How to Create Your Best Sunday Routine (Realistic Ideas!)

The end of the weekend is a bummer. We’ve all been there. Even if you enjoyed yourself, checking off your to-do list for the upcoming week seems daunting. As soon as the evening hits, the thought of Monday morning starts creeping in quickly. You can’t help but think about all the things you need to get done ASAP. That’s why having a reliable Sunday routine comes in handy.

Once you’ve established a consistent routine, the thought of Monday morning won’t seem nearly as scary! The great thing is you can keep it super simple as well. It’s all about what works for you and your lifestyle!

The Sunday Blues

If you notice a spike in your stress levels on Sundays, you’re not alone. Sunday blues or “scaries” are very real. In fact, a Monster poll found that 76% of American workers reported getting Sunday night blues!

But why does this phenomenon happen? Well, it turns out that you’re mostly experiencing anticipation anxiety. Your body goes into a fight or flight mode, releasing cortisol and adrenaline. According to Dr. Susanne Cooperman, “They flood the system and you have a real stress reaction and it feels like real anxiety.”

Anticipation anxiety isn’t the only factor, though. You may be feeling unhappy at work, unmotivated, or have a lot on your plate.

It’s important to state that in some cases, regular Sunday night blues may be a sign of depression. If you begin to notice that these negative feelings are more severe and recurring, make sure to speak to your primary care doctor. They will be able to help you cope with your symptoms and provide you with a personalized treatment plan.

Why Having a Sunday Routine is Helpful

It’s 5 pm and your brain already begins to feel overloaded. If you have a consistent routine, you will feel a lot more in control of the situation. Instead of worrying about Monday morning, you’ll be able to follow a doable schedule.

It’s crucial to create a Sunday routine that works for you. Think of your routine as a mental checklist. What steps can you take to feel more prepared for the week ahead? Also, how can you find ways to actually enjoy your Sundays…particularly the evenings and nights? A great routine will help you reframe how you view Sundays altogether!

Realistic Ideas for Your Sunday Routine

1. Don’t overwhelm yourself with groceries.

Going to the store during the weekdays is a stressful endeavor. You’ve just come home after a long day and want to enjoy a peaceful evening. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to do that when you’re rushing to the grocery store. You’re racing to aisle five searching for some darn oregano for that garlic roasted potatoes recipe. Then you realize you need milk and an extra box of cereal for tomorrow!

• Simplify your grocery list and make it practical.

Take a deep breath and simplify your list. For example, what are some of your favorite snacks? Get those! When do you realistically cook during the week? Maybe your week looks less busy on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. Focus in on those days for cooking.

You can give yourself a break on the other days of the week with takeout, a frozen meal, or the drive-thru. That’s perfectly fine!

Alejandro and I notice that we barely ever cook on Mondays. And we have definitely tried during the years, but Mondays are tough for the both of us. So, we’ve declared Monday as our takeout day! It makes the most sense for us. We also alternate cooking on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Sometimes we cook together. Figure out what’s best for your situation and go from there!

I know we see a lot of social media posts where meals are incredibly aesthetic. But social media doesn’t give the full picture and isn’t realistic for most of us. We’re all just trying our best. Sometimes a simple turkey sandwich for dinner hits the spot!

• Consider delivery or curbside pickup.

Also, if you’re like me and you find that grocery shopping is overstimulating when your list is bigger, consider getting them delivered or do curbside pickup if it’s in your budget. And don’t forget to tip your shopper for their work!

It’s relieving when your kitchen is stocked for the week ahead. You’ll feel like a weight is off your shoulders.

2. Meal prep on the weekend if possible.

The best advice I’ve received from a family member is to meal prep on the weekend. It eliminates the stress you’ll feel on Monday evenings. I know sometimes it can be a pain to cook on the weekends. But once you find go-to recipes that work for you or learn little tricks like freezing meals, you’ll notice that your Sunday routine becomes a lot easier.

• Find cookbooks that have easy recipes with minimal ingredients.

The first step to meal prepping on Sundays is finding easy recipes. That’s especially true if you don’t enjoy cooking or are new to cooking! You don’t need a library of cookbooks, but finding one or two favorites is a good idea.

My pet peeve when I first started cooking was complicated cookbooks. I didn’t have a lot of random ingredients in my pantry or know how to cook from scratch. It honestly was a headache!

These are some of my go-to cookbooks from over the years! They made learning how to cook so much simpler and more enjoyable. 💛

30-Minute One-Pot Meals by Jo Cismaru

“What’s better than 30-minute meals? How about one-pot recipes? Now you don’t have to choose―yes, you can have both! Avoid spending hours in the kitchen and filling up your sink with dirty dishes.”

The Weeknight Dinner Cookbook by Mary Younkin

“The Weeknight Dinner Cookbook is the perfect way to get dinner on the table quickly and easily with recipes for tasty main dishes and flavorful side dishes, plus a sprinkling of sweet treats.”

Tasty Every Day: All of the Flavor, None of the Fuss

“Meal prep, one pot, no cook, slow cooker or Instant Pot®—BuzzFeed’s Tasty has something for everyone with 75 time-saving, taste-tested recipes that make cooking easy and fun.”

• Try out a slow cooker for simpler prep!

Another life saver for me has been a slow cooker. All you have to do is dump the ingredients into the slow cooker, let the food heat up for a few hours, and that’s it. Dinner is served! You can simply let the slow cooker take care of dinner for Monday. Talk about a chill Sunday with barely any prep involved!

Amazon has awesome slow cookers that are pretty affordable!

Crock Pot 4.5 Quart Manual Slow Cooker

• Use meal kit services.

