By skyforbes 
Sundays are wonderful for catching up with work that has been left untouched, unwinding and binge-watching Netflix.
But above all, it’s a great day for planning and making sure the next week will be your best week.
Here are some of the things I do every Sunday and how, by doing so, I avoid the Monday blues, feeling overwhelmed or anxious about the week ahead.
Sounds great, right?
Let’s get started.
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1. Shift Your Mindset
Sundays don’t need to be what they are most commonly known for; a lazy day for hangovers and meaningless binge-watching (and eating).
My first tip for you is to think of Sundays as the first day of the week.
It really takes the edge and pressure off of Mondays.
You can get a head start on your work for the week by prepping on Sundays.
Prep, prep, and prep.
Prepping is key.
(Have I said “prepping” enough times now?)
This is by far my favorite tip for avoiding the Monday blues.
Do what you can on Sundays and the rest of the week won’t feel as stressful.
Congrats! You’ve just been given a whole extra 24 hours in your week. Yay!
Make the most of it.
2. Meal Prep
Ah, what a classic Sunday tip, right?
You’ll save so much time by getting all of your grocery shopping and meal prepping done on Sundays for the week ahead.
I’ll admit to not being the best at this – but I do my best.
This is your chance to look up new and exciting recipes, make healthier choices and bulk that fridge with delicious ready-to-go meals.
Tip: Write out a meal-prep list of all the things you wish to indulge in the coming week before you head to the store.
Also, make sure you plan for healthy snacking.
By preparing most of your meals in advance you are also saving a ton of $$. Need I say more?
3. Plan Your Week
Plan, plan and then plan some more.
Sundays are great for catching up with your favorite planner and getting your to-do’s in order.
I love the Productivity Planner for this, and I am head over heels about it.
You can read my very honest review of the planner here.
I actually just starting using it, but it’s hands down the best planner I’ve ever used.
It’s way up there competing with my all-time favorite gCal.
However, sometimes, it’s nice to get your most important tasks down on paper using a good old-fashioned pen.
Plan your week down to the hour, if you can.
Lay down your most important to-do’s and spread them out on your calendar as results (not actions).
Let’s say you plan to work on your blog from 1 pm – 3 pm on a Thursday – you wouldn’t just put down “work on the blog“.
Write down the results you expect to get in that timeframe.
So in this example that might be “write a blog post about productivity”, “email subscribers”, or “create productivity freebie”.
See what I mean?
Be as specific and detailed as you can.
This will really improve your productivity and make you feel more organized and structured.
Don’t stop there – jot down your social activities for the week, work out times – whatever you plan on doing in the coming week.
4. Prioritize Your To-Do List
Your to-do list is holy and sometimes it can feel endless.
So, make sure you prioritize your to-do list in order of urgency and importance.
Tick off the most crucial task before you move onto the next.
Constantly check off things as you do them, add new tasks and keep it flowing.
I also use the Productivity Planner for prioritizing my to-do’s.
There’s really no better feeling than ticking off things on your to-do list, right?
Stick to one list and avoid countless post-its all over your computer screen and workspace.
5. Aim For Inbox Zero
I absolutely despise a crowded inbox.
I go through it every Sunday and try and get it to zero.
Use these extra productive hours you’ve been given each Sunday and reply to emails, filter out spam and archive emails into different folders.
Tip: Organize and clean up your desktop while you’re at it.
6. Set Goals
Do you know what Sundays are also great for?
Setting goals.
Stop and reflect on your life, the week that’s just passed and make sure you are moving forward towards your dreams and ultimate goals in life.
We should all be taking small steps every day that are aligned with our one big goal or dream.
It’s actually frightening to think that so many of us never actually do anything remotely related to our goals.
Really stop to think about your life, goals, and dreams every Sunday.
Reflect, visualize and take notes.
- Where are you now?
- Where do you want to be?
- And what can you do the following week to get closer to your dreams?
I have a Google drive document open at all times with all my goals for the next…
- 5 years
- 2 years
- 1 year
- 6 months
- 3 months
- 1 month
- and so on.
Divide your big goal into smaller actionable goals that are time-sensitive.
Use your Sundays wisely and get your goals in order. ✨
7. Practice Self-Care
Don’t let there ever go a Sunday without practicing some self-care and self-lovin’.
It’s so important to set aside time for yourself.
It might be a warm bubble bath (put Enya on why don’t you?), meditation, reading, a long walk listening to your favorite podcast or going out with your hubby or best friend for dinner.
Whatever self-care is for you, do it every Sunday (preferably a little every day).
For more self-care ideas, head on over to this blog post that has over 57 self-care ideas.
8. Clean Your Space
You don’t ever want to start off the week with a messy home, desk, apartment, and safe space.
Spend 30 minutes every Sunday decluttering, vacuuming those dust bunnies and doing the dishes.
You’re bound to be happier and feel more productive if your environment and space is clutter-free.
You don’t need to go all Monica Gellar and clean every single corner of your home, but a little goes a long way.
Start the week off clean, literally speaking.
9. Unwind & Relax
Last but not least, make sure to do absolutely nothing as well.
Sundays are not meant to be stressful but they are great for prepping and getting a head start on your work.
Remember – it’s still a day of rest so make sure to schedule your downtime.
My favorite thing to do during my downtime is to eat chocolate (alternatively something a little healthier, but come on – it’s the weekend), go for a walk, journal or watch my all-time favorite sitcom, FRIENDS.
What about you?