Everyone knows the feeling of looking forward to Fridays (yay, the weekend is finally here!) and then as the weekend rolls along, that feeling of excitement slowly turns to dread when you know Monday is just around the corner.
We all wish we could hit the pause button on Saturday night or maybe start turning back the clock when Sunday afternoon comes. Unfortunately, there’s no escaping Mondays, but there are definitely ways you can do to make your Mondays much brighter. Who knows, you might even start looking forward to them.
Here are 5 easy things you can do on Sundays to help make sure that you have great Mondays:
1) List 3 priorities for Monday
Take a few minutes on Sunday to sit down and think about the top 3 things you want to accomplish the following day, and then plan your day around it. It could be simple things like get a workout in, call your Mom, or finish one chapter of the book you’ve been reading.
Workwise, your priorities could be: reply to your boss’s email first thing in the morning, submit the report you’ve been working on by 11 AM, and return your coworker’s call before lunch. Having clear priorities will help you feel more prepared and ready for the day and week ahead.
Here’s an added bonus: once you’ve completed these 3 priorities, you’ll already feel that sense of accomplishment which comes with finishing what you set out do. You’ll be more than ready to tackle other tasks and feel even more productive as Monday goes by.
2) Review your schedule and calendar for the week
Usually people do this on Monday mornings—which takes time away from doing other important tasks. It also opens yourself up to getting overwhelmed when you see just how many meetings you have lined up for the week.
Reviewing your schedule and calendar for the week on Sunday instead allows you to get a feel of how your week will go. This way, you’ll be able to prepare yourself mentally for the week ahead.
Some people might think that this will just stress yourself out one day early but doing this can actually lessen the stress. Reviewing your schedule ahead of time means you’ll know what to expect and have extra time to prepare for what’s coming your way.
When taking a look at your calendar, you might even see some back-to-back meetings that need to be rescheduled first thing on Monday.
This also gives you to time to make sure to include some fun activities during the week. Maybe you can schedule a virtual get together with friends or schedule a Pilates class for Wednesday night. Even before the week starts, you’ll already have something to look forward to mid-week.
3) Tidy up and organize your home
The term “lazy Sunday” doesn’t mean that you need to just sit around and force yourself to do nothing to make the most of the day. It can also mean extra time to organize your home office, clean out your closet, or at least fold that pile of laundry that’s been sitting on your bed for the past three days.
During the week, most people won’t have enough time to color-coordinate their closet or re-arrange their pantry. Sunday is the perfect day to get these small home projects done. Say hello to Monday with a cleaner and more organized home and you’ll instantly feel lighter and ready to face the week ahead.
4) Plan your outfits for the week
Not only can this be a fun Sunday activity, but it also saves you time and relieves stress in the mornings. Rather than spending precious brain power during the morning rush to figure out what to wear, use part of your Sunday to take your time and decide on what to wear this week.
Don’t worry, you’re free to change your mind if you want to wear something else. At least you know that you have that part of the week covered and you can focus your time and energy on other more important things.
Even if you’re working from home, choosing which Zoom-appropriate work top to pair with your favorite sweatpants ahead of time gives you the chance to enjoy breakfast before parking yourself in front of your laptop for the rest of the day.
5) Meditate, be mindful, and relax
Sunday is the perfect day to enjoy having a more relaxed schedule and to focus on some much needed me-time. After going through numbers 1 to 4, now it’s time to focus on your mental health and wellbeing.
We all know the saying, “You can’t pour from an empty cup.” Self-care is not selfish because it allows you to give more to everyone around you. Set the tone for the week ahead by taking time to focus on getting your mind, and spirit, ready for whatever the week brings.
One way to do this is through meditation. Meditating has been known reduce anxiety, increase patience, and improve self-awareness. Not sure how to start? The easiest way to meditate is to find a comfortable position and simply focus on deep breathing for a few minutes. There are also a number of apps and YouTube videos that can also help you through guided meditation.
For other people, relaxing might mean taking half an hour to read your favorite magazine or listening to a new podcast. Whatever works for you and lets you fill up your cup before facing a new week is what you need to do.
These 5 activities are just some of the things you can do to prepare yourself for another week. The most important thing to remember is to get your mind and body ready to look forward to the future with a positive attitude.
Though it’s not always easy to do, being more mindful of what you do on Sundays will definitely pay off. With this easy Sunday checklist, Mondays can be a little less daunting and might become a day you’ll actually start looking forward to.