11 Tips to Easing the Sunday Scaries
We all know the feeling on Sunday evening (or morning!) when you're overwhelmed with the thought of a new week. Whether it's work related stress, a never ending to do list, hangover induced, an excess of weeknight commitments, etc., we've all been there. It's not a fun feeling and it completely takes away from having a relaxing and enjoyable Sunday.
I compiled a list of things I've been doing over the last year ish that have helped eliminate having so many things to be overwhelmed with on Sundays! What I have realized, is the more I can eliminate from my day on Sunday, the less overwhelmed I am, the less scary my Sunday. The more relaxing my Sunday is, the better my week starts out.
1. Order groceries online and have them delivered Friday or Saturday!
I feel like I'm beating a dead horse by pimping out InstaCart all the time but it has truly changed my weekends. I used to waste what felt like half my morning at the grocery store on Sundays. I would be overwhelmed upon walking into the madness that is the store on Sunday, only then to be even more overwhelmed when I got home and realized I'd spent all that time at the store, and hadn't even begun to meal prep yet! Have your groceries delivered Friday afternoon or Saturday morning, then put them away so they're ready to go first thing Saturday/Sunday!
2. Start your meal prep on Saturday!
I used to save all my meal prep until Sunday, and now I try to knock out a couple of things Saturday when I have pockets of time so that I cut down on my meal prep time Sunday! It has helped tremendously! If I have time to actually make a recipe or two, I do it, but sometimes I only have time to cut/prep veggies, or get things ready to go for Sunday, and that's okay too! Anything helps!
3. Put all your breakfasts, lunches, and snacks together for the week!
I bring all three of these to school with me each day, so if they're all in tupperware/snack bags and ready to grab and go each day, it makes me feel so much better! Portioning things out on Sunday only takes 10-15 minutes, but it saves so much time and sanity during the week!
4. Start your dishwasher and laundry when when you get home from work Friday!
This is something new I've started, but it has saved so much time and sanity on Sunday! I dump all my laundry into the washing machine on Friday night when I get home from work, as well as start my dishwasher. I put my clothes in the dryer before we head out to whatever it is we're doing Friday night. Then I don't waste time having to washing drying, and folding Sunday. All I have to do is fold and put away!
5. Spend 10 Minutes Cleaning the house Friday!
I try to maximize the time I have on Friday after work, if you couldn't tell! While I'm waiting on my groceries to be delivered, I do my laundry, start the dishwasher, and do a 10 minute clean so that we start the weekend with clean house. Our house stays much cleaner over the weekend if it starts out clean. I do it again Saturday if needed. This eliminates feeling like we have to spend half our evening cleaning on Sunday nights, and we start the week with a fresh and clean house! The best feeling ever.
6. Lay out clothes for the entire week
When I know I won't have to stress or spend any time thinking about what I'm wearing every morning, it helps a ton. Laying out my outfits means one less thing I have to do each morning, and that always makes me feel more organized! This doesn't just help me feel better on Sunday, but all week long!
7. Fill out your planner for the week!
To some, this might sound stress inducing, but laying out my week, looking over which nights I have commitments, and planning my workouts each day is so helpful to me. Having an idea of what my week looks like means I'm not starting my Monday overwhelmed.
8. Make No plans monday!
This is something I started this year, and it has probably been one of the most helpful tips I can give you: make no plans on Monday evening, when possible. Having a stacked Monday night makes me anxious on Sunday evenings, but if I know I can come home from work, workout, and have the night to relax, I am so much less stressed about starting my week! Start your week slow!
9. Don't waste half your day in bed on Sunday!
This may not be for everyone, but I love doing this. I used to sleep in super late on Sundays, and sometimes I need the extra rest, so I sleep in! But if possible, I try not to lay in bed too long. I like to get up at a decent time to knock some things out before I start my Sunday. When I lay in bed until 11, the rest of my day is crammed, and often times I'm just laying there thinking about everything I have to do that day anyway! Getting up, and getting going is helpful to me, and always makes for a more relaxing afternoon/evening. You don't have to rush around, but just getting up out of bed at a decent time always makes me feel less stressed about all that I have to accomplish in one day.
10. Save Sunday for your rest day!
Clearing my Sunday of any workout is always helpful to me. It's just one easy thing for me to eliminate and it ensures I'm geared up and energized for the rest of my workouts that week! Sometimes I take a walk or play outside with Poppy, but I never schedule Sunday workouts when I don't have to!
11. If you're going to drink, drink on friday night!
Obviously you can't always plan your weekend around this, and I don't adhere to it all the time either, but now that I'm out of my college drinking prime, my hangovers last approximately 24 hours minimum. I cannot do all of the things I need to do on a Sunday, when I'm hungover. My goal in 2020 is to be better about this! Hangovers increase my Sunday scaries by about 500, so drink up on Friday, and say no to the 3rd glass of wine Saturday night. Your Sunday self will thank you!
Checklist
Here's a checklist with these tips broken down by day, screen shot and put it to use this weekend to ensure a less stressful Sunday!
