6 Ways We Use Sunday to Prepare for the Week Ahead

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For our family, Sundays are very much ritualistic. Every single week we do the same six things in order to get on track for the week ahead. Yes, I may be a control freak, but dedicating a few hours to getting my week set up really helps to minimize my anxiety and makes getting through the busy weekdays all that much easier.

1. Laundry

I don’t do laundry any other day of the week and there are several reasons for this. First, it’s cheaper to run the washer and dryer on weekends (off peak hours for electricity!). Second, I find it overwhelming to worry about laundry any other day. Everyone in our house knows that if they want something washed, it better be in the hamper by Sunday. Finally, doing laundry on Sunday means all items of clothing are clean and available for the upcoming week.

2. Grocery Shop and Meal Prep

For our family, Saturday is the day we go out and “do stuff”, so if we need any food items I head to the store on Sunday. When I’m feeling super productive I’ll plan our weeknight dinners, but for the most part I simplify school and work lunches by doing as much as I can ahead of time. For example, this past Sunday I boiled eggs, made tuna salad, and washed and cut up all of our fruits and vegetables. Doing this allows me to throw together lunches and breakfasts very quickly either the night before of the morning of.

3. Calendar and Planner

Every Sunday evening, I review and update my planner and our family calendar. I make sure everyone knows what they have coming up and that all prep work is done. My personal planner has a space for weekly goals and I use this to write out my weekly to do list. Doing so helps me feel motivated for the week ahead and allows me to try and mentally prepare and plan for which days I be able to accomplish the tasks.

4. Grooming

Every Sunday evening the kids get a bath and I give myself a blow-out. Having fresh, clean hair on Monday morning makes starting the week so much easier for me. I also frequently take more luxurious baths and do face masks on Sunday simply because I have the time. If I know I need a pedicure or need to wax (both things I do at home), I save them for Sunday.

5. Cleaning

I always clean our washrooms, do the vacuuming/mopping, clean our hamster cage, and run the dishwasher on Sundays. Doing these things on Sunday means I don’t need to worry about finding time during the week.

6. Enjoy and Relax

My husband and I rarely make plans on Sunday evenings. Why? Because we both need to recharge for the week. It’s a really nice time to watch movies with the kids, make a fancy Sunday dinner, or just do nothing. This is sort of my reward to myself after getting so much accomplished.

Do you have Sunday rituals? If so, I’m curious to know what they are!