I love the idea of a Sunday reset. I do.
But somewhere along the way, the internet turned “Sunday reset” into deep cleaning your entire house, organizing your refrigerator, prepping every meal for the next seven days, doing a 12-step skincare routine and somehow still being in bed by 9.
That is not what happens at my house.
My Sunday reset is much less impressive — and honestly, I think that's why it works for me.
It's really about doing just enough that I can relax on Sunday afternoon and evening without that little voice in my head reminding me of everything I should be doing.
And, maybe even more importantly, it's about making Monday morning — and Monday evening — a little easier.
I Give Myself a Slow Start
I usually wake up around 8 on Sunday morning.
And then I promptly try to go back to sleep.
If that doesn't happen, I'm perfectly happy staying in bed until around 9. Sunday is one of the few mornings when I don't feel the need to immediately get up and start doing something.
Eventually, there is coffee and breakfast.
After that, though, I like to get moving.
I've learned that if I can knock out the things I want to accomplish earlier in the day, I can enjoy my afternoon without feeling guilty about sitting on the couch.
And yes, apparently I need to earn couch time in my own head. I'm working on it.
My Version of a Clean House Is "Good Enough"
Sunday is not deep-cleaning day.
I'm not scrubbing bathrooms or pulling everything out of closets. I'm not looking for things to clean that no one else in the house has ever noticed.
I straighten up whatever needs it. I do the dishes and put them away. I tidy the kitchen and living room. I'll vacuum. We usually wash the sheets and bedding.
My office gets straightened up, too, because I know I'll be spending a lot of time there during the week.
Once the main level of the house and my office are neat, I feel like I've reached my baseline.
That's my reset.
There may still be things upstairs that need attention. There may be dog hair somewhere five minutes after I vacuum. Actually, there will be dog hair somewhere five minutes after I vacuum.
We have anywhere from two to five people living in our house at any given time, plus a dog and two cats.
Perfect isn't happening.
And I'm finally okay with that.
I Used to Think Everything Had to Be Perfect
This might actually be the biggest change in my Sunday routine.
There was a time when I could absolutely stress myself out over everything that needed to be done. I have spent more time than I'd like to admit rage cleaning because I felt like the house should look a certain way.
Life is too short for that.
Everyone's version of a reset is going to look different because everyone's life looks different.
Mine doesn't require a spotless house.
I need the main level neat enough that when I walk through the door Monday evening, I don't immediately feel stressed.
That's good enough for me.
And if there is one positive thing I can say about perimenopause — and believe me, sometimes you really have to search for the positives — it's that I've gotten much better at caring less about what other people think.
I'm also getting better at reminding myself that rest is self-care.
I can't be a good mom, wife, stepmom or leader if I'm constantly running myself into the ground.
Sometimes taking care of myself looks like getting things accomplished.
And sometimes it looks like sitting on the couch in comfy clothes with absolutely no intention of doing my hair or makeup.
Both count.
I Figure Out Food for the Week
This is probably the most practical part of my Sunday reset.
I meal plan for the upcoming week, write my grocery list and order our groceries.
I'm also constantly looking at what we already have and figuring out how I can use it.
For example, we had friends over for dinner last night and I made pasta. We have plenty left, so that's Sunday dinner handled.
I also have a lot of sausage left from yesterday, which means I've already decided that tomorrow night I'll make an easy sausage-and-potato sheet pan dinner.
One less decision to make on Monday.
Sunday dinner itself is usually pretty casual. Leftovers, something easy, whatever makes sense that week.
I don't need Sunday dinner to be an event. I need Sunday dinner to not create more work.
A Little Prep Makes My Mornings Easier
I also do a few things on Sunday that Future Me is always grateful for.
I love iced coffee, so I'll make a pitcher for the week.
Sometimes I'll prep breakfast burritos so breakfast is ready to grab.
Monday is an in-office day for me, so I pack my lunch and snacks Sunday night.
My work bag gets packed, too.
The goal is that Monday morning I don't have to think very hard. Grab the things and go.
For someone who is naturally a worrier and a stressor, these little things make a surprisingly big difference.
If I went to bed Sunday night knowing I hadn't figured out Monday dinner, hadn't packed my lunch and couldn't remember what I needed to bring to work, I'd probably lie there thinking about all of it.
Then I'd sleep badly.
Then Monday would be harder.
No thank you.
I Look at What's Coming — Including the Good Stuff
At some point on Sunday, I'll look at my calendar.
I want to know what Monday looks like, what meetings I have and what's coming up during the week.
I'm usually already thinking about work a little bit anyway.
This weekend, for example, I have a new hire starting Monday, so I'm thinking through tomorrow and making sure the small welcome-to-the-team gift I have for them is ready.
But I don't only look at obligations.
I like looking for the things I can look forward to, too.
And sometimes I'll start thinking about the following weekend, especially if we don't have my stepdaughters.
Maybe we'll make dinner together.
Maybe we'll have an ice cream and rummy night.
Nothing elaborate. Just something small that makes an ordinary week feel a little more fun.
I think having something to look forward to matters just as much as knowing what's on the to-do list.
And Then I'm Done
This might be the most important part of my Sunday reset:
At some point, I stop resetting.
Sunday is still my weekend.
Unless we're going somewhere or having people over, Sunday is often a no-shower, no-hair, no-makeup, comfy-clothes kind of day.
And I love that.
By Sunday evening, ideally, the house is reasonably neat. The sheets are clean. Monday's dinner is figured out. My lunch is packed. My work bag is ready.
I've talked to my daughter.
And then I want the rest of the evening to be mine.
Give me something on Discovery or Netflix, a comfortable couch and nowhere else I need to be.
That's my version of a successful Sunday.
Of Course, It Doesn't Always Happen
Some Sundays we have plans.
Sometimes there are errands.
Sometimes there are family activities.
Sometimes I'm tired.
Sometimes I procrastinate.
And sometimes I simply decide I'd rather sit on the couch.
That's life.
A Sunday reset isn't another routine I'm interested in failing at.
It's just something I do when I can because I know it makes my life a little easier.
My Three Sunday Non-Negotiables
If I don't accomplish anything else, there are really only three things I care about:
The main level of the house is reasonably neat.
I don't want to walk through the door after work Monday and immediately feel stressed by the house.
I know what's for dinner Monday.
Whatever needs to defrost is already in the refrigerator and I don't have to make that decision after a full workday.
My lunch and work bags are packed.
Monday morning me has enough to deal with.
Everything else is a bonus.
Maybe a Reset Doesn't Have to Mean Doing More
I think that's what my Sunday reset has become.
It's not about starting the week with a perfect house, a perfect meal plan or a perfectly organized life.
It's about taking care of a few things that I know cause me stress and then giving myself permission to stop.
Because I don't want to spend Sunday preparing to live Monday through Friday.
I want to enjoy Sunday, too.
So I do enough to make Monday feel easier.
Then I make another coffee, put on the comfy clothes, sit down and let the rest wait.
Perfect doesn't exist around here.
Good enough works just fine.
