How to Save 16 Hours by Utilizing Sunday More Effectively

I’ve started a new Sunday routine. It’s simple, fast and, for me, life-changing.

Sundays used to be my favourite “catch up day”—an uninterrupted workday where I could really plug in, without distractions, and get sh#t done.

And the harder I worked on Sunday, the more prepared I’d be for the coming week. Seems logical, right? Except it wasn’t true…

By Monday morning, I still had 900 “urgent” things to do, not nearly enough time to do them, and I was tired. Really tired.

I’d wake up in a tizzy on Monday morning, throw on whatever outfit was relatively clean (because who has time for laundry, am I right!?), grab a granola bar and hit the road.

It was a crappy way to start the week. It seemed like no matter how hard I worked, I still couldn’t catch up. And by the following Sunday, I’d start the cycle all over again.

Then three weeks ago, I made a change…

I committed to four unbreakable rules that have transformed Sunday into my most powerful day of the week. This whole weekend work preparation takes about 6 hours, but it saves me waaay more time during the week and cuts my stress load in half.

Rule 1: Treat yo’self (2 hours)

Every Sunday, I do something totally indulgent to help relax and recharge. Sometimes it’s cooking a complex and carb-o-licious meal. Sometimes it’s painting my nails. Sometimes it’s having brunch with a friend.

It’s a simple reward that gets me ready for the long week ahead.

Rule 2: No more than 90 minutes of “fun work” allowed (90 minutes)

Now you might be like, “What? Why are you working at all?”

But hold up. “Fun work” is the stuff that doesn’t feel like work. The energizing stuff.

If that’s writing a blog post, go for it. If it’s planning your social media, fill your boots. If it’s creating an inspiring Pinterest board for that new client project, Pin away!

You don’t have to work. But, if you want to work, just make sure it’s “fun work” and do 90 minutes max.

Rule 3: Prep necessities for the week (2 hours)

For me, this means getting groceries, doing laundry, making lunches and planning my outfits for the week. I also schedule my workouts and personal grooming (i.e. washing my hair, shaving my legs, etc.)

Now that might be waaaaaaay to OCD for some people; but when you work 12 hours a day like I do, if you don’t schedule time to wash your hair, you get pretty grimy—for reals.

This whole process usually takes about 2 hours in total and makes my whole week go smoother.

Rule 4: Decide my #1 task for Monday morning (30 minutes)

By deciding exactly what I’m going to tackle first thing on Monday morning, I feel in control and productive.

And there’s another HUGE upside to setting your intention the night before. Your brain is designed to keep working on problems even if you’re not consciously thinking about them. So, by the time tomorrow comes, you’re ready for action.

Are you ready to supercharge your Sundays?

Snap to it, wee Unicorns.

Do you have your own Sunday rituals you’d like to share? Post ’em below.

 Get the entire story in our #smallbiz_expert Twitter interview w/ Vendeve!

This blog post is brought to you by Katelyn Bourgoin, Founder & CEO of Vendeve, the world's only skills marketplace for women. 

About the Author

Katelyn is the founder of Vendeve—a skills marketplace for women entrepreneurs. Buyers visiting the marketplace can meet and hire the best service providers, sellers get qualified leads, and all members can participate in ongoing community conversations. In short, it's women helping women to build better businesses. With members in 32 countries and counting, Vendeve is quickly becoming the go-to hub for savvy women in business.

Follow on Twitter More Content by Katelyn Bourgoin