Mental Reset: Decluttering Your Mind

It’s easy to let worries and to-dos of life pile up, so it’s important for your mind to get a clean slate before the week begins. A mental reset helps you clear the clutter and focus on what matters most.

Reflect on the Past Week

Think back on the week that just passed. What went well? What could have been better? What made you feel happy, upset, successful? Don’t beat yourself up over mistakes. Instead, see them as learning moments. A little reflection can change your whole perspective.

Actionable Tip: Grab a journal and write down a few thoughts. What are you grateful for from the last week? What’s one thing you learned? What’s one thing you’ll do differently next week?

My personal method is to keep a digital Gratefulness Journal where, every Sunday night, I write down something good from the week, and it helps me put that week into perspective and appreciate every moment.

Plan for the Upcoming Week

Now it’s time to look ahead. What does the upcoming week look like? What tasks, meetings, or events do you have? Get them down on paper so you can plan your strategy.

Actionable Tip: Use a planner or a digital calendar. This helps keep everything organized and in one place, and it makes for easy reference when you need a quick reminder throughout the week. Block out time for important tasks, and don’t forget to schedule in breaks.

I’ve found the most helpful method is to start by identifying my most important to-do list tasks and building them into my schedule. Everything else seems to fall into place once I’ve identified my biggest priorities for the week.

Practice Mindfulness and Relaxation

Stress can build up over the week, and one of the best ways to release some of that tension and bring your attention back to the present is with some mindfulness and relaxation. Take a few moments to relax and center yourself, whether that means turning on some calming music, meditating, or simply resting your mind.

Actionable Tip: Try a guided meditation app like Balance or Calm. Even for people who find it hard to keep a quiet mind, guided meditations can help you focus and remind you to take a moment to ground yourself. I personally use Balance when I’m having trouble falling asleep, and I’ve found it’s a huge help in calming my thoughts and helping me get some rest.

Physical Reset: Recharging Your Body

Your body powers you through each day, and even though it might feel hard to prioritize giving your body the care and attention it needs, even small steps on Sunday can set you up for success during the week.

Prioritize Sleep

We all know sleep is essential for your health and wellbeing. Make sure you’re getting enough shut-eye. And although it’s easier said than done, aim for around eight hours of quality sleep each night. It’s even better to stick to a consistent sleep schedule if you can, since going to sleep and waking up at the same time each day will give your body a consistent rhythm.

Actionable Tip: Create a relaxing bedtime routine. Take a warm bath, read a book, or sit with your favorite tea. Whatever it is that calms your mind and body, take a few minutes each night to wind down and prepare yourself for a good night’s sleep.

Nourish Your Body

Food is fuel, so choosing the right foods is essential to keep you full and energized throughout the week. Take a look at your favorite cookbook or scroll your Pinterest recipe board to get some inspiration for the week ahead.

Actionable Tip: Spend some time meal prepping on Sunday. Even if you just chop up some fruits and veggies or set aside tomorrow’s breakfast, small actions can go a long way in helping you stay consistent and motivated to eat well throughout the week. But also remember to allow yourself to enjoy some sweet treats here and there, because life’s too short to not eat chocolate : )

Engage in Light Exercise or Stretching

Get your body moving. Ignore the successes or failures of the week before and just go for a gentle walk or do some light stretching. It will improve circulation and boost your mood, leaving you feeling ready to take on the week ahead.

Actionable Tip: If you struggle to set aside time for physical activity, think about when you have the most downtime throughout your day. Make a commitment to yourself to take a 15 minute walk a couple days this week during that time, and don’t make excuses for yourself when the time comes.

Environmental Reset: Organizing Your Space

For me, this is the most important reset each week. I thrive in a clean, organized environment, and feeling comfrotable in my space sets me up for success.

Declutter and Organize Your Living Space

Focus on the areas where you spend the most time. This could be your living room, kitchen, or bedroom, but whatever it is, clear out any clutter that’s weighing you down.

Actionable Tip: Try the Pomodoro method. Set a timer for 25 minutes and really lock in on the tidying you’d like to do. Once the timer is up, take a five-minute break (or 15-minute one if you’d like a little more time) break to decompress and relax, and repeat until you feel satisfied in your space. Extra props to you if you reach the cleanliness level of lighting a candle afterward 😉

Organize Your Digital Space

A cluttered digital space can be a source of stress—at least for me. Take some time to sort through your emails and unsubscribe from unwanted newsletters. Head to your photos app and do some clean up of unwanted photos, screenshots, and duplicates. Open up your laptop and sort through some folders. Whatever digital space is giving you the most stress, focus your energy there first and then tackle other areas.

Actionable Tip: Set aside 5 minutes each day to declutter your digital space. I like to set a goal of unsubscribing from one unwanted email list a day and spending 3 minutes going through my photos.

Prepare for the Week Ahead

This is the most important step in my Sunday Reset routine: take some time to get ready for the week. Lay out your outfits, pack your lunch for tomorrow, and gather any materials you’ll need. I’ll admit, I have a love-hate relationship with this one, but when I’m running late in the morning, I’m glad to have my breakfast already prepped and my outfit already decided.

Actionable Tip: Make a checklist of everything you’d like to do and cross things off as you go. It feels great—and much more manageable—when you can see you progress.

Ready to Reset

A Sunday reset is a powerful tool for reducing stress, increasing productivity, and improving your overall well-being. It sets the tone for a successful week ahead. Take a deep breath, implement the tips, and create your own personalized Sunday Reset routine. Whether your Sunday Reset includes journaling, stretching, meal prepping, or lighting a candle after tidying up, the key is finding what works for you.

Start small, stay consistent, and remember: every little step adds up to a more balanced and intentional life. Let’s head into this week feeling refreshed and ready : )

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Sunday Reset Checklist

🧠 Mental Reset

• [ ] Reflect on the past week (What went well? What could improve?)
• [ ] Write in your journal or digital gratefulness journal ☐ One thing you’re grateful for
  • ☐ One thing you learned
  • ☐ One thing you’ll do differently next week
• [ ] Review your upcoming week
  • ☐ Add tasks, meetings, and events to planner/calendar
  • ☐ Block time for priorities and breaks
• [ ] Do a mindfulness activity
  • ☐ Try a guided meditation (e.g., Balance or Calm)
  • ☐ Take 5 quiet minutes to breathe or listen to calming music

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🛌 Physical Reset

• [ ] Review your sleep habits
  • ☐ Set a consistent sleep schedule
  • ☐ Prep a relaxing bedtime routine
• [ ] Plan and prep your meals
  • ☐ Pick 2–3 meal ideas for the week
  • ☐ Prep ingredients, snacks, or full meals
• [ ] Schedule light movement
  • ☐ Block out at least 15 minutes on your calendar for movement each day

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🧹 Environmental Reset

• [ ] Tidy your living space
  • ☐ Choose 1–2 focus areas (e.g., kitchen, bedroom)
  • ☐ Use the Pomodoro method (25-min tidy, 5-min break)
  • ☐ Optional: Light a candle when you’re done ✨
• [ ] Declutter your digital space
  • ☐ Unsubscribe from 1+ emails
  • ☐ Delete unneeded photos/screenshots
  • ☐ Tidy your desktop or a folder
• [ ] Prepare for Monday
  • ☐ Pick out your outfit
  • ☐ Pack your lunch or prep breakfast
  • ☐ Gather any materials or to-dos
  • ☐ Make a quick checklist and cross things off!