If you work a traditional Monday through Friday schedule, sometimes Sundays can be difficult. For me personally, on Mondays I actually have to go into work earlier than the rest of the week. As a result, I really want to make the most out of my Sundays! Here are nine of my favorite ways to relax on Sunday and take care of myself.
How to Relax on Sunday
#1 – Wake up early
I know… it’s the weekend and that’s probably the last thing you want to do. But if you wake up early, you’ll have more time on your Sunday to take for yourself. I try to wake up between 7 and 8 on Sunday, so I don’t feel like my day is completely slipping away. It’s late enough so that it’s still technically sleeping in, but early enough so that I still have a full day ahead of me.
I don’t force it, though. I don’t set alarms for myself on the weekends unless I have prior commitments where I need to be somewhere at a specific time. I trust my body to wake up when I know it’s ready.
#2 – Have a simple breakfast
I’ve been super into overnight oats lately, so I’ve been making those on Saturday nights. On Sunday mornings, I can just pull breakfast out of the fridge and it’s ready to eat! If I’m still hungry, I’ll make scrambled eggs. Less time cooking = less time cleaning = more time for yourself. I also like to slowly enjoy a cup of coffee or tea in bed, or outside if the weather is nice!
Alternatively, you could go on a brunch date! There’s something special about going out for brunch on a Sunday. Plus, there are usually mimosas involved. Go with a friend, or just take yourself out!
#3 – Catch up on Youtube or Netflix
Through the week, it can be difficult to watch whatever media it is you enjoy. Personally, I watch a lot more Youtube than Netflix (I know, blasphemy!). So I like to queue up a bunch of videos, light a couple candles, fluff my pillows, and get all bundled up in bed and watch my Youtube on my tv. Sometimes I’ll use it as background noise while I attend to other things, or I’ll legitimately watch and use it as entertainment.
Related: 8 Self-Care Ideas for Beginners
#4 – Do some laundry
Okay I’ll admit it, this one isn’t exactly relaxing. But it sure does leave you feeling accomplished and productive!
I don’t set a goal of doing all of my laundry, because I do want to make sure I’m getting some much needed rest. But I will try to do ONE load of laundry at the very least. The biggest thing is making sure I actually put the laundry away when I’m done, which is the worst part of laundry!
#5 – Prep for Monday
I like to set my outfit out for Monday so that it doesn’t feel so hectic and stressful when I’m trying to get up and go to work. I also will put together my whole lunch the night before, so I can just grab it and go.
Mondays are my designated day to go to Dunkin’ for breakfast, so I don’t have to worry about preparing food/coffee. With some proper planning on Sunday, all I actually have to worry about on Monday mornings is waking up on time and making sure my makeup looks good.
#6 – Focus on the present moment
I know on Sundays it’s super easy to fall into the trap of the Sunday blues. It’s easy to panic and go, “Oh gosh, it’s almost Monday” but that just takes away from your ability to relax and enjoy your Sunday. Try not to spend your day worrying about the week ahead. Instead, focus on being grateful for being able to have a nice, calm, relaxing moment.
If you truly can’t stave off dread about going to work tomorrow, consider whether or not your job is making you miserable. There’s a big difference in being moderately bummed about having to return to the grind and experiencing full-on work anxiety. I actually had to quit a job because the stress was making my health take a nose dive. You don’t have to love your job… you don’t even have to like your job, but the thought of going there shouldn’t be emotionally unbearable.
#7 – Review your calendar
Sundays are a great time to check your planner to make sure you haven’t forgotten about any important deadlines, doctors appointments, etc. Then you’ll feel ready to tackle the week ahead! Also, I love organizing/planning and I get too excited when I find new things to write in my planner. So I usually try to add little tips/to-do notes/reminders for my week as well.
Related: 6 Tips to Practice Better Self-Care This Year
#8 – Do something creative
As a blogger with a full-time job, it can be tricky trying to find the time to sit down with my blog. I don’t have a lot of time or mental energy throughout the week to write for long periods, so weekends are ideal for me to polish up my drafts, make a couple extra Pinterest pins, engage with other bloggers, etc.
