Sunday evening hits different.
There's this weird feeling that creeps in around 5 PM. The weekend is ending. Monday is looming. And suddenly you're remembering all the things you didn't get done, all the emails waiting for you, all the chaos you'll wake up to tomorrow morning.
Some people call it the "Sunday scaries." That low-grade anxiety that shows up like clockwork at the end of every weekend.
But here's what I've learned after years of running my own business: Sunday doesn't have to feel like the end of something good. It can feel like the beginning of something better.
The difference? One intentional hour.
I'm talking about a Sunday reset ritual—a simple, repeatable routine that takes the chaos of the Week ahead and turns it into something manageable. Something that actually feels good.
Let me show you how it works.
Why Sunday?
First, let's talk about timing. Why Sunday specifically?
Monday mornings are already stressful enough. You're rushing to get out the door, your brain is still waking up, and you're trying to remember what fires need to be put out first. It's the worst possible time to do any kind of planning or organizing.
Sunday evening, on the other hand, is quiet. Your Week is behind you. Your brain has had time to rest. You're not in crisis mode yet. It's the perfect window to get ahead of the chaos instead of constantly playing catch-up.
Plus, there's something psychologically powerful about starting your Week with a clean slate. When you wake up Monday morning and everything is already organized, you feel in control before the day even begins.
That feeling alone is worth the hour.
What a Sunday Reset Actually Looks Like
Here's the thing about effective rituals: they're not complicated. You're not overhauling your entire life every Sunday. You're just tidying up, getting clear, and setting yourself up for success.
My Sunday reset takes about an hour, sometimes a little less. Here's how I break it down:
Clear the Physical Clutter (10 minutes)
I start with my workspace. Not a deep clean—just a quick reset.
I clear off my desk. Put away anything that accumulated during the Week. Throw out the random receipts and Post-it notes that are no longer relevant. Make sure my essentials are where they belong.
If you work from home, this also means tidying up your kitchen table or wherever you actually work. The goal isn't perfection. It's just creating a clean space to start fresh on Monday.
Why this matters: Your physical environment has a greater impact on your mental state than you may realize. Walking into a messy workspace on Monday morning immediately puts you at a disadvantage. Walking into a clean one gives you momentum.
Clear the Digital Clutter (10 minutes)
Next, I do the same thing with my digital workspace.
I go through my downloads folder and either organize the files properly or delete them. I close all the browser tabs I've had open for "someday." I clear out my desktop if it has become cluttered. I make sure my email inbox isn't completely overwhelming (I'm not going for inbox zero here, just manageable).
This step prevents that feeling of sitting down to work and immediately getting distracted by digital chaos.
Review What Happened (10 minutes)
Now I take a few minutes to look back at the Week that just ended.
What got done? What didn't? Were there any wins worth celebrating? Any lessons learned? Any patterns I'm noticing?
I don't overthink this part. I'm not writing a dissertation. I just checked in with myself, honestly, about how the Week went.
This reflection is important because it helps you learn from your experiences instead of just rushing from Week to Week without any awareness of what's working and what isn't.
Plan the Week Ahead (20 minutes)
This is the heart of the Sunday reset. I sit down with whatever system I use to track my work and map out the Week ahead.
I look at my calendar and see what's already scheduled—meetings, appointments, deadlines—anything that's non-negotiable.
Then I make a list of the key things that need to happen this Week. Not every tiny task. Just the big rocks. The things that, if they get done, will make the Week feel successful.
I also block out time for these priorities on my calendar. Not just hoping I'll "find time" during the Week, but actually scheduling when they'll happen.
If I have client work to track, I make sure everything is updated, and I know where things stand. If finances need attention, I review what's coming in and going out. If inventory is running low, I make a note to reorder.
The key is knowing precisely what Monday looks like before Monday arrives.
Set Your Intention (10 minutes)
Finally, I set an intention for the Week.
Not goals, exactly. More like... how do I want this Week to feel? What's my focus? What matters most right now?
Maybe it's "stay calm under pressure." Maybe it's "prioritize rest." Perhaps it's "follow through on commitments." Whatever feels right for where I am.
This isn't about being productive for the sake of productivity. It's about being intentional with your time and energy so you're moving toward what actually matters to you.
What This Ritual Actually Does for You
After doing this for months (now years), I've noticed some fundamental changes:
Monday mornings no longer feel scary. I wake up knowing exactly what needs to happen. No panic. No scrambling. Just clarity.
I waste less time during the Week. When you've already decided what matters and when it's happening, you don't spend half your day figuring out what to work on.
I catch problems early. That client project that's about to go sideways? I see it coming on Sunday instead of panicking about it on Thursday.
I feel more in control. Even when the Week gets chaotic (and it will), I have a baseline to come back to. I know what I'm trying to accomplish.
I actually rest better on Sundays. Sounds counterintuitive, right? But when you've taken the time to organize your upcoming Week, your brain can relax. It's not looping through everything you need to remember because you've already captured it in a safe place.
Making It Your Own
Here's what I want you to understand: my Sunday reset ritual doesn't have to be your Sunday reset ritual.
You may need 30 minutes, not an hour. You could do it on Saturday morning instead. You could skip the physical cleanup and focus entirely on planning. You could add journaling, meditation, or reviewing your goals.
The specifics don't matter as much as the consistency.
What does matter is creating a regular checkpoint where you close out one Week and prepare for the next. Where you move from reactive to intentional. Where you give yourself the gift of clarity instead of chaos.
Getting Started
If you want to try this, start small. Don't try to overhaul your entire life in one Sunday.
Pick three things from my ritual that resonate with you:
- Maybe it's clearing your workspace
- Perhaps it's reviewing your calendar
- Perhaps it's just making a list of your top 3 priorities for the Week
Do those three things next Sunday. Set a timer for 30 minutes if you need to. See how Monday feels.
If it helps, keep doing it. Add one more element the following Week. Build the ritual slowly until it becomes something you actually look forward to.
And here's a secret: the act of planning your Week is ten times easier when you have a simple system to track everything. Whether that's a planner, a spreadsheet, or an app doesn't matter. What matters is having one place where you can see your whole Week at a glance.
For me, that's a simple tracker where I can see my projects, my clients, my deadlines, and my priorities all in one view. It takes the mental load off trying to remember everything and puts it somewhere I can actually manage it.
The Real Transformation
The Sunday reset ritual isn't really about the hour you spend on Sunday.
It's about the confidence you feel on Monday morning. The time you save during the Week. The stress you avoid by catching things early. The control you gain over your schedule instead of feeling like your schedule controls you.
It's about starting each Week on your terms instead of in survival mode.
One hour. Every Sunday. That's all it takes.
Try it this weekend. Clear the clutter. Review your Week. Plan what's ahead. Set your intention.
Then wake up Monday and notice how different it feels to start your Week with clarity instead of chaos.
Trust me—once you experience that feeling, you won't want to go back.
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