Sunday Funday

May 4, 2016

I, for one, am a major advocate of "Sunday Funday" activities. I truly and wholeheartedly believe that there is nothing better than waking up at noon and enjoying a refreshing mimosa (or three) poolside with your friends. What we don't think about when we're living it up on Sunday, is sleeping through our alarms on Monday morning and skipping that crucial cup of caffeine and starting your week with a serious case of the Mondays. 

For me, mornings are hard. That's just something that I have accepted and I have learned that making my Sunday Funday more productive really helps start my week off on the right foot. I feel more relaxed and focused during the week and ready to tackle the many challenges that life tends to throw our way during that 8-5 grind. 

I am a big planner so attempting to stick to these 7 ways to make my week less hectic has been a huge help in my life.

1. Sunday Is The New Monday

While I was in school, Sundays were that last taste of the weekend that seemed to be over before it begun. Maybe that had something to do with me getting such a late start in the morning and lounging around all day. Either way, I was always finding myself extremely unprepared when Monday morning rolled around, and stressed because of it. Once I began starting my week on Sunday, Monday didn't seem so daunting. I found that if I got up at a reasonable time and made sure to eat breakfast before noon, I would get so much done. Making Sunday my new Monday was one of the best things I could do for my work life as well as my personal sanity.

2. To-Do Lists Are My New Best Friend

When you are always multi-tasking and taking on multiple jobs and projects, things tend to get hectic and can easily spin out of control. I live by to-do lists. At the beginning of each week, I like to create a short-term and long-term to-do list. I got this idea from YouTube blogger, Ingrid Nilsen (who is one of my favorite lifestyle bloggers and if you haven't heard of her you should definitely look her up.) Check out her video on how she makes a DIY Inspiration Board with her goals and check lists (both long and short term.)

3. Declutter, Declutter, Declutter

This is especially important if you work from home. I don't work from home, but I find that if my home desk is cluttered I am less likely to 1.) do anything productive over the weekend 2.) feel refreshed as I am getting ready for work. I will take one look at that messy desk and immediately began to get stressed out. I also make sure that, every day before I go home, my desk is clean and organized (it literally takes 5 minutes.)

4. Tidy Up

During the week, I am definitely not in the mood to clean when I come home (minus the necessary dishes and taking out the trash.) Making time for tidying up around the house on Sunday is a game changer. I wholeheartedly believe that starting the week off with a clean environment gives you a clear mind and prepares you for whatever the week may bring.

5. Hydration Is Key

While I'm at work, I'm pretty good at staying hydrated. My water bottle is with me at all times and I probably refill it about 4 or 5 times throughout the work day. I also find that the fitness tracking app that I use helps so much because of the water reminders (and how adorable the water glasses are when you fill them up.)

Now, while at home I have to try harder. It's just so easy to forget to drink water over the weekend and so I mainly use my meals to regulate my water intake. I try to drink a couple of glasses of water every time I eat a meal or a snack and I find that I have constant energy throughout my day.

6. Plan Ahead

If there is one thing that I would recommend doing on Sunday to jump start your week it would have to be plan. I like to plan out my meals for the week. I don't usually meal prep but I come up with a sort of menu for the week before I go grocery shopping (since Sunday is usually my grocery shopping day.) Sometimes, if I'm being extra detail oriented, I will even put the meals into my calendar. I will usually only buy groceries for dinners (since the leftovers usually are my lunches), but I also like to pick up sandwich fixings and frozen meals (my favorites are the Smart Ones from WeightWatchers.)

Occasionally, I will remember to plan out my outfits for the week. When I do remember to do this, future me is basically worshipping the ground I walk on. Let me just say when you're in a rush and the one outfit you had your mind set on is dirty or wrinkled that can pretty much throw off your entire day. I mean, personally, I like feeling confident in how I look and my confidence definitely impacts how I preform in my daily life (especially when it comes to work.) Also, picking out my outfits for the week helps me narrow down what laundry needs to be done.

7. Get Some Fresh Air

My exercise goal is to fit in at least 4 workouts (ideally 5) per week. Sometimes life happens and I'm not able to workout as much as I would like during the week. The weekend turns into my catch-up days. I used to think that I needed to at least do an hour of intense sweating and pumping iron for a workout to count. What I've learned is that any exercise counts. If all you can do, or want to do, is going for a walk and enjoying some nice Sunday weather than that's awesome! Even if it's just walking your dog or taking a walk around the block, you will feel so refreshed. 

I'm not a super human and we don't have 40 hours in one day to always do everything we would like to do (especially on the weekend), but if you find that you can squeeze in 1 or 2 of these tips that stood out to you than let me know if they helped you get a head start on your week!

What are some tips that help you start your week off right?

Join the conversation!

Latest Instagrams

© Feather + Steele. Design by FCD.