Revamping Your Sunday Reset

Years ago, when I was deep into mother/career gal mode, there were three never-miss activities that defined Sunday evenings. The first was laundry, with me running loads through the wash and dry cycles and my daughters responsible for sorting, folding and putting away everything in its proper place. I was a stickler about not leaving clean laundry sitting around in a basket all week. 

The second, born out of frugality, was something I called Trash Can Soup, made from whatever was about to expire in the vegetable crisper, the protein of the week, a selection of spices, and a generous splash of Swanson broth. Besides being tasty, it made for an easy-to-reheat dinner on Monday, usually the busiest day of the work/school week. 

The third activity, which was always the hardest, was dialing back in to work. This meant an evening check-in to read emails that had landed in my inbox over the weekend and a review of the upcoming week’s schedule, which inevitably needed a major rework thanks to all of that email traffic. Hello Sunday Scaries! 

One of the great joys of this stage of life is gaining control of our weekends, in particular the precious, calmer Sunday evenings. Since the kids moved on to their adult lives, the laundry pile is much smaller and the soup pot is closer to the size of a saucepan. And all of that calendar reworking and juggling? It’s not happening. Now that I work for myself, the “emergency” emails have all but disappeared. Whenever I work on Sunday night it’s because I have an idea that just can’t wait to fly off my fingers and onto the keyboard. 

Yet even without the pressure of OPN (other people’s needs), I still feel compelled to end my weekend with a routine that sets me up for a successful week ahead. That may just be a habit left over from my Filofax-trained brain (remember tucking those leather-bound monsters into your briefcase?), but enjoying a Sunday reset is a surefire way for me to stay organized and a gentle reminder to always have something interesting to look forward to.  

For me this means starting the week by filling the well in three areas that matter most: the maintenance and to-do stuff, planning for a bit of fun, and indulging in a small act of self-care. On any given Sunday evening that could mean knocking out a quick chore like changing the batteries in my smoke and carbon monoxide detectors or pulling together all of the documents I need for a midweek doctor's appointment. I might follow that up with a laughter-filled phone call with my college roommate or a walk at the park with my grand-dog. And the evening almost always ends with a self-care moment like a red-light facial or an everything shower followed by the softest, coziest pajamas I own. 

I'll admit I sometimes miss the commotion of a busy house and a packed calendar, and it's always fun when my daughters drop by to join me for dinner. Still, the joy of having a Sunday reset that serves me is something I’d never trade. 

So, I'm curious what your Sunday evenings look like. Maybe it's a standing dinner with friends. Maybe it's your own pot of soup. Share your Sunday reset ideas in the comments.