K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple Sunday
Sundays used to create a lot of anxiety for me.
The Sunday blues are a real thing. Many people struggle with anxiety and heightened stress on Sundays because... Monday is coming.
So why am I posting this on Monday? So you can use this week as inventory and also to create excitement for Sunday! I posted on the therapy instagram ( instagram.com/keilynariana_therapy) yesterday, but I wanted to go more in depth today.
Self-Therapy tip: I want you to simply notice something. As we talk about Sunday, what feelings are coming up for you? Take a moment to tap into the energy you usually carry around on Sundays. And after reading the tips I have for you, I also want you to notice how you feel about Sunday and any shifts in energy.Doing the above exercise will bring awareness to how simple shifts in your thinking patterns can make a difference in how you feel. Use this example in your life - identify things that may cause you stress or anxiety and either do a quick google search, talk to your therapist and create a plan, or plan out ways you can help ease the tension. And if there is anything in particular you want me to talk about, feel free to send a message by tapping the little message icon on the lower right part of your screen. You don't have to give your email, you can simply just type your question and hit enter - I will receive the message.If Monday is getting you down on Sunday, try these tips to set your week up for success so you can enjoy your Sunday:
Wake up at a decent time - no, I'm not going to tell you to wake up early, but don't sleep the day away, eh? That creates more anxiety because you may wake up and already feel like you wasted part of your day, and then you may also worry about your sleep schedule if you have to wake up early the next day. By sleeping in today, you may be sabotaging your week by an already messed up sleep cycle. So, do yourself a favor, and wake up at a decent time. I'd say 10am at the latest won't raise too much argument, right? Earlier if you're committed. I'm right there with you night owls!
Tidy up your home - throw in a load of laundry, put away the dishes, clean your kitchen, and tidy up your mess from the weekend, fold the now-clean laundry. A cluttered house = a cluttered mind. By tidying up first thing in the morning, you will feel accomplished (this is a fun little mindset trick you can use daily) and you will be able to fully relax the rest of your day (once you do the next thing).
Plan your week ahead - this has been hands down, the best thing I've ever done and biggest trick I use to beat the Sunday Blues. I will not hide the fact that I have ADHD. Yep, sure do! Using my schedule religiously has saved me so much stress! I have a scheduler that actually has Mon-Sun with 15min time increments. So, I will sit down, brain dump my to-do list, look at all I have to do for the week ahead and schedule in everything - including my wake up times, workouts, and self-care activities. I also leave plenty of room in my schedule in between tasks for breaks, or to allot for things that may end up taking longer than expected. That way, I'm never behind, and I usually end up having more time to spare. This is also super helpful, because every evening, after my work day is complete, I will look at my schedule for the next day, so I feel mentally prepared. That also allows me to fully relax in the evenings and enjoy my week nights. I am telling you - this is a game changer. Even if you aren't a "planner" person. Hello, neither am I - ADHD remember? Use whatever works for you, but I believe pen to paper works like magic, which is why I like to have a physical planner.
Have a phone-free day - I really should (there I go again, "shoulding" myself) write a post on social media and technology. I highly encourage you to, as often as you can, have a phone free day, or evening, or lunch break, or week. Social media is a tricky tricky thing, especially in the political climate we are in right now. Take. A. Break. from the mental overload that drastically affects your energy and vibration - in each scroll, each post, we are taking in an obscene amount of data in a very short amount of time and it drastically affects our energy and mindset, even if you aren't realizing it. Think: subliminal messages. So, put down your phone and fully be in each moment.
Enjoy the rest of your day! What is it you really want to do? Have a Netflix binge day (which, for the record, I fully support)? Go outside? Go to brunch? See your friends/family?
Extra tips:
Plan out your meals, go grocery shopping, meal prep and set yourself up for further success.
If any of the above creates anxiety, get it out of the way on Friday! Then, you have your whole weekend to relax and not worry. A quick review of your schedule on Sunday and tidying up first thing in the morning or before bed, and you're good to go.
Set yourself up for success throughout the week: if you can, do laundry every day or every other day for smaller, more manageable loads; keep a tidy space; etc.
Make self-care a way of life - set up self-care in your daily routine with exercise, drinking enough water, scheduling a therapy appointment, enjoying a face mask, having a casual drink with a friend, or [enter your form of self-care here]. You don't have to save all your favorite things for the weekend. Find ways to enjoy your daily life and have things to look forward to every day. That is how you begin to build a life you love.
Self-Therapy tip reminder: This is the time to check in with yourself. How are you feeling about Sundays now? Do you feel a shift in your energy and mindset? If not, that's okay too. Ask yourself what would be most helpful for you to reduce the Sunday Blues.Just remember: K.I.S.S. - keep it simple, silly and enjoy your K.I.S.S. (keep it simple Sunday).
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