All Treats, No Tricks: How I Deal with the Sunday Scaries

Happy October!

There is nothing I love more than a relaxing Sunday, filled with all my favorites: Mass, coffee and brunch, football, and a bit of tidying.

I used to feel like I needed to get everything done on Sundays: laundry, cleaning, grocery shopping, meal prep, etc.. This was not only unrealistic but also made for a busy, hectic, and stressful day, often inducing the “Sunday Scaries.” Here’s how I’ve shifted from feeling anxious to capable on this first day of the week:

  1. Saying No
    Sometimes I find that my schedule is so packed because I didn’t have the heart to say no. Filling my days is not healthy for myself or anyone because I am not able to be there for others when I don’t have time to rest and refill my tank. What does that look like for me? Saying no to my own tendencies of a jam-packed schedule and saying yes to down time. Try saying no to something this week! :)

  2. Shifting the Schedule
    I received the best advice from a friend once to do your “Saturday cleaning” on a weekday. I know that everyone has different schedules, but for me this struck a chord! It made so much sense to take one night during the week to do laundry and a bit of cleaning rather than saving it all for the weekend and not being able to enjoy those days off. Something to consider— are you able to switch a weekend chore to a day or evening during the week?

  3. Staying Grateful
    I love lists, and my favorite Sunday list is one of all the things I’m grateful for. It takes about 10 minutes of my time, and it sets me up for the whole week. What and who is on my gratitude list is what and who gives me the motivation to do better, be better, and keep going. You may be surprised just how many things you have to be grateful for once you start writing them down.

Wishing you a wonderful October. Wishing you relaxing Sundays. Wishing you long, endless gratitude lists.

Lexi

Alexi Nichols