The Best Sunday Reset Routine To Set You Up For a Productive Week

Last Updated January 11, 2024 by Davina Kelly

Creating a Sunday reset routine is essential for having a productive week.

Making time to slow down, recharge and plan for the upcoming week will help you stay calm, focused and organized.

As someone who is type A, I thrive when I have a routine. Having a Sunday reset routine has helped me to achieve my goals, increase my productivity and begin each week feeling refreshed.

In this post, you are going to learn the best activities to include in your Sunday reset routine along with the benefits of each task.

This post is all about the best Sunday reset routine.

The Ultimate Sunday Rest Routine:

1. Reflect

Sundays are all about taking it slow and making time for your self and that includes some reflection. Making time to reflect on your week is a good way to end your week and prepare for a fresh new week.

During your reflection think about how your week has been. Think about what went well, what could have gone better and anything that you want to improve going forward.

Sometimes we have bad weeks where it seems like nothing is going right. To keep my reflections positive, I like to include a prompt in my journal to write one thing that I am proud of.

No matter how bad things may seem, there is always at least one thing that you can be proud of yourself for.

Grab your favourite notebook and write down everything that comes to mind. Once you have written everything down you will feel lighter.

2. Plan For The Week

Now that you have had some time to reflect it is time to plan for the week. Planning for the week will help you to stay organized and ensure that you get all the important things done.

It will reduce stress and the amount of decisions you have to make and will also help you to use your time more efficiently.

I know it can feel overwhelming if you are someone who is not used to having a structured lifestyle, but it doesn’t have to be. You can plan your week in a simple effective way.

Open your planner or whichever tool you use to plan and think about the things you need to do in the upcoming week.

Make a list of each task and decide which day you will complete it. I recommend prioritising the hardest tasks first, this way you will feel accomplished and want to continue that streak throughout the week. If you have any appointments include them in your calendar with a reminder so that you don’t forget them.

This process shouldn’t take you long to complete. Once you have created a system that works well for you, you can do it fast. The most important thing is to make it effective so that you can get things done.

3. Set a Goal

Setting goals for yourself will give you direction and enrich your life. Most people set goals at the beginning of the year myself included. But I think it is important to break them down into smaller goals. This will make your goals feel more achievable and it will give you a clear road map.

While you are doing your weekly planning think about the goal you are currently working on and include the tasks you need to complete that week that will get you closer to that goal.

For example, if your goal is to find a new job your tasks for the week could be to update your resume and apply for 10 jobs. These tasks will help you get closer to achieving your goal.

Decide which tasks you need to complete to reach your goals and include them in your weekly plan.

4. Catch Up With Admin

If you have any administration you need to catch up on, now is a good time to do it. Take this time to go through any mail you have received and respond to any emails or messages.

Check and update your budget for the week. Transfer any money you need to and If you have any bills that need to be paid ensure that gets done.

5. Digital Declutter

Decluttering your home is a great way to organize your space and get rid of any unwanted items. Doing a digital declutter will help you achieve the same results for your digital life. It will also help to improve your productivity and reduce stress.

Go through your emails delete any unwanted messages and unsubscribe from any unwanted emails. Your mailbox should be reserved for important messages, not spam.

Speaking of spam, check your spam folder and delete those messages too.

Reorganise what you have left. If you have a lot of emails having folders is a good way to keep your messages organised and ensure that you don’t miss anything important.

Do the same process for your phone. Check your text and WhatsApp messages and delete any that you have read and no longer need. Also delete any unwanted photos, screenshots, unused apps etc.

6. Do Your Chores

Chores might be boring, but you need to get them done. Cleaning your home on a Sunday will help you to keep your home organised and allow you to invest your energy throughout the week doing important tasks.

Take some time to change your bed sheets, do your laundry, and tidy up your space. Don’t forget to water your plants if you have any.

To make your life easier you can create a weekly cleaning routine. Choose two days in the week when you will clean. One day can be a tidy up and the other can be a more thorough clean, I usually do mine on Sunday and Wednesday. This way you can break your chores up and will feel less overwhelmed.

7. Plan Your Meals

Planning your meals for the week ahead will save you time and money. It will also give you one less thing to think about when you are busy.

How many times have you been busy working away and lunchtime creeps up? At this point, nothing is prepared so you end up ordering a takeaway. If you plan your meals this won’t happen because you will be prepared at meal times.

Make a list of the foods you enjoy eating, I recommend breaking them down into meals. For example, think of three options for breakfast, lunch and dinner. These meals will form your menu for the week and the ingredients will be your grocery shopping list.

If you enjoy meal prepping you can cook all of your meals now. But if you don’t want to do that you can cook a bigger portion for dinner and have the leftovers for lunch the next day. Or you can meal prep for two days at a time instead of for the whole week. Choose the option that works best for you.

