Sunday Rituals

Sunday is commonly known as "the day of rest" where people do nothing and go nowhere; however, it seems like very few people actually follow these Sunday guidelines. Some people may experience the Sunday night blues as the weekend comes to a devastating end. Personally, I rarely just lounge around or hibernate on a Sunday, but I do try and make a habit of not stressing about the upcoming week. Therefore, I have developed some Sunday rituals that allow me to prepare and look forward to the working week ahead.

Here are my Sunday rituals:

• Clean out my bags: I go through my purse and recycle receipts that I don't need and file the ones that I do. I dump out the coins into my jar.  In addition, I clean out my work messenger bag and reorganize papers that have been thrown in there throughout the week. Then I repack my messenger bag with the things I need for the week, and I double-check that my name tag is in my bag.
• Visit grocery store: I usually visit my neighborhood Trader Joe's on Sunday and restock on necessities and Trader Joe's specialty items. I buy 90% of my food from Trader Joe's, and everyone knows the best demos at TJ are on Sundays. Once in a while on a Sunday, I will need to make a trip to Safeway for cleaning supplies our household goods (like toilet paper).
• Library: I return items (both books and movies) to the library, and pick up new ones for the week. I always walk to the downtown Central Library; therefore, I am guaranteed 4 miles of walking. As I am trying to live a more minimalist lifestyle, I hardly buy books and movies; therefore, making the library that much more as a valuable resource.
• Meal prep: I cook my meals for the work week on Sunday; therefore, I dirty very few dishes throughout the week. Also, I put together some easy to grab items to throw in my purse or work bag. In addition, I found that when I prepare food on Sunday for the week, that I do not eat-out as much because I hate to waste food or for my food at home to go bad. Food prep not only makes me eat healthier and save more money, it'll also helps me avoid those awful "I'm starving ravenous moments."
• Planning my week: I have two calendars, an actual work planner, and the calendar on my iPhone. I make sure on Sunday that all appointments (both work and personal) are on both. This has helped me to anticipate everything that is happening during the week, and if there is free time to schedule some hikes and outings with friends. In addition, I set goals for the week, and I write them on a small white board above my home desk.
• Pampering: For my Sunday showers, I take the opportunity to use a leave-in conditioner. In addition, I take the extra time to follow through with my skin care: face mask, exfoliating scrub, toner, and moisturizer.

How do you Sunday?