She likes Avoiding Sunday Scaries
Historically, I have struggled with Sundays for as long as I can remember. There is something about the heightened anticipation of the week that lies ahead and the pressure to savor and enjoy the last day of your weekend that creates an anxious feeling for me throughout the day. In fact, I used to even get so upset over the fact that I waste my last “free” day by spending the majority of it sick with worry!
It has taken years of learning, many self-help books & podcasts, and weekends experimenting for me to be able to say with confidence that I not only struggle less with dread on Sundays, I actually look forward to them!
Here are 4 tips and practices you can begin to implement today that helped me go from a ball of anxiousness on Sundays, to them now being my favorite day of the week!
Have a plan for the day. This does not mean you need to get your planner out, call up all of your friends and have an activity scheduled for each hour of the day. Rather, grab a post it note in the morning and write an outline of what you want your day to look like. It’s easy to convince ourselves that there is “so much to do” to get ready for the week, and even worse we can be left scrambling to get it all done which only contributes to feeling stressed and unprepared going into your new week. Deciding that you will have a good day and writing down how you will have a good day affirms that it will happen! And be realistic about the goals you set for yourself to accomplish in the day. Come Sunday night, I’m able to reflect on my list of what I accomplished and not question whether or not I am prepared for the new week’s set of challenges.
Have a balance of productiveness and rest. If you’re the type of person that loves to take advantage of the weekend to tackle big projects around the house, renovate your space, or maybe even finally finish the project that you put off until the last minute and need completed by Monday, be sure to not overload your Sunday with too many tasks. It’s easy to get swept away in work and before you know it it’s 6 PM and your day off is nearly over. This is a perfect storm for feeding stress and anxiety that already likes to rear it’s big ugly head at night when setting your Monday morning alarm. Stick to your realistic list of tasks, complete them concisely, and save ample time for you to do things you enjoy without feeling rushed. Even better, you can kick back in a nice bubble bath or curl up with a good book on the couch and not have to listen to that nagging voice in your head telling you “there’s something we should be doing” or “what if XY & Z needs done” because you know your list is crossed off!
Some tasks that help me “reset” without requiring too much of my Sunday time are:
Ordering groceries and picking them up curbside instead of devoting 2 or more hours shopping and cashing out at the store
Running loads of laundry — clothes are being washed while you work on something else or relax!
Running the dishwasher — I know dishes are being cleaned for Monday morning while I rest
Lighting candles & essential oil diffusers — I know this may seem like a small task, but I love the freshness it adds to my home while also helping to set a calm mood and relax me!
Small cleaning tasks rather than big organizing projects that overwhelm me — Dusting, polishing with a scented oil and vacuuming only take a few passes and sweeps and are an easy “refresher” to the home without the time of a “deep clean:
Adding fresh flowers to spaces in your home — I LOVE doing this, especially in the winter time! It is such a simple way to brighten your space and look forward to enjoying them all week.
Restock home items — Along with my Sunday groceries I will order household items that I go through and refresh; i.e. Toiletries, laundry pods, fresh hand towels, fridge and pantry snacks, etc. There is nothing like walking into your week with everything stocked and ready for you to use!
Change my bedding — I love starting the week with fresh sheets and changing my duvet cover!
3. Plan things you enjoy to look forward to. One of the biggest drivers behind me going from having anxiety on Sundays to looking forward to Sundays is saving things for myself to enjoy only on this day of the week. This quickly shifted my mindset from focusing on all I had to do in the week ahead to being excited for all that the day in front of me had to offer. I also learned that living a life with out worry would require some extra effort on my behalf, and to really start romanticizing little things in your life.
Some examples of things I set out for myself to enjoy on Sundays are:
Make a favorite meal that I only enjoy on Sundays
Buy a special new food to try. Sometimes this is a new flavor of coffee, creamer or even candy to make a fun Sunday morning drink!
Look for little gifts for myself to enjoy on Sunday throughout the week. SELF LOVE IS NOT SELFISH! This can be as little as a coffee mug I find in the dollar section at target or fuzzy socks I can enjoy when I get in bed Sunday night. Take care of yourself!!!!!!
4. Practice self care. I have made Sundays a big self care day, another reason I now look forward to them, I get to relax and take care of myself! You do not have to nor will you break the bank practicing self care.
Some ways I practice self care on Sundays are:
Some form of movement. Don’t look at this and think this needs to be an hour long run on the treadmill. Sometimes this is only TEN MINUTES of light stretching for me! I do what feels good to my body and mind. I easily can become bored with exercises, so I love YouTubing different yoga exercises, going for a walk outside, or taking a stab at a CrossFit workout from home that my favorite influencer shared. Whatever it is, I do it with the goal of making my heart, body and mind healthier.
Face mask. From expensive skincare products I have splurged on to Target’s finest skincare selection, try a new face or eye mask and pamper yourself! I wear mine while folding laundry, there is no reason you can’t find the time for some self love fun!
Take a hot bath or shower. Again, taking some action on yourself to invest in some fun bath bombs, scented Epsom salts, and lighting some cozy candles, it doesn’t take much to set up a little spa in your home bathroom
Journal or read. Taking 5 minutes out of your day to sit down with a cup of tea, fall scented candle and a journal from the $2 bin at target is a wonderful way to devote some time to your mind and soul.
After implementing these 4 tips into my life, it has brought so much peace to my weeks and has even changed how I handle stress! Positivity and how you perceive certain situations has such an impact on life.
Remember to make time for and be kind to yourself.. Setting yourself up for success includes taking care of your physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing. And there is no better time to do that than starting a new week and taking it on with gusto and preparedness.
x Hailey
Meet the Author!
She likes milk. And her dogs, baking, cooking, health & wellness, + more!