A Sunday reset routine will look different for everyone, but the ultimate goal is to help reset your mind and home to prepare for the week ahead. As parents, we are so busy it can be hard to keep up with everything. Taking a little bit of time for yourself and to prepare can really set the tone for the rest of the week
Sundays can be pretty busy for my family as we spend most of the day at church. Therefore, some things from my Sunday reset checklist, I like to do on Saturday when I have a little more time. Either way, taking some time to prepare yourself for the week ahead is always a good idea.
A Little Sunday Reset Inspiration
As I said, your Sunday reset may look different. Nevertheless, here are a few ideas to inspire you!
1. Write out your meal plan for the week
I find that a lot of my stress revolves around feeding everyone. Why is it that no one tells you that when you grow up you will be responsible to deciding what to eat for the rest of your life? Not to mention deciding what other people will eat! *Whew* It can be exhausting!
The biggest thing I like to make sure I have ready for the week is a meal plan. (Or even a loose one.) This way I know exactly what I need to pull out of the freezer, and I don’t have to worry about deciding meals for the week.
2. Empty your sink
I don’t know about you, but I hate waking up to a giant pile of dishes in the morning. Seeing a pile of crusty dishes really puts a damper on my mood. And I find that my Monday morning mood can even effect the rest of the week. Best to start the week out on a good foot, and get those dishes taken care of on Sunday night.
Along with getting the sink emptied, you can take some time to tidy the kitchen up a bit so it’s ready to go for breakfast. Wipe the table, counters, and empty the trash. Doing so only takes a few minutes, and you’ll be glad you did the morning!
3. Put away the laundry
You know that clean pile of laundry you’ve been ignoring all week? Here’s your reminder to get that laundry put away!
This is one of those tasks I usually do on Saturday, but either way emptying those laundry baskets feels so good! The washer and dryer have done their part, and now it is your turn!
4. Take a shower
This may sound silly, but seriously, take a shower. As moms we get so busy taking care of everyone else that we end up neglecting our own basic needs. Start your week off with clean hair, and smelling fresh. It will set the tone for the rest of your week! I always feel better when I am clean and not marinating in the same pair of sweatpants that I’ve been in for the last three days. Ha!
5. Spend the day away from the phone
In reality, I realize that some people are required to keep their phone close by for work and such. However, I would challenge you to put the phone down and resist the urge to mindlessly scroll and fall down the social media rabbit hole.
In fact, spending time away from social media is really amazing for your mental health. There is so much out there that can trigger mom guilt, and feelings of inadequacy. Undoubtedly, taking time away from that can help you clear your mind and really focus on what is most important, your family. I promise you will never regret a day spent off your phone.
6. Make a crockpot meal, pull out a freezer meal, or grab some takeout for dinner
Sundays are my favorite day to make crockpot meals. We spend most of the day at church, and when we come home my kids are usually pretty tired and hangry. Tossing a meal in the crockpot saves me so much stress because I don’t have to worry about what we are going to eat for dinner, and it’s ready for us when we get home! Along with that, the house always smells so good when we walk in the door!
As mentioned before, cooking and choosing meals can be a big stress point. So in my opinion, not having to cook is a real treat, and the perfect way to Sunday reset! Let’s face it, parents need a break too! So whether you accomplish this by cooking one of your freezer meals you have stashed away, tossing a meal in the crockpot, or grabbing some takeout, it’s a win in my book.
7. Have the kids get their toys picked up
I know what you’re thinking, getting kids to clean up their toys feels a lot like herding cats. However, it is important to kids to learn how to take care of their things, and clean up after themselves.
To clarify, I am not talking about getting the house spotless. I just find that kids play better when their space is cleaned up, they can find their toys, and they have space to spread out and play.
Ideas for helping kids clean up:
- Make it a game: Play a song and have them clean up as much as they can before the song ends. Then when the song ends you can pop in and help them finish the rest of the pick up.
- Assign each child a particular item to pick up: Blocks, dolls, animals cars, etc. This gives kids a clear goal and helps them know exactly what to do.
- Give them some sort of incentive: After we clean up we will have a dance party, play a short game, read a story, eat a snack together, etc. Kids do well when they have something to work toward.
8. Get backpacks, lunches, school clothes, etc ready for school in the morning.
Getting things ready for school the night before can really help minimize the school morning chaos. Mondays are especially hard, so I always make sure we get this done on Sunday night. This helps makes sure we aren’t scrambling around looking for homework, water bottles, and such in the morning.
Make it a team effort to help speed up the process and, in truth, so you’re not fighting your kids.
- Kids:
- Pick out clothes and set them out for the morning.
- Gather all their school supplies, homework, etc and put them in their backpack. Have them put their backpack with their clothes
- Parent:
- Prep and pack lunch or snacks.
- Fill water bottle, and put it with their lunch so it doesn’t get forgotten.
9. Read something
There are so many benefits to reading.
- Reduces and helps manage stress
- Helps improve memory
- Mental stimulation
- Can help improve sleep
These are just a few of benefit reading can bring you. And as you can see, there’s really no downside to reading.
You can read a book, magazine, a post from your favorite blog (obviously, Just Plane Jane! hehe!). Just a few minutes of reading can help relax your body and your mind. Or step it up a notch, and include your kids by reading a book together.
10. Do something that YOU enjoy
This is one that will vary from person to person, and this be as simple or extravagant as you like or have time for. Becoming a parent is hard because you have to put yourself on the back burner for a while. However, you still matter and you still need to be able take some time for yourself to rest.
Some ideas of things you can do for yourself:
- Read a book or magazine
- Watch a TV show or movie you like
- Listen to a podcast
- Journal
- Exercise
- Go for a walk
- Take an uninterrupted bubble bath
- Take a nap
- Paint your nails or go get them done
- Go shopping by yourself (Buy yourself a new bra. You probably need one!)
- Sew, crochet, craft, etc.
Sunday Reset for Busy Moms
I love the idea of doing a full Sunday reset, getting the house clean and spend time doing things for yourself. However, when you have kids running around getting all the things done just isn’t possible. If you want to start doing Sunday resets, start simple. Your house doesn’t have to be spotless, and you don’t have prep all your meals for the week.
In summary, I find that prioritizing the things that provide the most stress relief for me works best.
Do you have a Sunday reset routine? What are some things you like to do? Do you want to start a weekly reset? Let me know your thoughts below!
You are doing great!
