5 Productive Things to Do on Sunday to Prepare for the Week Ahead

goal setting mindset organization preparation productivity Oct 22, 2021

Sunday is my favorite day of the week. And it hasn’t always been that way. The ‘Sunday scaries’ used to get the best of me more times than I can count.

It wasn’t until I began taking Sundays as an intentional day to rest, reflect and learn that I started to thoroughly enjoy them.

I began viewing them as a day to plan and enjoy as opposed to a day to stress about all the things I hadn’t done the previous week. I hope this post inspires you to reclaim Sundays as your day rather than a day that you dread.

Without further ado, here’s a list of my non-negotiables every Sunday to prepare for a great start to the week.

1. Take some time for you

Up first on the list, do at least one activity that fills your cup (1). Take the first part of your Sunday to enjoy in whatever way makes you the happiest. This could be going on an adventure, a walk, doing yoga, watching your favorite show or movie, getting lost in a good book, grabbing coffee with a friend, you get the idea.

Pick the activity that will make you feel happy, alive, and connected to yourself or others, and go do that. I’ve found that when I prioritize my needs and happiness first, it makes the rest of my Sunday a lot more enjoyable. I actually get excited to plan and organize because I’ve already taken the time to be present and joyful.

By the way, this doesn’t have to be the first activity on your Sunday list. I know a lot of people who prefer to get right into the organization, planning, reflection, etc., and relax at the end of it all. It’s all about figuring out a system that works for you that gets you inspired and motivated.

2. Make time to learn

I like to allocate a portion of my Sundays to learning – whatever I want that to look like in a certain week. Some weeks, it looks like reading a few chapters of a book or getting lost in a compelling news article. Other weeks, it looks like diving into that course I enrolled in a while ago that keeps getting pushed down on my list.

I find when I spend a bit of time actively learning on Sundays that it sets me up for a great week ahead. There are so many amazing free resources out there: audiobooks, podcasts, documentaries, courses, you name it. So, next Sunday, find something that interests you and dive into it (2).

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3. Assess where you’re at and what you need for the upcoming week

Next up, I like to take a quick inventory of my space. This includes checking what’s in the fridge, my laundry bin, etc. Do I need to top up on groceries? Is the laundry overflowing? The answers to these questions are typically a yes.

Regardless of whether or not I actually do these things on my Sunday, I like to know where everything is at. Some items can wait till Monday, and others can’t. I also call this section of my Sunday ‘ catch-up time’. I quickly get caught up on all of those not-so-fun tasks that I didn’t get to earlier in the week.

I’ve found this time to be an integral part of my Sunday routine and something that helps set me up for a strong start to my Monday.

4. Plan your schedule

There’s nothing worse than beginning the week with no clue what you’re supposed to be doing. Been there, done that and it’s not fun. To combat the Sunday scaries, I like to plan out what my week will look before it begins. Or at the very least, map out how Monday might look (3).

I begin by taking note of the meetings I have lined up, either with my clients or team members. Those times are non-negotiable and tend not to change as much. Next up, I look at what projects have deadlines this week. Where can I allocate time to my more focused work?

I know for me personally, I tend to do better ‘thinking’ work in the mornings. So, I take my meetings in the afternoon (where I can) and save my mornings for uninterrupted content creation or project execution. Knowing when you do your best work is key when planning your weekly work schedule.

There are so many systems you can use for this. My team and I like to use Microsoft Outlook because we’ve found it to be most effective for coordinating meetings, blocking time, etc. That said, there are tons of other platforms as well. Here are a few that work really for some of my colleagues and friends:

Of course, not everyone has the luxury of planning out exactly how their week will look. Even if you’re able to get familiarized with your schedule for the week and see where you can fit in your personal tasks around your non-negotiable work tasks – you’re well on your way to a great start to the week.

5. Reflect on the previous week and set intentions for the new one

Last and certainly not least, it’s time to reflect on the previous week. Feel free to write your reflection down, or simply think about it. Here are some prompts to get you started:

What did I do really well last week?
What accomplishment was I most proud of?
What could I have done that would’ve made last week even better?

Next, let’s look at the upcoming week.

What are my top priorities this week?
What does my mind/body/soul need most in the next 5 days?
What would make this week a success?

I love answering these prompts because they help me determine what I can improve on for the week ahead. I make it my mission to never become complacent with my time or energy, so I like to see what can be done to make my week a great one. Even if it doesn’t go according to plan, it gives me something to reflect on for next Sunday.

Conclusion

There you have it – how to prepare on Sunday for a great week ahead. This routine has helped me immensely in my life. I no longer dread Mondays because I’ve set myself up well the day before. There are no surprises, and I know exactly what I’m doing when I sit down at my desk to kick off the week.

I’m curious, are these things you already do on your Sundays? Email me at [email protected] and tell me about your routine! I’d love to know. If you aren’t already, make sure to follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook so you never miss any insights about communication, public speaking, lifestyle, spirituality – or many other topics we discuss over there!

And don’t forget, you can assess your public speaking skills right now with our complimentary scorecard. Get it while it’s hot.

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