A great alternative to meal prepping is to try a meal kit service! Companies like Hello Fresh, Blue Apron, and Home Chef offer tasty pre-proportioned and fresh ingredients.

I’ve tried Home Chef before and they have affordable meals. One of the best recipes I’ve tried is their chipotle BBQ crusted chicken. Meal kit recipes are sometimes not as yummy as homemade meals, but they’re wonderful if you’re on a tight schedule. You can also give new recipes a try that you wouldn’t have otherwise known about!

3. Get started on a creative project or hobby.

Next, consider starting a hobby or creative project that excites you. It’s vital to take a break during the weekends — you need time to rest. Getting creative is good for the soul. Plus, having hobbies lowers stress levels.

I’m glad we’re beginning to talk about the importance of hobbies. At the same time, it’s important to note that hobbies are a privilege. Work culture in the U.S. can be brutal to say the least.

With that being said, try your best to fill up space in your Sunday routine for just you. Even if it’s just 10 or 20 minutes a day! We all need alone time to do the things we enjoy.

Alejandro loves using his Duolingo to learn Italian. I like to play cozy video games during my spare time to decompress.

If you enjoy singing, record a cover of your favorite song. Learn an instrument. Work on an interior design project. Make a DIY craft. Go on a hike. Do whatever sparks your interest and makes you happy!

If you’re not exactly sure what project you want to start, check out my fun hobbies series:

• Restore your energy with some of these calming hobbies.
• Are you an introvert? Try out these hobbies to help you relax.

4. Find a skincare regimen that works for you.

If you’re not feeling your Sunday routine, doing skincare before bed might help you get out out of that funk. You’ll feel refreshed and pampered! I’ve been super into skincare lately and found a few favorites. Look up skincare products online or ask a friend for their recommendations. Also, think about making a homemade face mask with fresh ingredients!

Truthfully, there’s nothing better than an at-home spa day!

Some of My Skincare Favorites

Pacifica Beauty Pineapple Cleanse Oil Slaying Face Wash

I’m obsessed with this face wash! This cleanser leaves my skin smooth and soft. I’ve always wanted to try Pacifica, but just hadn’t gotten a chance to pick up one of their products. Thankfully, an Ulta associate recommended this face wash to me and I’ve been using it for a couple of months now. It truly smells like the beach!

Pixi Hydrating Milky Mist

Another favorite of mine lately has been this face mist from Pixi. All of a sudden we’re in the 90s in Chicago and I hate feeling sweaty. I picked up Pixi’s milky mist at Target the other week and I’m likely going to keep purchasing this product. It’s on the pricier side, but the formula is high quality and effective, especially on hotter days!

• If you’re interested, look into skincare resources like Paula’s Choice!

You can also research skincare by watching videos and reading blog posts. I’ve been loving Vogue’s beauty secrets series on YouTube. My favorite video was from Ella Mai because she gave such great tips for people with sensitive skin!

I personally love Paula’s Choice for learning more about ingredients in skincare! The site has a lot of good information and recommendations.

5. Unwind by watching Youtube videos from your favorite creators.

To help you unwind, watch some upbeat YouTube videos from your favorite creators. YouTube videos are easier to digest because they aren’t as long as a standard TV show. Plus, it’s always nice to keep up with your favorite YouTubers.

A couple of years ago, I worked at a job that gave me so much anxiety on Sunday nights. If I was feeling panicky, I’d watch vlogs and makeup videos. They lifted my mood almost immediately!

Some of my favorite YouTubers are Mia Maples, Carrie Dayton, and Jananie.

If you’re into fashion, you’d love Mia Maples! Plus, she’s a sweetheart.

Carrie Dayton has the best vlogs. They’re always super relaxing and she has a charismatic personality!

I’m also a huge fan of Jananie (Her Youtube channel is called This Story Ain’t Over). She gives the best book recommendations and seems like such a sweet person.

It’s always good to add some fun to your Sunday routine!

6. Call your best friend and vent.

Finally, call up a friend and chat openly about your day. Sometimes, you just need to vent to someone you trust! Maybe it’s your grandma, best friend, or significant other. Expressing your thoughts freely will make you feel so much lighter.

One of my favorite coworkers and I call each other up a lot on Sunday afternoons or evenings. Since I work in a call center, we have a lot of crazy (and oftentimes hilarious) stories about our customers. After our phone chats, the thought of Monday morning doesn’t seem so bad anymore. Things are much better after a few chuckles and silly stories about customer calls we had in the past.

Even MORE Ideas To Add To Your Sunday Routine:

• Create a list of things you’d like to do this week in your bullet journal.
• Light a scented candle to relax.
• Get some movement in, whether that’s jogging, swimming, or following a dancing workout video.
• Run errands that you’ve been meaning to do like going to the post office, making returns, or getting an oil change.
• Treat yourself to a small gift, like a new t-shirt or book.
• Write down five goals for the week in your agenda.
• Get some fresh air and Vitamin D by going outside.
• Grab an ice cream cone from a local shop.
• Read a book or magazine.
• Do your nails at home.
• Spend time with your pet.
• Take a few deep breaths and try these grounding techniques.
• Clean and organize one room in your home.
• Prepare your outfit for the next morning.
• Give yourself a compliment. What are you proud of yourself for this week?
• Take a relaxing bubble bath.
• Listen to calming music like jazz or lofi.
• Make a cup of chamomile tea.
• Cuddle up in bed with the comfiest blankets!

Do you have a Sunday routine or a few consistent rituals? If not, would you consider creating one? Also, which one of these tips did you find most helpful?

Grab an iced coffee or tea & stay a while!

• Try these calming exercises for mindfulness.
• Spend time alone with these fun and refreshing ideas.
• These are some productive ideas for when you’re bored.