There’s 168 hours in a week. 168 hours in a “productive week” but 40 of those hours I was sitting at a desk, working in an office. 12 of those hours I spent on my commute to work. 49 of those hours I spent sleeping. And 26 of those hours I spent in the kitchen making dinner for my family. That left me with 41 hours.
41 hours to clean the house, do laundry, go grocery shopping, take care of my son, run errands, maintain relationships and take care of myself.
It could get overwhelming especially when all you want to do on the weekend is relax and enjoy time off work.
I used to hate Sundays because I always ended up cramming 41 hours worth of things to do in a 14 hour day.
Since having a baby, my perspective on Sundays has changed a lot to the point that it’s now my favorite day of the week.
I’ve created a Sunday routine that allows me to kick start the productive week I have ahead while also having time for self care and quality family time.
In this post, I’m sharing my Sunday routine and how you can kick start your productive week.
Sunday Routine for a Productive Week
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Start your day on a positive note
Your productive week all starts with how you wake up.
If you are someone who needs a good 9 hours of sleep, make sure you get that 9 hours of sleep. You are better off sleeping in and waking up energized than waking up early and feeling worn out by 11am.
If you have children, sleeping in might be a little difficult. My “sleeping in” is no longer 10am, it’s now 8am. I try to go to bed early Saturday night so I still get my 8 hours of sleep when waking up at 7 with my son.
Along with getting a good night’s sleep, I also start my Sundays doing something I really enjoy. Now that could be different for everyone. It may be working out at the gym, grabbing coffee with a friend, watching your favorite show or even just catching up on social media. At the moment, I really enjoy making a coffee and playing with my son. With my work schedule, it’s difficult to really spend time with my son throughout the week, so Sunday mornings are our mornings together.
Deep Cleaning
Imagine coming home from work after sitting in front of the computer all day just to have the whole house to clean.
There’s more to life than just having to clean all the time. The key to minimalizing time spent cleaning throughout the week is to maintain a clean house.
I like to do my deep cleanings on Sundays- bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen, living room, and office. It may sound like a lot to do in one day, but if it’s been maintained throughout the week, there really isn’t much to do besides vacuuming or mopping floors.
Cleaning your home on Sunday gives you a clean slate to start your productive week.
Meal Planning
I don’t think there’s anything I hate more than figuring out what to make for dinner after a long day of work.
Planning your meals not only helps you cut back time spent on preparing dinner during the week, but it can also help you save money. Knowing what you are going to cook ahead of time allows you to only buy the things you need for the meals.
I used to struggle with grocery shopping because I would go without a meal plan and would end up buying things I didn’t need. So much money was wasted when I shopped unprepared because a lot of the food would spoil from not being used throughout the week.
Along with planning my meals, I also prep them. I tested out meal prepping on a Sunday for the following days and it worked out so well for me. Using meal prep containers like this one, I would make enough meals for my boyfriend and I to have for lunch and dinner until Wednesday. Then I would do it again on Wednesday night for the rest of the week until Sunday.
I loved doing this because it limits the time I spend in the kitchen during the week (I was really only cooking twice a week!) and it also helped save money. It’s easier to turn down take out when you have a meal already prepped in your fridge.
Create a To-Do List & Plan Your Week
I’ve always been a To-Do list kind of girl. I make lists for EVERYTHING because I always struggled with remembering things. One thing that helps me have a productive week is writing a To-Do list and assigning tasks for each day.
The key is to make it realistic. Don’t assign majority of the tasks for one day because it can get discouraging when you can’t complete them all. I plan doing one house chore for each day.
Besides chores I also plan my face mask days, my hair washing days, my workout days, days I need to work on my blog and any upcoming bills that need to be paid.
To-Do lists are so much easier when you have a planner. I can’t live without mine. If you’re really into planning, an Erin Condren planner is great! If you’re new to the game you can pick up any simple planner.
Reflect On Your Previous Week & Set Goals For Your Upcoming Week
Writing down goals and reflecting on them can determine how productive your week has been, or will be.
I always take a moment each Sunday to look back on my previous week. Did I reach all the goals I’ve set for myself? What are some things I’m proud of accomplishing? What are some things I wish I had done? From that I set 3 goals for the following week.
I recently picked up a 52 Week Guided Journal from Amazon. This journal is great for identifying your values and tracking your progress throughout the year and any challenges you may face on the way. What I love about this journal is that it makes you write down not only the goals you wish to accomplish, but also reminds you to jot down your accomplishments and any challenges you have faced. I make sure to take 15 minutes before bed on Sundays to write in my goal journal.
Self Care Sunday
This is probably the most crucial yet favorite part of my Sunday routine for a productive week.
Since becoming a mom, I’ve struggled to find time for myself. I’ve struggled taking care of my skin, going to the gym, getting enough sleep, and overall taking time to be alone and just “chill out”.
Once I started implementing a self-care routine into my Sundays, it’s made having a productive week so much easier. Everyone’s definition of self-care is different, but mine consists of an elaborate skin care routine, a bubble bath, some journaling and some reading before bed.
Another great amazon find is my “Let That Sh*t Go” journal. The past few years have been rough for me and I’ve had a hard time letting things that’s happened to me go. I honestly love this journal. It teaches the importance of not holding grudges and plotting revenge because it takes too much energy. Just a few minutes writing in this journal a week has helped so much in being positive and productive.
I hope this post gives you an idea of some of the things you can implement into your Sunday routine for a productive week. Remember, the secret of your future is hidden in your daily routine. Now lets have a productive week.
