Sunday – both a relaxing final half of the weekend and a day that can be filled with nerves or anxiety about the week ahead. Whether you get the Sunday Scaries or look forward to your Sunday all week, these self-care activities will help you set the tone for the week. Use the self-care ideas that I share below to calm your worries about the week and put off the Monday blues. I hope that this post is going to give you self-care ideas to do every Sunday morning for a healthy and productive week.

1. Wake up early…ish

I know it is super tempting to sleep in late on Sunday and have a lazy day. However, waking up early on Sunday will make the early Monday alarm seem a lot less daunting. 

It’ll also ensure that you can check off some productive tasks while still leaving plenty of time for unwinding and relaxing.

2. Reflect on the week before

Before jumping into your plan for the next week, start by reflecting on the week before. Doing this will help you build a habit of self-reflection.

It’s also a great opportunity to stop and celebrate any wins from last week. Did you hit one of your goals? Did you do something awesome?

You deserve to take a moment to cheer yourself on!

3. Plan for the week ahead

Every Sunday it’s also a good idea to plan for the week ahead. Make a to-do list so you know exactly what you need to accomplish once Monday comes.

Plan out your meals and exercise for the week so you will be more likely to stick with it throughout the week.

I also recommend setting 1-2 goals for the week to keep yourself focused and motivated. Your goals can be something small like hitting the gym twice.

To prepare for the week ahead, it’s also a good idea to clean and organize a little bit, so when Monday morning comes you don’t have the added stress of a messy home. 

Try to get all of the planning and productive tasks out of the way early in the day so you can just relax for the rest of the day.

It can feel like you need to have everything totally together for the whole week by Sunday night, but that can be really intimidating!

Just aim to be completely prepared for Monday, and don’t stress too much about the rest of the week.

4. Get in touch with your spiritual side

No matter what your beliefs are, Sunday is a good day to engage with your spirituality and do some reflection.

Whether for you that means church and prayer or yoga and meditation – taking some quiet time to feed your soul will help you mentally prepare for the week ahead.

5. Step away from the screens

We spend so many hours glued to technology – especially if you work a full-time job that mainly involves sitting at a computer all day long.

Take Sunday as an opportunity to get some time away from the computer and constant technology consumption. You might want to try revisiting a favorite book, taking a walk outside, or doing a puzzle!

6. Do an act of kindness

During the week, we are often running from task to task without much time to stop and do something for others.

Sunday is a great opportunity to do something nice for others whether that’s surprising your partner with a special treat, volunteering at an animal shelter, or paying it forward by buying the coffee of the person behind you at Starbucks.

7. Avoid reading the news

While it’s important to stay informed, taking a break from the constant news, social media alerts, etc. can be really refreshing.

Reading the news also draws your focus externally – and often sparks negativity. It can take away from your internal self-reflection and the activities that help feed the happiness in your soul.

8. Go to bed early

If you are trying to hang on to the weekend as long as possible, you might find yourself procrastinating sleep. What do I mean by this? It means you put off going to bed because that means the weekend is officially over.

Try establishing a bedtime for yourself – and stick to it.

After dinner, it’s a good idea to really take some time to unwind so you’re fully relaxed and ready for bed when that bedtime comes around. Get in some comfy clothes, enjoy a warm cup of tea, and light some candles.

Start getting ready for bed before you actually want to be asleep to give yourself time to brush your teeth, apply skincare products, and anything else you need to do before going to bed.

Comment below with your favorite self-care activity to do every Sunday!