Sunday is traditionally a day of rest. But if you’re like me, Sundays can be overwhelming. I tend to push all of my work to Sunday and then I resent Monday mornings because the weekend felt too short. Mondays are traditionally underrated because we associate it with the workweek, waking up early, and getting down to business. But there are ways to make Mondays more manageable, and it starts with Sunday. Here are five things you can do on Sundays to make Mondays suck less.
1. Map out your weekly priorities.
Buy a day planner. Next steps: write in it and don’t hide it under your bed or in the deepest crevice of your backpack. It’s typical to write in a day planner and then to repudiate it later, pretending that these deadlines don’t exist. Spend Sunday mapping out your weekly priorities. Think of it as the best kind of scheming. Unexpected things will happen throughout your week, because that’s how life works, but being aware of key deadlines will make you one step ahead of serendipity. Go as far as even writing your class schedule into your planner, even if it seems mundane.
2. Prep your meals.
How often do you indulge in junk food just because it seems like the easiest and fastest option? It’s called fast food for a reason. On Sundays take a quick poll of what food you already have in your kitchen, and use Sunday productively by picking up what you think you’ll need at the grocery store. Sunday is also a popular day for famers’ markets, so take advantage by buying local produce like carrots and apples to carry around with you during the week for snacks.
3. Be active.
Even if you wake up with a Sunday morning hangover, it’s not a good idea to spend the entire afternoon in bed. Santa Barbara is blessed to have many recreational activities for people of varying sportiness. You’re not expected to run a 5k every Sunday, (but if you do, props), but take a moment to fully appreciate the natural aesthetics you have available here. Call up your girlfriends for an afternoon hike, walk your neighbors dog to Campus Point, or stroll along State Street, even to just window shop.
4. Clean your room.
I always say, “messy bed, messy head.” Even if you don’t deep clean your room with mops, vacuums, and brooms, start by at least making up your bed. And what about the clothes that you threw onto your bed last night when you were picking out your Saturday attire? Throw them into a hamper, or hang them up to enjoy later in the week. We spend a lot of time in our bedrooms; it’s the place we go to recharge and to recoup. Even if the rest of your life seems messy, your room is a haven that you can control.
5. Don’t stay up late.
College students are self-proclaimed night owls. But staying up until the crack of sunlight can be detrimental to having a smooth Monday. We ignore regular sleeping hours during the weekends when we stay out late with friends and then sleep in until noon, but these habits should cease on Sunday night. If you spent your Sunday productively, then there isn’t much reason to stay up too late. Pick out your outfit for Monday, write to-dos in your planner, and then wash your face and tuck yourself in before midnight. If you wake up well rested on Monday, you’ll notice a positive change. And who knows? Maybe one day you’ll be a self-proclaimed morning person.