Sunday, definitely not my favorite day of the week but it has come to be a day I cherish more than others. For many of us, Sundays are what I like to call, our 'nesting day'; a day to just spend time with your family and friends, to enjoy their company. It's a slow day to give your mind, body and soul that much needed chance to just breath, refuel and rejuvenate after a long and tiring week. In all honesty, Sunday's are a blessing because not only do you get to catch on family time and self-care, they also give you the chance to set the tone for a productive week.
Sometimes I wish that Sunday's could last forever or at least have a pause button to make them last a bit longer. After thoroughly enjoying the weekend(Friday and Saturday) having the time of my life, there then lingers this feeling of urgency. A feeling like you're being rushed to prepare for the week, then Monday rolls around and you're totally out of it, you realize that you have done absolutely nothing to prepare for the week ahead so you spend the entire day getting your life together. Sounds familiar? This had been my routine for years until I realized that it wasn't helping me in the slightest.
So how do I make the most of my Sundays?
Well, I created a routine for myself and implemented a few new habits to shift my mindset. I make Sunday my day to get myself organized and refueled for the week ahead. In a nutshell making the most of your Sunday consists of equal parts mindset shift and conscious action, together you are capable of making your week way better. It's time for a Sunday Reset!
A Sunday Reset allows you to start the week off on a positive note irrespective of all the drama and failure experienced the week prior. Instead of focusing on the past, we now have the ability to view our hindrances as just that- minor hiccups to be overcome. It allows us to shift our focus to the bigger picture, the end goal. You are now acting with intention as have you set your goals and limitations for the week to come and by the end of that week you'll be able to see how much of a difference was made by just taking to time to get yourself together.
In today's post, we will be taking a look at my Sunday routine which consists of activities you already know or take part in but I want to share with you how to improve your week in a way that doesn't take much time. Keep reading to find out how to prepare yourself for a productive week!
1. Sleep-In : Your Body Is Your Alarm Clock
First off, you don't have to get up early to have a successful day. While it can be the best way to get a running start on the day for some, for the rest of us waking up super early on a Sunday means heading back to bed shortly after since it's not a work day and sleep just get's the best of us. If there is any day that I’m going to sleep in, it’s Sunday. Now, I realize not everyone can do this, but I feel like you can just enjoy Sunday's so much more enjoyable when you aren't frantically checking the time to wake up and get everything done. I take full advantage of this and I just let my body decide when it's time to wake up for the day.
Pro Tip: Even though we are using our bodies as alarm clocks don't sleep past 12p.m(noon). Believe me, you'll end up feeling tired and groggy for the entire day, it's a mess!
Once I wake up, which is usually around 11:00, I ease into my day with a nice warm cup of coffee. I head over to my desk and write how I'm feeling in my journal, my hopes for the day and affirmation. Then, I check my planner to set the tone for how my day will develop. This really makes for calm and relaxing morning. I prepare my breakfast usually eggs and bacon. When I finish breakfast then I'll start to get ready for the day.
2. From Mail List to Junk List
One of the main things that you should try to avoid especially as a part of your reset routine is social media, now as much as I agree with that checking and clearing out my emails is on my top priority list. As I am sure many of you can relate, weekdays can be super hectic and as a blogger and digital creator staying on top of all incoming and outgoing mail is a must so that I don’t miss any important emails. I usually check them 3-4 times if not daily but when you do it weekly it doesn’t take that long either. I especially love Sunday's for this because then I can delete the e-mails that I no longer need and reply to ones that need replying before the week starts. Oh, and I give the junk and spam folders a good wipe as well. Staying on top of your mail is a small step that goes a long way! I'd say trust me on this, but hey, I'd rather you decide for yourself!
3. Get Some Laundry Done It's crazy just how much of a difference this makes. In all honesty, it's life changing. I have made it a habit to always wash the bed sheets on a Sunday. Since Sunday is the day before the start of another week full of possibilities, it's just really satisfying to climb into bed at the end of the day and lay on fresh, crisp sheets. This is actually how I manage not to climb back into bed in the morning! However, if you're schedule is a bit heavier or you have a different laundry day, try changing your sheets every Sunday instead, that way this simple yet effective method can still work for you. I also found this totally cute hamper on Amazon that I think you guys will love just as much as I do - check it out here!
4. Meal Prep for the Week
We are half way through today's blog post and I'm sure you're already thinking about all the activities you have lined up for the week, or is that just me. Well, if you're in the same boat, you can tackle one of those major distraction by creating you very own meal plan on Sunday's.
Creating a meal plan is a great way and the first step to take control of your week. Not to mention, an awesome way to balance the budget. With so much on your plate already, the last thing you need to be stressing over is what to eat when you already have a long list of assignments, meetings, projects, chores pilling up and waiting to be completed. Deciding what to eat should never be a distraction and by creating a meal plan it never will be again.
I mean seriously, how many times have you gone to the grocery store bought all of this amazing, colorful produce, only to go home, pack it away in the fridge and remember you have an assignment due at 11:59p.m for your professor, a deadline for submitting project plans to your boss or even helping your kid with their latest science project - you've become so caught up in your life and responsibilities and that your veggies are now rotting away in the fridge. Prepping everything on Sunday means less hassle on busy morning or hectic afternoons and it can be as simple as peeling and chopping veggies.
5. Tidy Your Work Space
If I said this wasn't the highlight of my Sunday, I'd be lying because there is nothing that excites me more than starting a new work week with a clean and tidy work space. After the hustle and bustle of a long week, my workspace is quite a disaster to say the least. So, on weekends I like to tidy and declutter everything from the surface to the drawers. I take everything down depending on how messy it is and I get down to business. I rearrange my pencils, organize my pens and files. The feeling of a fresh environment to work in is definitely a favorite of mine and is definitely a nice way to start your week.
Pro Tip: If you need to find some motivation for cleaning, try YouTube! I love watching productivity videos or organization videos while I do the same. It may seem like an odd way to get it done but take my word, it's loads of fun!
6. Plan Your Weekly Schedule
As much as a cliché as this might be, it is really important. Sit down at the end of the day preferably and just dump all of your thoughts, ideas, feelings and emotion down on a plain piece of paper. Once you have created this list, decide which tasks take priority and focus on those that take importance. In fact, you should have 3 main priorities as a maximum. With that done, now it is time to decide what's worth scheduling that week. If you really want to start slaying your goals, click here for a planner that will get you on track to achieving your goals and aspirations intentionally.
7. Go to Bed On Time
Set a time for you to go to sleep each night but make sure you stick to it on Sunday Night, we tend to underestimate the importance of getting good sleep and the link between good sleep and a great week is often blurred. Well, here's the thing your brain is not going to be able to function at it's fullest capacity if it's not rested. So, before we can even stress about what's to be done tomorrow you need to focus on this today.
If you have trouble sticking to your sleeping schedule, I've found that calming scents and meditation are the perfect pair. I use meditation every morning before I start my day but it has become even more helpful at night when I need something to just put my mind at ease. Give it try, I promise you won't regret it.
There you have it, my super simple Sunday Reset Routine that I use to prepare for a productive and efficient week. These 7 steps are an amazing way to start your week off on the right track! If you want more ideas on how to prepare for a productive week --> check out more here 🙂
.jpg)