The ‘Sunday reset’ guide: how to actually feel prepared for Monday

Whether you’ve overdone the partying, you’re facing a big deadline, or just have a packed week coming up, the ‘Sunday scaries’ feeling is way more common than you’d think. In fact, nearly 75% of 18 to 24-year-olds get anxious as the new week comes around.

Even though you’re not alone in getting the sense of dread from 5pm each Sunday, you need your own ways of dealing with it. Creating a Sunday reset routine is a tried-and-tested method for preparing you for whatever Monday (and the rest of the week) throws your way.

Signs you need a Sunday reset

Even if you don’t suffer from generalised anxiety or you’re not having a stressful time, you can still get lots of negative feelings about the coming week. As the weekend comes to a close, we often feel anticipatory anxiety about the academic, work and life responsibilities we’ll face when Monday arrives. This can include feelings such as:

• Dread: a sense of doom or heaviness about upcoming tasks
• Unease: nervousness, irritability or difficulty focusing
• Overwhelm: the pressure of your work-life balance
• Regret: if you feel the weekend hasn’t been used productively

In some cases, this can turn into physical symptoms such as difficulty sleeping, tension or tightness in the body and heart palpitations. If you’re feeling these types of symptoms regularly or they’re affecting your everyday life, you should get advice from a mental health practitioner or your GP.

For those facing the Sunday scaries, having a great reset routine in place can help you relax and get in the right mindset for the week ahead.

Plan out your tasks

Before Sunday arrives, pull together a to-do list of tasks. Plotting realistic amounts of time in your schedule for each one helps you work out if you can realistically get everything done. Doing this ahead of Sunday means you can set healthy expectations for yourself and move tasks to other days if needed.

Sort out your space

‘Tidy space, tidy mind’ is a cliché for a reason. Decluttering your physical and digital spaces will help to clear your mind.

Take an hour to work through your emails, DMs and any other notifications. Change your bed, get your laundry done, clean your own and communal spaces so they feel fresh and ready for the new week. Clear up your study spaces as a priority. To break up the work, get your housemates to help with any shared areas and plug in to music or a podcast (so you can be doubly productive).

Get life admin done

Those little tasks can sit in the back of your mind and add to your sense of overwhelm. Sit down for an hour or two of focus time to get them done. Whether it’s sorting out bills, checking your budget or returning those clothes that didn’t fit, ticking these jobs off your list will feel really rewarding.

Shop and meal prep

Setting a meal plan, shopping and prepping in advance won’t just save you time later in the week, it’ll help you eat well and save you money too. Invest in different types of containers so you can store several breakfasts, lunches and dinners easily and safely in the fridge or freezer.

Then, set out a meal plan for the week ahead. This is a game-changer. Head to TikTok, YouTube or Reddit for plenty of tasty meal ideas you can prep in advance: overnight oats, slow cooker chicken and noodle salads are some of our go-to favourites.

Once you’ve got all the meals planned out, write up your shopping list. Having this to hand makes you less likely to purchase things you don’t really need, so you’ll be sticking to a budget and keeping food waste low.

Reflect and review

When all your tasks are done, take some time to reflect on the week that’s just been. Meditating, journaling and expressing gratitude have all been shown to boost mental wellbeing. These self-reflection activities can also help with your emotional regulation, grounding and gaining perspective.

You can then use these insights to set your priorities for the week ahead and beyond. As well as setting out your to-do list and planning your calendar for the next seven days, think about your long-term priorities: Have you connected with your besties enough? Are you striking the right work-life balance? What are your long-term goals, and how can you meet them?

Reward and refresh

After such a productive Sunday, you deserve a little reward. Whether it’s some quiet time with a book or film, a delicious dinner or some downtime with your friends, be sure to make some time for enjoyment. This will finish off your week on a positive note and make you far more likely to stick to the routine.

Self-care should also be a priority to keep the Sunday scaries at bay. Getting in some movement, enjoying some at-home pampering or doing the nighttime routine of your dreams are all perfect ways to wind down. With a good night’s sleep and a productive weekend complete, you’ll be ready to face whatever the week ahead brings.