No mom is ever going to get a full day for a reset, especially on a Sunday when everyone’s home and everyone’s bored. If, by any chance, you’re that one mom in the world that has the day free of all creatures, please don’t do a Sunday reset – go enjoy a cocktail somewhere and say a prayer for the rest of us.
Now, to those moms who fight windmills all day, every day, this post will give you three clear checklists with concrete ideas on what to do with your Sunday reset minutes, based on… well, how many minutes you have: 30, 60 or 90.
It will also give you options for a Sunday reset where it isn’t just you labouring the day away, but your housemates (a.k.a. family members) pitch in however you ask them to. If the kids are too small, therefore kind of in the way, send them to the park with your partner, ship them to your mother-in-law, or ask your other half to just stay in one room of choice and let you do your thing in peace (if possible, pretty please).
All done? Let’s do the best we can with whatever we have in front of us.
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30-Minute Sunday Reset Checklist
I made it clear this would be a realistic Sunday reset. Minutes will be flying fast, when you only have half an hour to reset something – it better be you. Below is my Sunday reset. Most of it I do in our local library because I know it will be quiet and my toddler won’t be shouting “ma ma ma” from the ground floor. The last section is something I leave for later in the day.
Brain Dump – the hard way – 5 to 10 minutes
Moms are notoriously good at keeping stuff in their heads. But all those open tabs with ideas, appointments, must-dos and not-forgets are slowly, but surely, eating your sanity away.
So, if you have to choose where to start, start with a mental declutter – brain dump. Grab my free brain dump template from here or just a simple notebook, and start writing it all down. If you try my templates, don’t forget to check the trigger list as well (it’s a string of words designed to remind you of anything that you should consider, but has slipped out of your mind at this moment).
You could easily spend half of your reset time doing just this, and it’s ok. You want it all ready in front of you before going ahead with the next part.
Review and Plan – 2 to 5 minutes
Review your brain dump list for just a few short minutes. Everything that’s urgent and needs attention goes to your planner or calendar. Any ideas and “something to eventually pay attention to” could go to a separate “Someday Maybe” page in your planner.
Review your calendar for the next week (or even two) as well. Maybe there is an event you forgot about, an upcoming birthday your kid needs to attend, any sports events, or appointments. Make sure it is all written down in both physical and digital calendars, and discuss with your partner if needed.
Decide on meals – 2 to 5 minutes
No, you don’t have time to meal plan for the week, at least not unless you’re a pro at it.
But you do have time to decide on the protein for the week, and that takes away a huge amount of decision fatigue later on. Also, if you have time, do a very basic grocery shopping list.
A side note: you can always come back to meal planning later in the day, if the opportunity arises.
Self-care – 10 minutes
My dear, you only have 10 minutes left. Your pretty head is clear of open tabs – that’s self-care. But you could also spare a few minutes for a quick face mask, trimming your nails, reading a page from your favourite book or just sitting in silence and question life decisions.
The one thing you shouldn’t do is waste those minutes on a social media. You want to prioritise a need you have been ignoring all week – journaling, self-nourishing, sitting in silence…
60-Minute Sunday Reset Checklist
Now, I cannot give you a brand new list of tasks for an hour-long Sunday reset, because the list above is genuinely good and all of the suggestions are seriously important for the smoothness of the upcoming week. So…
Brain Dump + Review & Plan
Your first 20 minutes are all booked for those two tasks. Now you have time to focus on them properly and make the most of planning the week. Maybe you’ll only need a few minutes to do it all, it is still a no-skip step.
Clear your mind -> Check your calendar and planner -> Make necessary notes, schedule in appointments and events.
Meal Plan – 15 to 20 minutes
You have time for a full meal planning session. “What’s for dinner?” is seriously the most dreaded question of all time, but once you make all of the decisions upfront, it becomes a no-brainer for the next seven days.
Decide on meals, create the grocery shopping list and place an order if you’re ordering the groceries in. If someone needs to go to the shop, that’s not considered part of the Sunday reset, it’s a separate task.
See how I make meal planning and grocery shopping easier for myself and my family, while saving money at the same time (don’t worry, link opens in a separate tab).
Self-Care, but this time seriously
Whatever time you have left – it goes to self-care. Mommy needs it and if she has it, everyone else will benefit from it. So, do your nails, pamper yourself with a face mask (did I hear “hair mask” as well?), meditate, go out in the garden and sit in peace, read a book, enjoy a cup of warm beverage (from the first sip to the last)… Do everything you really need to feel better, happier, relaxed and ready for the next week.
I also strongly suggest writing a gratitude list with all your blessings as it would be like a highlighter of all good currently present in your life you might be ignoring.
90-minute Sunday Reset
If you have 90 minutes (or more), I will still give you all the tasks from the 60-minute list. The difference is that now you can do them without stressing about time.
Also, here’s something extra, because I know you’re eager to do just a bit more.
All of the above
- Brain dump;
- Review and plan;
- Meal plan + grocery list
- Self-care
Do a general tidy-up of the house
Of course, a longer Sunday reset should include a tidy-up, so do it.
If you’re already ahead with cleaning tasks, thanks to good self-management on previous days, make sure to sweep the floors again, mop, clean toilets and wipe kitchen counters. All those together should take just around 20 minutes if you’re efficient, and like to work under pressure.
Fix an area in your house
Choose an area in your home that needs attention and make sure you do as much as possible in the allotted time. Don’t spend the rest of the reset stuck in that area. If the space is small – do it all. But if you’re facing a full wardrobe tidy-up/declutter/fashion show moment, set an alarm on your phone and work with one shelf at a time.
How to make Sunday reset a family event
Instead of fighting those windmills alone on a sunny Sunday as well, here are a few ways to include the family in the day, and turn it into a fun family tradition. After all, this reset is for the smooth run of the week for everyone, not just you.
How can kids help with the Sunday reset?
- Kids can reset their own rooms to the extent of their abilities – anything from putting their clean clothes in their wardrobes to sweeping the floors and dusting their bedside table counts as part of their reset and most children above the age of 7 can do it.
- Kids can prepare their bags for the next day, all you need to do is check if they’ve done it correctly.
- Kids can give you ideas for meals for the week, especially because they’re the picky ones in the family (usually).
- They can also help with general tidy-up around the house – putting away their toys, putting groceries away (some of them), sweeping floors, dusting.
Including kids in the Sunday reset could be a stressful thing at the beginning, but give it some time and once everyone is aware of what is required of them, your Sundays will start looking fun and even more enjoyable. Also, once you are all done with resetting the house, you can go for a walk or cuddle up in the living room and watch a family movie together as part of the reset. Whatever you decide, make sure the reset ends on a positive note, with a reward for them.
Final Thoughts
This was your Sunday reset, where you prepare yourself and your household for the upcoming week based on your available time – 30, 60 or 90 minutes.
Each section gives you the basics of a smooth week ahead plus something extra for you, because you’re a hero and deserve it. Include the kids if you can or ask your partner for their help in giving you as much time as possible to go through the reset.
And remember, a Sunday reset isn’t for doing it all, but for having a clear idea, a plan or an outline of the upcoming week. “You are doing enough.” “Doing” something during the reset depends on how much time you have, and honestly, if you want to do it or not.
Blogger, dreamer, procrastinator, and lover of everything soul-touching. My mission is to make you laugh, provoke your thoughts, light up your day and inspire you to fall in love with life and yourself.
