—and shouldn’t—do it all yourself. The key to balance is knowing what to hand off or streamline.

For Work Tasks:

• Automate: Use restaurant tools like 7shifts for team scheduling, POS systems for sales tracking, and apps like MarketMan for inventory management.

• Delegate: Empower your team. Your sous chef can take charge of prep schedules, and your front-of-house lead can oversee team training. Build trust and free yourself up for the bigger picture.

For Personal Tasks:

• Automate: Use grocery delivery services like Instacart to skip the store. Set up automated payments for bills and recurring orders for household essentials. Sync your calendar with reminders for appointments and family activities.

• Delegate: Hire help where possible—think house cleaners or laundry services. Split responsibilities at home. For example, one person handles meal planning while the other tackles errands. Coordinate carpooling with other parents for school runs or activities.

By automating and delegating, you’re freeing up mental energy for what matters most.

Build in Flex Time

No week goes perfectly according to plan. That’s life in the restaurant world.

Set aside 1-2 hours of “flex time” each day to handle the inevitable surprises—last-minute staff call-outs, unexpected vendor delays, or even a much-needed moment to breathe.

Flexibility is your secret weapon for staying sane in a fast-paced environment.

Protect Your Personal Time

Let’s be real: If you don’t block time for yourself, it’s not going to happen. Prioritize activities that recharge you, even if it’s just 30 minutes a day.

how you gotta protect your personal time

Here’s how to make it happen:

• Morning Rituals: Enjoy your coffee in peace or journal before diving into work.

• Evening Wind-Down: Take a walk, read, or spend screen-free time with loved ones.

• Non-Negotiables: Schedule workouts, date nights, or family dinners, and treat them like appointments.

When you take care of yourself, you’re better equipped to take care of your business.

Evaluate and Adjust Weekly

At the end of each week, reflect on what worked and what didn’t.

Were your priorities realistic? Did you delegate enough? What adjustments can you make for next week?

This isn’t about perfection—it’s about learning and improving.

Example Weekly Prep Plan

Monday

• Work: Inventory count, order supplies, team check-ins.

• Personal: Schedule grocery delivery, set automated bill payments.

Tuesday

• Work: Deep clean kitchen, finalize weekend specials.

• Personal: Delegate house cleaning to a service, plan family meals.

Wednesday

• Work: Prep high-volume ingredients, schedule social media posts.

• Personal: Gym in the morning, self-care in the evening.

Thursday-Saturday

• Work: Focus on service and quality during peak hours. Delegate operational tasks to your team.

• Personal: Block 15 minutes at day’s end to decompress.

Sunday

• Rest, recharge, and prep for the week ahead.

What’s Next?

A weekly prep plan is more than a tool—it’s a lifeline. It helps you stay ahead of the chaos, reclaim your time, and make space for what truly matters.

Start small. Pick one or two strategies to implement this week and see how it transforms your workflow.

Need more tips or have strategies of your own? Drop them in the comments—I’d love to hear what’s working for you!