Being a busy college student has limited my ability to have a proper self-care routine. Before college, I used to use Sundays as my reset days where I’d take time for me and to get ready for the new week. As I have fallen into my new college routines, I noticed how much I miss my proper self-care reset Sundays.
As much as I love being on campus, I’m looking forward to going home and allowing the reset routine to come back into my life. Having a day dedicated to getting ready for the next week made a true impact on my outlook for the week.
Here are my steps to a great start to the week:
1. Wash your sheets
First thing to do on Sunday morning is to strip my sheets from my bed and immediately throw them into the washer. Clean sheets=a fresh start. During the summer I tend to hang my sheets on the clothes line for that extra fresh air smell and feel.
2. Take time for meditation or religious services
Since my reset day is on Sunday, I always include going to mass as a part of my routine. Getting ready for church gets me into the mindset of being put together for the week. When I see the parishioners at my church whom I’ve known for years, I am able to remember why going to mass is so special to me. Since I was born, Sundays have been dedicated to early morning mass and then going home to clean.
3. Make a meal plan for the week/go grocery shopping
I’ve found that meal planning helps my family to eat the food that we have in the house rather than eating out or spending money on more food. The act of grocery shopping is, again, very therapeutic for me because it’s always been an after church activity for my family.
4. Get your schoolwork done early
Imagine the feeling you’ll have when you realize that all of your work has been completed and you no longer have to worry about it. What a weight off your shoulders, right?!
5. Spend time with family
Whether it’s watching the Buffalo Bills game or sitting on the couch cozied up reading a book, I can guarantee that you’ll feel better when you spend time with others. As someone who self-identifies as an extroverted introvert, I understand if you don’t think that you need social interaction on your day off. Even if it’s just for 30 minutes, you’ll feel better if you take time to socialize.
6. Dance Party Cleaning Session!
If you’re anything like me, you know that you cannot clean without some kind of background music. I love to listen to upbeat jams when I clean even if I sometimes get distracted and end up dancing instead!
7. THE FINALE
This is probably what everyone thinks of when I say “self care”. It’s sudsy bath time complete with candles, a book, and if you’re feeling bougie, a glass of sparkling juice. I love this sacred time so much and while I only take relaxing baths like this about once a month, it’s my favorite part of my routine. I take this time to do all the self care from face masks in the tub and hair masks in the shower to listening to Hozier to wind myself down for the night.
I love a good reset routine and I can’t wait to reimplement it into my life when I return home for the holidays. I think everyone should form some kind of routine like this, complete with a special treat for yourself to say congrats for pushing through the week!