Halloweekend is almost here, which means its time to dress up in your well-thought-out costumes with your girl friends and go out. For some, the weekend starts on Thursday, then others Friday into Saturday. All three nights and days come with excitement and fun, but eventually Sunday morning rolls around into the start of a (usually dreaded) new week.
As much as the holiday can bring lots of happiness to many people, the Sunday after the weekend may be a struggle to get your priorities back on track. Maybe you feel stressed out or anxious just at the thought of doing any sort of work and you may want to go back to sleep and do absolutely nothing all day. Here are some essential steps I’ve learned to use that help avoid the “Sunday Scaries” while also taking time to relax.
1. DON’T SLEEP PAST NOON
If you find yourself eating breakfast at 1:00 p.m. or 2:00 p.m., your day is going to go by a thousand times quicker when all you want is a full day of relaxing. Try setting an alarm for around 10 a.m. or 11 a.m., make a yummy breakfast to start your day and drink a coffee. My favorite is a hazelnut iced coffee with oat milk from pretty much anywhere, it always refreshes me and is a cue to start my day.
2. GET OUTSIDE
Although you will probably want to stay in your warm and cozy bed for the rest of the day, it’s not going to make your week easier. Whether it’s going outside to get a coffee from your favorite coffee shop or breakfast with friends, fresh air will help clear your mind. Whenever I am feeling anxious or stressed out, I try to move my body at the gym or just go for a walk because fresh air always helps throw those negative thoughts away and focus on the positives. Exercise may not be the cure for everyone, so go outside and get a coffee instead to start your morning!
3. CLEAN YOUR SPACE
A messy room makes for a messy mind. I tend to do my work in my bedroom at my desk, but I can’t focus if the space around me is cluttered. From having friends over, picking out different outfits, and other little things my room becomes pretty messy over the weekends. On Sundays, it feels like a reset for my week to start by cleaning my room earlier in the day. If you focus on organization in your sleep and workspace you will find it easier to check the items off of your to-do list in a relaxing environment.
4. MAKE A TO-DO LIST
It may sound easy, but making a list of things that you need to get done today or for the week is very satisfying. Having a lot on your plate for the upcoming week can create feelings of stress or worry, but by writing them all out it can help clear your mind and really figure out what you should focus on. Once you start to check off things as simple as making your bed, everything else begins to feel easier getting them done and at the end of the day. This is a rewarding feeling crossing everything off a to do list.
5. LIGHT CANDLES & LISTEN TO MUSIC
Get fall scented candles! The smell of fall and the scents that come with the season are so calming, especially after a long day or even after just taking a shower. It is like a breath of fresh air lighting a candle. Whenever I have candles going in my room with my favorite scents, it feels more like home. Music on the other hand, is my number one and go-to calming mechanism. I listen to all genres of music, but I really enjoy alternative/indie genres to listen to quietly while I do homework or clean.
6. MAKE YOUR FAVORITE FOOD
I consider Sundays to be a reset for the week but also a day to cook or eat my favorite meals. I am usually extra hungry on Sundays or feeling gross from eating junk over the weekend, so cooking my own meal and spending time on it really helps me start the week off on a better note. You may need to go grocery shopping for the week, and as much as that may be a drag to get done it will check just one more thing off your to-do list!
You can avoid the Sunday Scaries, especially after a spooky Halloweekend, by following these tips or using your own remedies that you know make you feel good and relaxed to have a productive start to the week. You OWN your Sunday, make it your best!