8. Indulge In Self-Care

Is a Sunday reset routine complete without some self-care? It is important to make time for yourself to do the things that you enjoy and make you feel good.

Pamper yourself. Take a bubble bath, wash your hair, do your skincare, paint your nails, read a book or do one of your favourite relaxing hobbies. Whatever self-care means to you now is the time to indulge in it.

9. Relax

This is my favourite part of my Sunday rest routine, it’s time to relax unwind and do nothing. You have spent the last 1 – 2 hours preparing for a productive week, now it is time to chill.

Relax on the sofa while watching your favourite Netflix show, watch a movie, take a nap or just sit and listen to some music. Don’t feel guilty for taking this time out, it is well deserved.

Tomorrow you will be back to the grind, but you will feel fresh, nourished and ready to go because you took the time to prepare.

10. Have an Early Night

To end your Sunday rest routine and set yourself up for a productive week I recommend having an early night.

Sleep is an essential function. Having a good amount of sleep will leave you feeling refreshed, it will also boost your mood and help your brain to function properly.

There is no better feeling than getting into bed early with fresh bed sheets to get a good night’s sleep to reset for the week ahead.

You don’t need to go to bed super early, you can just get into bed 1 hour or 30 minutes before your usual bedtime. This will give you time to unwind and have you waking up on Monday morning feeling, well rested and ready to take on the week.

Benefits Of a Sunday Reset Routine

Having a Sunday reset routine or any routine will give you structure. It will help you to be focused and organised and increase your productivity. Resetting on a Sunday will allow you to set the tone for the upcoming week and make time for yourself.

Sundays give us a chance to slow down, rest, recover and reflect. It is the perfect time to fill your cup up and focus on your well-being while still being productive.

A Sunday rest routine can also help reduce stress and anxiety because you will be focused on doing things to help you relax and prepare. You will wake up on Monday morning feeling calm because you have a clear plan for what you need to do.

Here are some of the benefits of having a Sunday reset routine.

Prepares you for the week ahead
Increases productivity
Helps you to stay organized
Reduces stress
Helps you to reach your goals
Helps you look forward to Monday

Tips For Creating a Sunday Reset Routine

When you are creating your Sunday routine I recommend thinking about your intention. Ask yourself what do I want to accomplish by having a Sunday reset routine? Is it to make time for yourself? Spend time with family? Boost productivity? Think about the answer to this question and use it as a basis to build your routine.

Your Sunday routine should be flexible, it doesn’t have to be rigid. Every Sunday won’t be the same. By allowing your routine to be flexible you will have more balance in your life and feel less overwhelmed.

You don’t have to fill up every hour of the day with a task. Keep it simple. Focus on your priorities for the day, if things don’t go to plan every Sunday that is ok.

Sunday Reset Ideas

There are no rules for creating a Sunday reset routine. As I have mentioned in this post, your routine should be focused on the things you need to help you feel refreshed and organised for the upcoming week.

If you are not sure what type of activities you should include, I will share some ideas below.

Here are some Sunday reset ideas.

Journal
Listen to a podcast
Read a book
Do your favourite activity
Declutter
Change your bedsheets
Do the laundry
Plan for the week
Check your finances
Life admin
Catch up with family and friends
Go for a walk
Do Yoga

Frequently Asked Questions

What Does Sunday Reset Mean?

A Sunday reset means that you intentionally set time aside to reflect and plan for the week ahead.

For most of us, Sundays are when our schedules are lighter, so this is a good time to rejuvenate and prepare for a productive week.

It doesn’t need to be super intense, you can choose a few things you want to get done that will help you be organised for the upcoming week.

Once you have completed those activities you can make time to relax and do some self-care. A good Sunday reset routine includes activities to help you be more productive and make time for yourself.

What Should I Do On Sunday Reset Day?

On a Sunday rest day, you should indulge in tasks that will help prepare for the week ahead.

I recommend including some time to reflect, plan and relax. Including these activities will make you feel balanced and not get overwhelmed.

Here is an example of a Sunday reset day.

Journal and reflect
Complete house chores
Plan your meals
Pamper
Relax

Final Thoughts

Having a Sunday reset routine is a good habit to incorporate into your weekly routine. It can help you to live a balanced lifestyle and increase your productivity.

It is important to create a routine that works for you and your lifestyle. Your routine doesn’t have to be rigid and includes a lot of steps. It can be simple and still be effective. As long as it makes you feel good that is what matters.

You can follow the routine I have given in this post or you can use it as a guide to create your own. Set your intention of what you want to achieve and build your routine from there.

Have you found this Sunday rest routine helpful? What are some of the activities you include in your routine?