Sundays for Success

Do you suffer from the Sunday Blues?

Why is it that on Friday night you see an entire weekend ahead of you and then you blink and it’s Sunday night? You wonder where the weekend evaporated and the dread of going back to the grind sets in.

Today I want to transform Sundays from a place of sadness to success!

Sundays are an opportunity for a fresh start and there are several quick things you can incorporate into your day to set you up for a successful week. A week that maybe you won’t even dread!

Here are 5 ingredients for a Sunday that sets you up for success:

1. Clean to create an organized and motivating environment.

This is off to a fun start, isn’t it?! I promise the rest of the list is more fun, but this is going to boost your mood on Monday morning. It feels super awesome to wake up to a clean house at the start of the week. 

Invest in 30 minutes to clean your kitchen, fold laundry, pick up clutter, and organize your office. Clutter in your environment is distracting and waking up to a clean home gives you an immediate sense of accomplishment. 

I highly recommend creating an awesome playlist or saving one of your favorite podcasts to only listen to during this time so that it feels like more of a treat.

2. Set out everything for a smooth morning.

Part of a successful morning routine is not feeling rushed. Ensure that you don’t wake up feeling frazzled by laying out whatever you will need the next day: workout clothes, breakfast, snacks for work, packing if you’re traveling, etc. It doesn’t have to take long to do these things, but it will remove friction that could otherwise cause a stressful, rushed morning.

3. Reflect and Regroup

This is a VERY important part of my Sundays for a more positive mindset. It’s easy to start to feel overwhelmed or discouraged thinking about what you didn’t accomplish during the week. Start out by writing all of your successes from the week. We are so good at remembering only the challenges and set backs. Do this exercise and you’ll be surprised at how many things went well!

Next, write any challenges you had (check out this post for more details). Use the challenges to refocus on what your goals are for the week ahead and identify how you can set yourself up for success. Turn those into action items and be clear about when those actions are going to happen. 

4. Set your intentions.

Now it’s time to really mentally prepare. How are you feeling about the week? 

• Stressed about a deadline?
• Apathetic and sick of feeling bored and unmotivated?
• Nervous about an important conversation?

Focus on how you want to feel and identify what you can do to create a more positive mindset.

• Why are you stressed about that deadline?
• What small steps need to be done to get there?
• Why is this deadline important?
• How good will it feel to accomplish it?

For example, are you stressed about the deadline because you're trying to make director and this project is an important step in demonstrating that you're ready? Break down what needs to happen for the project into small action items and create mini deadlines and important action items throughout the week to stay on schedule. Instead of feeling overwhelmed, focus on how great it will feel when the project goes well and you get that promotion. 

5. Practice gratitude.

I really encourage you to end your Sunday on a positive note by thinking about 3 things you’re grateful for. Gratitude can seem cheesy, but I dare you to try it for a couple of weeks. I guarantee you'll start to a have a more positive outlook. 

• Instead of talking about what you’re dreading for the week, share the things you’re grateful for with your partner or kids as you’re getting ready for bed. 
• Is there a friend you want to stay connected with? Commit to calling or texting each other every Sunday night sharing your gratitude.
• Make a little time for self care and write it down in a journal or during a relaxing bath.

If you do nothing else on this list this small act of gratitude that takes less than 5 minutes will rapidly start to transform those Sunday blues.

Get started right now! Choose at least one of these tips to start implementing into your Sunday for the next month.

Leave a comment letting me know which of these steps you're going to start doing this week!