What does a typical Sunday in your life look like? What are your Sunday habits? Do you wonder how some people seem to have their life together, while you are still trying to get by and rush to work on a Monday Morning.
I keep saying this on the blog, and I bet you’ve heard it a million times before as well. If you want to change your life, you need to focus on small changes. It is all in small atomic habits that translate into life changing habits and routines when done consistently. Day by day nothing changes, but when you look back, a lot changes over the years.
And if you want to change your life, then you need to start with adopting the right habits and sticking to them. And if you want to be organised and productive through the week, then you need to take control of what you do on Sundays.
I know a lot of people like to sleep in on Sundays and then binge watch a Netflix show through the rest of the day. They spend Sunday night “chilling” And sleep late in the night and then Monday hits.
They are sleep deprived, rushing to work, barely have time for breakfast and are totally clueless about their life. Forget about self improvement goals and personal development journey. All they want to do is get through the week somehow and wait for another weekend to repeat.
But life isn’t meant to barely “get through” is it? You are made for big things and you deserve to live the life you dream of. but you have to work towards creating that life and making it a reality.
And that’s where these Sunday habits come in.
These habits will help you plan and get organised for a better, productive week ahead. So if you want to make real changes, let’s talk about these productive Sunday habits:
#1: Don’t sleep in & throw your routine out the door:
A lot of people like to catch up on sleep on a Sunday. And while I advocate taking care of your health and getting the much needed rest, I don’t like sleeping in for too late. I usually get up at 5 AM on the weekdays and the weekends are no different. Sometimes, I’d sleep in for an extra hour (if my newborn would let me). But I still wake up around 6 AM even on a Sunday.
A lot of people ask me why, and it’s simple. I love my morning routine too much. I like having me-time in the morning before the chaos of the day hits me in the face. And I like the peace and quiet to work on my goals and my personal development journey.
Also, Sleeping in for too late will mean going to sleep late in the night and that’s just a shitty way to start your week.
Why I don’t sleep in all day?
And I absolutely can not afford going to sleep late because I know it’ll make me sleep deprived. I am already very sleep deprived from being a mom to a newborn, I don’t need more toxic habits to Self sabotage. And routines take time to build and I don’t want to be dragging myself backwards every weekend.
And although I don’t “work” on Sundays, I still like to plan the coming week and be prepared. My Sunday routine helps me stay productive throughout the week and stay on top of my to-do list as well.
So don’t sleep in too late. Take some extra time to catch up on sleep but still wake up at a reasonable hour so that you have enough time to get things done.
I like to do a Self care routine because I am too busy during the week (Because Mom Life & balancing work and mom life is a different game altogether). And waking up at a reasonable hour allows me to do that.
RELATED: My 5 AM Morning routine that changed my life
#2: Make time for self care:
Self care may not be my top priority during the week (new mom life) but I make sure I take out some time for myself every Sunday. It doesn’t have to be something super fancy and you don’t really need to spend a lot of money and go to a spa.
Sometimes all you need is an hour or two to yourself. Simply put on a face mask, massage your hair, put on some music and clean your house. Yes, I am one of those people who like cleaning their house as a way of self care.
You don’t have to be weird like me, but you get my point, right? Do whatever it is that you want to do. Make yourself a priority and get some down time.
Here are 53 Free or affordable self care ideas for your wellness routine.
#3: Review last week:
One of the best Sunday habits that I started doing a few years back is a Sunday review where you review the past week. I feel like these reviews often put things into perspective and give you a very clear idea on how you could be doing things better. I often do a yearly, half yearly and monthly review as well.
Reviews are a great exercise to look back on your goals and see what you’ve achieved and how to do things differently to hit your yearly goals.
Some of the questions to answer in your weekly review are:
- What did I do well this week?
- What could I do differently?
- Did I finish my to-do list for the week?
Answering these will help you plan your coming week better. I often used to over estimate what I can get done. But when in these weekly reviews I found that I almost never complete my to-do list, I realised that I was setting very high expectations. And not being able to get these tasks done was simply adding to stress in my life. I then readjusted my focus and started planning my week better. Also while including some down time. It helped me immensely and increased my productivity too.
So if you find yourself feeling burnt out every week, this just might be your answer. Anyway, these weekly reviews will definitely help.
#4: Write to-do list for the week:
Writing down your to-do list is essentially number one tip to be more productive through your day/week. When you know what you’re supposed to get done, you don’t waste time in trying to make decisions through the week.
So get your planner and write down your to-do list for the week. Jot down all the tasks that you need to get done in the coming week. It will give you a fair idea of what to expect.
I also make sure to write down my goal for the week. It helps me adopt new habits and sticking to them.
Whenever writing down your to-do list, it’s also a great idea to write down your top 3 priorities for the week. So 3 most important tasks that you need to get done. So that if things don’t go according to plan, you know where you need to put your time and energy.
#5: Plan your week:
Once you have your to-do list for the week, it’s time to plan your coming week.
As important as it is to know what you need to get done, knowing when you have to do is also really important. So take out your weekly planner and plan on when you will get your to-dos done. I like scheduling my days and doing themed days as well. So on Mondays I will write Blog posts. On Tuesdays I will batch create pins for Pinterest and so on.
But that totally depends on whats on my to-do list and how I want to approach things. Some weeks are definitely more hectic than the others, but planning your week will keep you organised.
