Sunday scaries? No more! When you prioritise, organise and memorise your non-negotiables for an upcoming productive week, Sundays don’t seem so daunting or horrifying. Bring on Monday!
Introduction
How was your last weekend? Do you typically spend your life living for the weekend? Then by the time Sunday rolls around, you’re anxious and worrying about the upcoming week? That’s no way to be spending life, but it can happen to all of us.
By prioritising a few Sunday non-negotiables, there are ways to pull yourself out of the rut and turn the narrative around! Here are a few ways I like to pause, reset and prepare for a productive week, without getting overwhelmed by the end of a weekend.
Write out next week’s priority list
Start simple, and identify some of the important steps on next week’s to do list.
Writing lists and planning is a significant part of my day-to-day life, helping me to feel organised and in control of the upcoming week. This easy task helps you to identify what to plan ahead for, preparing in advance and taking the uncertainty out of the week.
This is something I naturally do throughout the week, but if it’s new to you, then focusing this effort on a Sunday is a great way to start getting ahead. Whether it’s a physical list stuck to your fridge door, or written out in your notes, highlighting a few things that are coming up makes the new week a whole less daunting.
Tidy and organise
This can be a deep clean, or just neatening your space – but it’ll make a world of a difference to your mentality and overall outlook!
If you just want to dedicate yourself to one task, consider one of the following:
- Change your bedsheets – there’s nothing better than that first night in fresh sheets
- Dust and wipe surfaces – because if you’re anything like me, gathering dust is a sure-fire way of setting me into a sneezing fit, and that’s no fun for anyone
- Declutter your wardrobe – you’d be surprised how many shirts and jeans you’re holding onto because you ‘might’ wear them… It’s time to let go!
- Put a laundry load on – it’ll only pile up again throughout the week so do yourself a favour and get on top of it now
Found one you’re happy with, or one that’s not on this list? Let me know so I can add it to mine!
Get your vitamin D
Readers of my blog will know how much I value daily walking, which is why Sunday is as great a day as any to get out into the fresh air.
The physical and mental benefits are incredible, as well as the opportunity to find new places to walk, which is something I’ve been particularly enjoying each day! Don’t want to go to far? Use it as an excuse to explore the area near home a bit more, and who knows, you might find a new favourite walking route.
Whether it’s 20 minutes around the block, an hour in the forest or a blustery stroll along the beach, you’ll feel so much better after getting out and about.
Everything shower
Another way to prepare for the week is to take the opportunity to fully relax and reset. After a busy week or weekend, it’s time to just stop and pause.
A great way to do this is to fully immerse yourself in a relaxing, or sweltering shower, depending on how intense your everything shower routine is. Wash your hair, do a hair mask, exfoliate, moisturise – the entire works!
Don’t forget to finish the routine with a face mask – it’s practically a necessity at this point. Your skin will thank you for it.
Lights out early
One thing is for sure, you can’t start a productive week feeling exhausted. That means lights out early!
The last non-negotiable is getting an early night, avoiding your phone at least half an hour before heading to sleep. How else do you expect to be on top form when Monday morning rolls around? I aim to get to sleep by 10pm, as I know Bertie will be waking me up bright and early, something that seems to get earlier and earlier each day…
Although I do try to get to sleep early, I am impartial to staying on my phone as long as I can. It’s part of a phenomenon called Revenge Bedtime Procrastination, by delaying bedtime and sacrificing sleep to make up for missed leisure time during the day. It only does more harm than good, but in the spirit of honesty, it happens to us all.
One way I like to challenge this is to get into bed earlier, and then you can put the phone down earlier, and then you can go to sleep earlier!
What are your Sunday non-negotiables? How are you preparing for a productive, upcoming week?
