A survey by Monster in 2015 showed 76% of individuals get unmotivated on Sunday night. However, you can still use Sunday to make the week ahead more productive. You just need to have the right mindset ― and make the commitment to getting tasks done.
Sunday Night Preparation
- Review the Prior Week
See what you've accomplished the prior week. What went okay, and what went wrong? When it comes to productivity, this is essential. Learning from experience is priceless, and you can learn a lot. It can also reduce being overwhelmed and stressed. Even if you didn't complete everything on your list, you can see you did get some things accomplished, and didn't just waste your time. You actually came closer to achieving your goals. Therefore, take a minute to write down all the things you did accomplish, and those that went wrong.
When you see the things you've actually accomplished the prior week, it will help motivate you to continue on the following week with a more focused and organized approach. Many successful individuals take Sunday nights to look at their calendars, set goals for the following week, and make deadlines for achieving them. This can help reduce the stress of the upcoming week.
- Catch Up
You can use Sunday nights also for catching up on phone calls, emails, and texts you've been dodging during your busy work week.
- Unplug
Put your phone, laptop, and other electronic devices down. During this time of "unplugging" watch a movie, or read a book instead. Don't check your texts or emails during this time. Take this time to reflect on the week that just passed by, and the week coming ahead. Doing this allows you to disconnect for a moment, before having to plunge back into your upcoming week.
- Schedule Appointments for the Upcoming Week
Sundays can be a good time to schedule your upcoming week's appointments in your calendar, so you don't have any:
- Unexpected surprises
- Missed doctor's appointments
- Missed events
Perhaps you can buy a planner to help out with this task. It can help to simplify your life, since it is highly customizable, and can help with time management and increase productivity.
- Relax and Allow Yourself to Recharge
Sunday is a great time to recharge your batteries. Of course, you have other activities you need to work on that you've put on your list, but you should take some time out to relax and recharge. You could make this time the same time you unplug.
- Plan Workouts
Sometimes "going with the flow" when it comes to working out can be ineffective, and you find you end up missing days. If you plan out your workouts for the week ahead, such as scheduling in gym time, a yoga class, or even just simple workouts at home, you'll have already scheduled time for workouts for your upcoming week, so you won't have an excuse as to why you don't have time to do them.
- Plan Your Sleeping Time
A great way of planning your sleep is by going to bed each night at a consistent time, and waking up each morning at the same time. This will create a good healthy sleep habit. Sunday is a great day to sit back and reflect on your sleep patterns the week before. Were you consistent? Did you miss the mark somewhere?
If you find you did miss the mark a couple nights during the week, perhaps you could set an alarm each week night to remind you it's time to get ready for bed. What you don't want to do is stay up late at night, and then hit your snooze the next morning. Set your alarm each night, and when it goes off, don't argue with yourself, or try and break the rules; bedtime is bedtime. Be consistent. Also, to help you achieve a restful, restorative sleep, try sleeping on a natural latex mattress.
- Plan Out Your Outfits for Week
Since you're a little groggy each morning, it can help to plan out your outfits on Sunday night for the following week. Have them lined out and ready, so all you have to do is hop out of bed, and you'll know exactly what you'll be wearing that day. Having to figure out what you're going to wear upon waking up can be stressful, especially if you're in a rush. Not to mention, if you're rushing around and can't figure out what to wear, you could make yourself late for work or wherever you need to go.
- Check Your Budget for the Week
Individuals often spend the most money on weekends. This is typically because of:
- Nights out with friends
- Date night
- Grocery shopping or running errands
- Going away for the weekend
Because of this, it's a good idea to use Sunday's to check in with your budget, so you have an idea of where you're at financially. If you went over your budget on any of your spending categories, you'll know you have to be frugal the following week.
- Tidy Up the House
This doesn't mean clean thoroughly, unless you prefer to use Sunday's as the day you do major cleanup. But, if you like to space out your cleaning instead of tackling everything all at once, Sundays could be a good day to simply "tidy up", and clean up clutter. For instance, you can:
- Wipe the bathroom mirror
- Clear the kitchen counter off
- Shred or tear up receipts that spill out of your purse
- Put your make-up bag away
- Fold up the blankets you have on the couch
Whatever you see as "out of place" or require a little straightening up can fall under the "tidy up" category. Nothing is worse than climbing out of bed on a Monday morning to start your week to be bombarded with clutter.
- Plan Your Meals for the Week
This could be just one of the daily meals, say dinner, or it can include breakfast, lunch, and dinners for the week. You can even cook a meal or two on Sunday night (or at least do the prep, such as cutting up vegetables), to make your work week less hectic.
BONUS TIP: Plan something fun for the week, and if at all possible, make fun be an essential part of your productivity strategy!
