Mathilde Langevin via Unsplash.

Sundays go in one of two ways. Either we spend our day consumed by tasks and our low-grade anxiety, or we spend the day relaxing and recuperating before a successful week ahead.

Sundays are the first day of a new week, considered as a day of rest in most countries. A slow Sunday works wonders on the stressed body and mind, and all you need to do is follow the advice of Sunday self-care professionals.

These people have successful weeks not only because they are highly productive, but because they are also highly proactive about their rest.

I discovered which habits these people have in common, in order to find out exactly what it is that sets them up for the best week possible — and how you can do the same.

They relax – properly.

They don’t feel like they have to earn it, nor do they feel guilty about it. If they have trouble committing to total relaxation, they make a point to leave space in their calendar to actually schedule it.

They turn off their notifications.

Or even better — their phones. They know that deactivating notifications relaxes their nervous system — therefore, they can actually relax.

They sleep enough.

They know that weekend naps won’t offset a week of terrible sleep.

They eat what makes them feel good.

That includes balanced, nutritious, fiber-rich meals. Sometimes, it’s pizza, dark chocolate, and a glass of red wine (hey, it is full of antioxidants).

They experience human connection.

They talk to real-life people in real-life settings. They laugh. They experience genuine interactions and share simple, memorable moments.

They plan.

Their most demanding cognitive task on Sunday is their weekly planning. They set goals and they simplify their schedule in order to take on the week level-headed and calm.

They’re present.

They don’t do their errands or clean the house. They spend it with their kids, their parents, their friends, or even better — themselves. Most important of all, they simply appreciate the little things.

Final Thought

The reason Sunday self-care is such a recurrent and popular theme is that it’s so crucial to your well-being.

Regardless of the day your workweek begins, make time for a full day of intentional rest.

To be truly productive, you need to be intentional about how you spend your time — if you use your rest time poorly, you will be running in circles, frustrated by your circumstances, and inevitably burnt out.

But if you use it wisely and carve out time for yourself, you’ll quickly find out the taking care of yourself is, in fact, the most productive thing ever.