If you aren’t a blogger, I encourage you to work on a creative hobby on your Sunday!
#9 – Go to bed on time
Remember how I said I like to wake up early? Well, this is another reason why. If I wake up early, I can also go to bed on time. I try to be in bed no later than 10pm, but I’ll go earlier if I’m tired enough. I’m a person who can’t stay awake for super long periods of time, so this is usually no problem for me if I wake up early!
It also makes Monday way, way easier if you’ve gotten a decent amount of sleep the night before. You’re probably going to want to jump back into your warm, cozy bed no matter how much sleep you get. So you might as well take care of yourself and get enough!
I hope this post can help you make the most of your Sunday!
What are your favorite ways to relax on Sunday?
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Great post girl! Oh gawd waking up early is not my forte, and I don’t think it ever will be haha. I watch more YT than Netflix too … because I don’t have a Netflix account (GASP)!! Great tips for making a great and relaxing Sunday! <3
Geraldine | https://geraldinetalks.com
I used to hate it too but it kind of grew on me! And I have a Netflix account… but it doesn’t get used super often haha. Thanks for reading!
Yay for Sunday’s!!! Thank you for the post!
Thank you for reading!
This sounds like a great way to spend a Sunday. I am not one for waking up early, especially on the weekend, but I can see why it would be nice to get a few more hours in the day to do something other than sleeping.
Ever since I’ve gotten up earlier on weekends, I’ve felt like I have more time to myself. Granted, sometimes your body really does need that sleep.
Love the tips! I will need to apply some of these for my Sunday especially number 8 as a fellow blogger that is some good tips!
Sundays are great for catching up on blogging work! Thanks for reading!
I do all of these things and it helps so much. It can be dreadful going back to work but prepping myself, my “to-dos” etc makes starting the week that much easier
Getting Sunday/Monday off to a good start can help set the tone for the rest of the week! Thanks for reading!
This something I struggle with. My Sundays are often busy, so I find it hard to relax and dread Mondays. I like your suggestion of focusing on the present and believe this would help me relax on Sundays. Thanks for sharing your tips.
I hope they help you!! Thank you for reading!
Love this! #SelfCareSunday
I wake up an hour before my boyfriend and our dog and it’s my favorite part of the week because it’s the only time our apartment is completely silent. The rest of the day gets loud because we live on a busy street, our laundry machine is LOUD, and my boyfriend likes having the tv, radio, or youtube playing the background. But during my hour, I make coffee and read, journal, or work on my blog.
I LOVE the silence of waking up early! My boyfriend also likes noise, but I quite like the silence.
While I don’t have to get up earlier on Monday’s, they’re my longest weekdays, so I like to make good use of my Sunday’s as well. I try to focus on the present moment as well, because in the past, I definitely used to freak out that Sunday meant the weekend was basically over. I also love organizing my planner for the week ahead on Sunday’s-it helps me stay organized through the week and know when my deadlines are. And yes, I love spending time for hobbies on Sunday’s! I haven’t been blogging lately, but I’ve been working on editing photos/writing/reading/drawing on Sunday’s, and it’s been so relaxing. Thanks for all the great tips on relaxing on Sunday’s!
-Melissa
I also used to be bad about freaking out on Sundays. It’s a good time to relax and refocus and prep for the week ahead. Thanks for reading!
This sounds like a fabulous Sunday! Perfect balance of productive and relaxing.
That’s the best way to do Sundays in my opinion! Thanks for reading!
These are great ideas. Like you I never set an alarm on the weekends (unless I have a prior commitment) and let myself wake up naturally. This is usually around 8.30am. We usually have a treat for breakfast though – either a full English out or a McDonald’s bagel lol. I love your idea of doing something creative, I’ll be adding this to my own Sunday routine.
Waking up naturally REALLY helps if you can! And I like to use Sundays for creative pursuits since I can’t always exercise them through the work week. Thanks for reading!