How to help de-stress from the week and reset before Monday
We all have had those dreadful weeks. The ones where laundry is piled up, dishes are sitting in the sink, and by Friday you can hardly remember what day it is. On the bright side, a weekend is all it takes to hit the reset button. Now, it’s not expected to try to cram all of your chores and tasks within the two days, if we can even get two days. It is all about our intentions in easing out of the chaos of the week and being able to walk into Monday feeling clean and prepared for the week ahead. Here are the best ways to productively spend your weekend for a prepared week:
Friday Night Wind Down
The reset starts the moment that you finish that last assignment for the week or send that last work email and can close the laptop for the rest of the evening. Give yourself permission to be done with work and not feel obligated to try and get everything done that night (unless you’re like me who tends to procrastinate and waits until the last minute…). Once you have committed to stepping away, spend 10-15 minutes tidying up the area around you, whether that is cleaning up the kitchen by taking care of the dishes, or vacuuming the pesky crumbs off the floor. Then cleanse in the shower to rinse away the week to start off the weekend fresh. Next, change into your most comfortable pjs, pop some popcorn, and put on a movie or a show that you haven’t had time to catch up on! The moment that you lay in bed for the night it should feel like the week is finally over and you can take on anything!
My Tried & True Self Care Routine – Her Campus
Saturday = Slow Mornings
Saturday is all about easing into your weekend slowly and taking care of the small stuff. Let yourself wake up without an alarm blaring in your ear. Get up as slow as you need to as there is no rush in jumpstarting the day. Once you feel fully rested, make your bed nice and neat to help spruce up the room, follow through with your morning routine, and drink a cold glass of water to refresh your body. Next, make some nutritious breakfast, whether that is avocado toast, eggs, yogurt and berries, whatever makes you feel ready to take on the day!
After you have eaten, it is time to take on the small tasks that tend to pile up throughout the week: dishes, cleaning out the fridge, laundry. Don’t try and overwhelm yourself with these tasks, instead, try and make them soothing by putting on your favorite podcast, playlist, or put on your favorite show and turn these tasks into hobbies.When you have accomplished your tasks, take a nice walk in the outdoors to get fresh air and declutter your mind of anything that is still lingering from the week.
The masterpiece of the entire weekend comes down to the ultimate relaxation, and possibly most extraneous task: the everything shower. This is a full self-care routine that I personally am religious about doing—shaving, hair mask, a deep wash and condition, and ending it with a nice, cold face mask. Clean and relaxed, change into some comfy pjs and unwind with another movie or continue binge-watching your tv show. Your Saturday should end feeling lighter and motivational than how the week started.
Sunday Reset
Sunday is when the true reset happens and it is the day that sets the stage for how the rest of the week will go. Get yourself back in the groove of waking up to an alarm, but definitely still try to sleep in, and change into some more loungewear clothes different from your pjs to change the vibe. Then go through your morning routine, making sure the bed is made, skincare is done, and you are ready to take on the day. Then,the real fun begins: full reset mode: clean bedding, finish up laundry, vacuum, mop, and a good scrub of the bathroom (it is worth it in the long-run). Getting your physical space in order will allow your headspace to also declutter and start with a fresh mind for the week.
When the cleaning is done, focus your attention towards the week ahead. Sit down and start mapping out everything that is coming up in the next week, such as assignments, meetings, and events, so nothing catches you off guard on Monday morning. I recommend a physical planner to write out everything so it is clean, organized, and easy to navigate. Having everything laid out can truly help start the week off right and be fully prepared.
Close out the weekend with a few minutes of quiet meditation and reflection. Think back to your weekend and the following week: What could you improve on for this upcoming week? What would help you to jumpstart the week on a positive note? Just a few moments of honest reflection can truly be the step needed to get through the week and accomplish so much.
Sunday Rest Routine For a Less Stressful Week – Her Campus
Your Chance to Get Yourself Together is Now!
A reset weekend is not just about being productive and cleaning up the messes you made during the week. It is about the physical and mental clutter reset that leaves you going into Monday with a clean space, clear mind, and positive attitude. Friday is a day of leaving the week behind you and giving yourself the desire break from the real-world, Saturday helps to restore your body from the stress of everyday life, and Sunday relieves your mind of all that is to come. By the time your alarm is going off on Monday morning, you will be prepared to take on the day and put your best foot forward!