For a long time, my work or school week felt like a never-ending cycle. I would finish on Friday, and then spend my whole weekend dreading the upcoming work week, and then I would start right back up again on Monday feeling unrested and unprepared. This summer, I finally found a way to refresh myself for the next week so that I was in a good state of mind. I did this by prioritizing a reset day. I was lucky enough this summer to be able to change my schedule to give me Mondays off, but this could easily be done any day you might have off before you return to work or school. In order to make a successful reset day, I incorporated a few “must-haves” for the day. Keep reading to find out what they are…
My first must-have is to do something active. Usually I would go to the gym, as I normally make that part of my daily routine anyways. However, if I wasn’t feeling that, I still made it a point to take a walk around my neighborhood, go for a hike, or take my dog to some walking trails. Even if I woke up super tired, I still would make it a point to move my body in some way in order to get my energy flowing and start my day in a positive way.
My main task for the day was then to meal prep for the week ahead. Meal prepping for work seriously saved me from so many rushed mornings of throwing together a “lunch” that was not very healthy (more often than not). I made sure to prioritize including lots of protein and also lots of fruits and vegetables, and I felt so much better about what I brought with me to work. I especially felt more energized during my 10-hour shifts. Finally, meal prepping has also helped to me save so much money.
The one other staple of my reset day was to do something for myself. Sometimes it was reading a book, or it could be watching a movie, or even just spending some time with friends. This helped me wrap up my day and feel refreshed for the upcoming work week. The last thing I made a point to do was get to bed at a reasonable time. Having a reset day before my work week made the summer so much easier (and helped me avoid burnout), so I always suggest trying to implement it into your schedule!