Here are some things to take care of when planning your week:
- Your appointments (Doctor’s, dentists etc)
- Are you meeting any friends for brunch or to catch up over coffee & When
- Your content plan for the week
- When do you want to work on your personal development goals
- When do you want to workout & which workouts do you want to try
#6: Meal planning and meal prepping:
I love meal planning and meal prepping because it just saves me so much time. I no longer have to spend hours (sometimes literally) deciding what to make for dinner and saves me from that decision fatigue. Also, with meal planning, I am getting to eat a variety of foods as well and not just dal rice as I’d usually make.
Having said that, I am not a fan of eating the same meals everyday. I find it very boring. I like variety in my food and only do basic meal prep that saves me time when I actually cook my meals. So I’ll cook rice, knead the dough, boil pulses and chickpeas etc for my meal prep and do the cooking when it’s time for the meal. Indian plant based meals anyway don’t take that long to make, if you already have the ingredients prepared.
Here is what I usually do:
- Boil & cook rice
- Wash & Chop all the veggies
- Make a chutney & a salad dressing
- Soak & boil chickpeas (we have it almost every week)
- Knead the dough
- Chop onions & tomatoes for tadka
- Peel Garlic pods
- Make curd
- Bake a loaf of break or banana cake
#7: Grocery shopping:
Grocery shopping goes hand in hand with meal planning & prepping. I note down anything I need for the meals and get groceries on Sundays. I only buy fresh produce weekly. The rest fo the groceries we buy in bulk, monthly. And it saves us so much time and energy and also money because you’re not going up and down the grocery store aisle adding un-necessary things to your cart.
Meal planning & Grocery shopping more intentionally also means less food wastage and I can’t recommend it enough. Nothing goes to waste in our house anymore and I am actually really proud of it.
#8: Plan outfits for the week:
I always make it a point to plan all my outfits in advance. I hate the idea of standing in front of my closet in the morning and trying to put on a decent outfit. Planning in advance saves me the decision fatigue and helps me look presentable through the week.
And mind you, even though I work from home, i do not believe in working in my pajamas. I always change out of my PJs and put on some comfy clothes for the day.
I have been trying out a capsule wardrobe for the last couple of months (because I was forced into it, that’s a story for later) and I love the idea of having clothes that you can mix and match and that still look chic. I am also a sucker for basics, so it wasn’t that difficult.
If you want, you could also try out a work uniform. I have heard a lot of people rave about it. haven’t tried it myself yet though. I do have a go-to outfit though. That’s a basic blue denim and a linen shirt (which I have in so many colors). It’s cozy, it’s minimal and it’s chic. Basically everything I want from a work from home mom outfit.
#9: Declutter & Tidy:
I find decluttering so therapeutic and I love cleaning the house too. I often have to put a timer so that I don’t get too involved in it and spend hours cleaning. But I love doing a quick declutter and tidy of the entire house.
Having a clean house is something that I truly appreciate and it makes so much of a difference because you don’t have to worry about clutter through the week.
If you don’t like decluttering and tidying in general, here is the basics that will get you sorted:
- Declutter your purse
- Declutter your fridge
- Declutter your entryway
- Declutter your work desk
- Tidy counters and horizontal surfaces (tables, side stools etc)
- Change bedsheets
#10: Do a Mini Detox:
We live in a world where social media is such a big part of our lives. We constantly compare our lives to other people’s highlight reels on the internet. So doing a mini digital detox on Sunday will also do you some good. I usually don’t look at my phone on Sundays. I often forget where it is. Doing this mini detox allows me to re-centre and align my focus on things that are important for me. This allows me to set my priorities without other people affecting my thought process.
If you can’t do a full day detox, I highly recommend switching off for a few hours on Sunday Evening. Take this time to plan your week, do some self care and listen to some good music or cook some good food.
So if you find yourself constantly comparing your life to other people on social media or you find that it’s not good for your mental health in general, it’s time to make a weekly detox a part of your routine.
#11: Move your body & Workout outside:
I love working out and getting my sweat on. I may not be the fittest person you’d meet, but I do like movement everyday. I love my cardio and strength training and HIIT workouts. But Sundays are usually days when I take it easy.
I usually go on a long walk or a small hike near our apartment. Have you ever tried catching up with friends on a long walk in the nature? I highly recommend you give it a try. Working out in nature and in fresh air will do wonders for you.
Sundays are also days when I try some new yoga flow routines (from youtube) and select the ones that I really like. Then I’ll repeat these through the week as a way to warm up/ warm down after my workouts.
#12: Switch off from work:
Although this comes naturally to people who work in regular office set ups, I have to do this intentionally. I make sure I switch off from work every Sunday and take out time to spend my husband and my family. As someone who loves their work a little too much and is obsessed with analytics, there is always something or the other that you could be doing.
But I have to force myself to log off from work, so that I don’t burn out.
There you have it. 12 Sunday habits that will help you be more organised and prepared to take on the coming week. These ha bits will have you feeling refreshed and energised for the upcoming week.
Sunday habits for a productive week:
- Don’t sleep in for too late
- Make time for self care
- Review past week
- Write to-do list for coming week
- Plan coming week
- Meal planning & Meal prepping
- Grocery shopping
- Declutter & tidy
- Plan outfits
- Do a digital detox
- Move your body & workout outside
- Switch off from work
These Sunday habits have literally changed how I approach coming week and I hope you find some of these helpful.
Leave a Reply