Sunday Night Routine

For December I've decided to focus a lot of my blog to wellness and creating a better, more fulfilling life. One of the main reasons for this is winter is hard. It's cold and dreary and mental health issues like depression can become worse seasonally. So, I'm devoting a bit more time to making things just a little easier on myself and with the hope maybe others can do the same as well. Plus when January rolls around nearly everyone adopts the "new year new me" philosophy so it will be even easier to incorporate new things because you've been steadily doing it all along.

There is a quote, probably found everywhere on Instagram, about a productive Sunday leading to content Monday. Well, it was something like that. I'm not sure the exact wording. But that doesn't mean I don't believe the sentiment 100%. A productive Sunday does lead to a content Sunday (and week) because most of the heavy lifting is already complete. Monday mornings become much less frazzled and hectic because my bag is already packed and in the right place, my clothes are fresh and ready, and my coffee is one button away from being ready for the next morning (no fancy Keurig around here).

Having a Sunday Night routine has steadily lowered my hatred for Sunday nights because there is much less dread for the week ahead. It also gives me a chance to be a little more optimistic about the week ahead although by Wednesday, as with many others, I begin to lose my energy and well thought out organization. Implementing a Sunday routine is simple even if it only contains a few things to make your life a little bit easier. It's really a lot of trial and error to find out what works best for you. I have three things I have worked into mine that really help me focus the week ahead.

1. Yoga - Seemingly a no brainer. It's roughly 15-30 minutes I spend to decompress and try to get focus for the week ahead. I use Down Dog to do restorative yoga typically before bed. They end their practices with a few moments of stillness at the end which gives me time to relax my mind.
2. My 5 Outfit Plan - I've mentioned this before on a couple of style posts, but each week I choose 5 pieces from my wardrobe to wear for the week. Obviously one each day which makes choosing an outfit easier. I don't waste as much time searching for outfits daily and my floor is noticeably cleaner by the end of the week. Okay, maybe not entirely clean because why on Earth would I remember to hang my jacket back up or put my shoes back on the rack where they belong? This is incredibly easy to implement because I know what my week is going to look like and what selections would be most appropriate. For example, if I'm going to the office or an event or just running errands & lounging, I know what is going to make me feel and look good. Simply move the 5 pieces to a different part of the closet/dresser/clothing rack (if you're cool like that) and then you won't be tempted to search endlessly for something else. Plus, if you're a compulsive closet cleaner you'll know which clothes you wear most frequently so you'll know which others can be donated or sold.
3. Schedule, Schedule, Schedule - I have a serious day planner addiction, but I will never deny how much easier my life is seeing tons of highlighted bars rather than forgetting everything I need to do. I typically sit, write a giant list of everything that needs to be accomplished (schoolwork, work tasks, blogs, errands, pretty much anything) and break it down into deadlines or days where it would work best (i.e. Saturday/Sunday - best days for errands. Much more time to kill). Once I have an idea of what's going on, I can focus my attention better. Not to mention using a highlighter to mark things off is strangely satisfying.