Maybe you went out on Saturday night, or maybe you didn’t. Either way, you wake up on Sunday not always feeling the greatest. Sunday is a very special day for me. It’s the day when I get my ducks in line and prepare for the week ahead, no matter how I may be feeling from my previous night. I go to bed on Sundays feeling ready for the week, and this is all thanks to the Sunday reset schedule I’ve so perfectly crafted over my past year and a bit in college. Now, it’s not always as perfect as it sounds. Some Sundays I sleep in much later than others and don’t finish all my schoolwork; some Sundays I work; sometimes I get invited to brunch; and sometimes I spend 8 hours finishing an essay last-minute. But, with all things considered, as long as I get some of these things done, I go to bed on Sundays feeling better than I did when I woke up groggy that morning. Here is my ideal Sunday reset:
Try to wake up by 10
I am simply not going to expect myself to wake up early on a Sunday, especially if I’ve gone out the night before. We all deserve to sleep in sometimes, and Sunday is when I do. However, I don’t like to spend my whole day in bed, so I try to wake up by 10. Now, you might be asking yourself, why the heck would I try to peel myself out of bed that early on the weekend? Well, the more we accomplish on a Sunday, the better prepared we feel for the week. Waking up at 10 is a happy medium between waking up super early and spending the whole day in bed. So, wake up at 10 to give yourself enough time to be productive. On top of that, if you sleep in super late, it will be harder to fall asleep that night, which messes up your sleep schedule for the week. That won’t be nice for your 9:00 am class on Monday…
Chug some water
If you’ve gone out the night before, you are going to need it. For obvious reasons. But even if you didn’t, water is a great way to start the day! Kickstart your hydration with a few big gulps after waking up. On top of general hydration, studies show that drinking water first thing in the morning helps maintain brain activity; hydration is brain fuel, and an adequately fuelled brain is less likely to experience fatigue, mood fluctuations and more.
Wash your face with cold water
It will feel good. It will wake you up. That is all. If you still don’t feel great, taking a cold shower always does the trick. A cold shower can increase your alertness in the morning and even promote hair and skin health. So, wake yourself up with some cold water—it will jumpstart your alertness and get you ready to productively conquer the day!
Coffee and carb load
Sunday mornings call for a big cup of joe and some toast or a bagel. It is simple, delicious, and easy on the stomach. The last thing you want to do on a day that is supposed to be productive is withhold yourself from adequate nutrition—you need to fuel yourself if you want to get anything done!
Go to the gym, but not for leg day
You will not catch me deadlifting on a Sunday, nor will you catch me at a spin class. Sunday is a reset day, a day to get organized and be productive, but also to take care and be gentle with yourself. I like my Sunday workout to be something easy that keeps my body moving. For example, my go-to workouts tend to be a 30-minute treadmill walk or some yoga. It is important on a reset day to do something that will get your body moving but isn’t too strenuous. I always feel 1000x better after a gentle workout on a Sunday.
Relax!
After my workout, I like to go home and relax for a bit. Maybe I’ll make a nice lunch, get back in bed, watch a show or listen to a podcast. Doing something to just relax for an hour or so always makes my reset days way more relaxing. After a long week of school, work, extracurriculars, and spending time with friends, you deserve to take time for yourself to recharge.
Clean up your environment
This is not a Sunday deep-clean—this is a pick up my clothes off my floor, maybe do a load of laundry, and make my bed type of clean-up. I feel like I can’t be productive in a messy space. It doesn’t have to be perfectly clean, just somewhat tidy. It is much easier to study and even relax in a clean space. A cluttered space clutters your brain, so taking a few minutes to tidy up your environment will be beneficial to your productivity and ability to recharge.
Get some school work done
Sometimes after I’ve had a nice, relaxing Sunday morning and early afternoon, I forget that I’m a student. By 3 or 4 o’clock, I usually remind myself that I am a student with schoolwork to do. So, I crack open my laptop and try to get some readings and prep done for the week. I, for one, always feel much better going into my classes during the week if I have taken some time to review beforehand. It will leave you feeling less behind on material and generally less stressed. I promise it is worth your time!
Sundays, as I said, are a special day for me. I like to spend them with me, myself, and I. I like to focus on picking myself up after a long weekend and starting the day off by doing things that make me feel good. My best advice for curating your own Sunday reset is to find what makes you feel good, and spend your special Sunday doing that—and getting some work done. You’ll thank yourself come Monday.