11 Things to Do on Sunday to Rock the Week Ahead

Ever have a case of the Mondays on Sunday afternoon? There are days during the week when I feel so unorganized, but when I sit down on Sunday mornings and plan my week ahead, I feel pretty awesome!

A lot of us spend our Saturdays going to the mall, shopping, hanging out with friends, working, or attending various events. We stay up late on Friday and Saturday nights, eating late dinners, going to clubs, going to the movies, or just staying up late to catch the latest episode of Saturday Night Live. But Sundays are for relaxing, am I right? On Sundays, I typically wake up before my husband. After I fix myself something to drink (usually a nice cup of hot chocolate), I sit at our breakfast bar, open my laptop, and read the news on the Daily Mail. When I’ve caught up on all the news and gossip, I turn to my notepad and my planner.  So here are 10 things I like to do on Sunday morning so I can rock the week ahead.

1. Set weekly goals. I write down a list of things I want to accomplish this week (i.e., blog posts I want to write, areas in my house I want to organize, etc.). Making a bullet point list makes it easy to check off the things that I actually accomplish as I go through my week.

   

2. Review your planner or calendar. Because I don’t always have my planner handy, I put some appointments in the calendar on my phone. So on Sunday, I like to look through my calendar and write those appointments in my planner. My phone has a lock on it, but my planner does not. This way if my husband needs to know what appointments I have during the week, all he has to do is look at my planner. He may even find something on my to-do list that he can help me out with.
3. Set aside time to spend with family. Even if it’s just for lunch or dinner, spending time with family can brighten up an otherwise gloomy or boring day. A lot of people get the Sunday blues because we realize that Monday is just around the corner, but spending time with people you love can help lift your spirits.
4. Check the weather. Are you looking at a week of sunny days or is there rain in the forecast? Is it going to be cold or hot? Will you need your heavy winter coat, an umbrella, or just a light coat? Will you need to wear boots or can you sandals? Checking the weather helps you not only plan what you’re going to wear, but also what you’re planning for the week ahead. So check the weather and mark it on your planner.
5. Plan your outfits for the week. This is really simple for me because, as a Medical Assistant, I wear scrubs every day all week. I often fantasize about having to dress up like Andrea Bowen in The Devil Wears Prada and running off to work at a fancy magazine. Don’t get me wrong — I love my job, which is why I try to let my scrubs reflect personal style. I don’t wear wild scrub tops because that’s not my style. Currently I’m loving my Cherokee Infinity scrub pants. They are comfortable, stylish, and functional. And yes, I own them in five different colors.

   

6. Meal prep. I’m not a big meal prepper, but I totally see the importance of prepping a week of meals. We live in a “fast food” world, and having too many servings of chili cheese fries is not good for you. Meal prep eliminates trying to figure out what you’re going to eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. If you’re trying to adhere to a diet or a meal plan, then prepping your meals is a smart idea. I think that writing down what you’re going to eat, and when you’re going to eat, is great. A year or so ago, I followed the 21 Day Fix program. In order to fit all of the foods in I needed to eat, I wrote down what I needed to eat (from the corresponding colored containers) and when. It was great!
7. Gas up the car or re-up your Metro card. This is a great idea, especially if you know that trying to gas up your car during Monday morning traffic will make you late for work. If you know you’re not going to be going anywhere on Sunday, then try to gas up on Saturday. Same goes for your Metro card, if you don’t have to drive to get to work. I have a friend who lives in New York. She uses the subway to get from her apartment in Astoria to get to her job in Manhattan. She is a smart woman who plans her days out well, which includes adding credit to her Metro card so she’s not having to fuss with trying to add money to her card first thing on a Monday morning.
8. Clean out your bags. This not only goes for your purse or briefcase, but your gym bag. Take out old receipts, bottle caps, candy wrappers, or change that you just dropped in your bag. Did you leave dirty clothes in your gym bag? Are there empty food containers in your briefcase? Clean out the clutter, and organize your purse, briefcase, or gym bag for the week ahead.
9. Wash the sheets. I always like to crawl into bed right after I put on freshly washed sheets. They are so cool, so crisp, so fresh! Both my husband and I love fresh sheets. Doing laundry is such a chore, but I love fresh sheets. So for me, washing the sheets is a priority.

   

10. Set an alarm for bedtime. We set alarms to get up, so why not set an alarm to go to bed. My husband and I try to get to bed the same time every night during the week. Our late nights are usually Friday and Saturday nights. But on Sundays, especially, we try to get in bed by 9:30 pm. He usually watches a few youtube videos before he officially turns in for the night. I’ll read a book until the book hits me in the face. Then I’ll put the book on my nightstand, turn off the light, and go to sleep. Occasionally I’ll wear an eye mask, which I think helps me fall asleep faster and stay asleep all night. I also wear a sleep apnea chin strap to help me not snore so loudly, which actually helps my husband sleep better.
11. Fit in a little exercise. Some people may say not to exercise right before bed. I tend to agree with them, but I think doing some easy yoga poses will help you relax and may even help you fall asleep faster and help you sleep through the night. Yoga not only strengthens your body, but can also be very relaxing.

{ Images borrowed from 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 }

Is there anything else you’d add to this list? What do you do on Sundays to make sure that the week ahead is productive and manageable?

Yours Truly,
Vanessa