Write | Inspire | Dream

On La.Rue, we’ve talked so much about the importance of having strong routines to inspire success in your life. Whether you’re developing your morning routine, evening routine, or a more specific routine like your gym or homework routine, all of these contribute to your success. Each of these routines promotes productivity and inspires a go-getter attitude and a positive mindset. So, today on the blog, I thought I’d share my Sunday night routine and some tips to inspire your own. Some people look to Sunday nights as their time to prep for the week; while others use their Sundays for their relaxation and personal time, and Monday starts the week. Either way, this blog can be for you. Because we’re not just looking at Sunday night as our time to prepare for our week, but our time to practice self-care.

Let’s Unwind…

1. Dinner: I start my unwind routine by cooking myself or my parents and I a nice meal to enjoy. I love being in the kitchen because it makes me feel close to my brother, who aspired to be a chef. So start by cooking yourself a meal you love, or if you’re not a person who loves to cook, order in your favorite takeout!
2. Clean-Up: Once I’ve enjoyed my meal, I like to clean up around the house. Having things scattered around gives me a little anxiety, so I just like to spend a few minutes putting things in their homes around the house. I also take this time to set a calming scene; I light a few candles, turn off any bright lights, and put some relaxing music on. Once the house is picked up a bit and the tone is set for the evening, I’ve already relaxed, and the pampering can begin!
3. Pampering: My Sunday self-care always begins with a nice hot shower, using a body scrub and cleanser. Once I’ve showered and practiced my skincare routine for the night, I put on a fun, light-hearted show like Friends (my all-time favorite) or New Girl and spend some time pampering myself. I grab a glass of wine because who doesn’t deserve a nice glass of Reisling after a long week? And I begin my self-care.

 … Practice Self-Care

1. Paint My Nails: It gets really expensive going to get your nails done every other week. I, unfortunately, have nails that grow really fast, and I used to have to do them every week which I found tasking. But then I started incorporating it into my Sunday night routine. Now, I find it relaxing to put on a fun show, enjoy a glass of wine, and do my nails. Although I’m not the best at doing them, it’s relaxing, and I have fun getting better each time.
2. Pamper your Skin: You can find some really fantastic skincare products at Ulta for inexpensive prices. So, maybe once a month on your pamper night, grab a skincare bundle: do a facemask, under-eye masks, even foot and hand masks, and pamper yourself and your skin. We can’t get mani/pedi’s once a week, and that would certainly get costly, so when you can, incorporate a spa night into your self-care Sunday!
3. Shut Down & Read: It’s easy to get lost in the overwhelming amount of social media and TV we have at our disposal. Sometimes, all we need to do is shut down our phones, tune off our TVs for the night, and read a good book. Remember, your Sunday night should be for yourself. So enjoy your own company and have fun doing something you enjoy like reading, or a puzzle, or even coloring.

 A Productive Sunday Night Routine 

1. Prep Your Task List: I love preparing for my week on Sunday Night. I use my La.Rue Daily & Weekly Planning Pages downloaded directly to my iPad, and then I map out my week. With my Planning pages, I’m easily able to direct my task list to each day of the week; coordinating projects, tracking appointments, and setting goals for the week. With my task drop and planning pages set, I know I’m ready for a productive week.
2. Schedule Prep: If you’re like me and enjoy having a strict schedule to follow that keeps you on task, then prepping your schedule on a Sunday will help you. Once you’ve got your task list, you know your most important projects and/or assignments for the week. With that information, begin carving out a few specific areas of time to work on major tasks. Once you’ve got the important things scheduled and your appointments filled in, add any other activities for the week, like the gym, etc.
3. Set Goals for the Week: Setting goals for your week, no matter how small, challenges you to do better. Whether it’s completing assignments early, doing something more or less; these goals give you an objective for the week. So, set small, realistic goals that, once accomplished, make you feel proud and ready to tackle new goals the next week.

Happy Sunday…

Whether you’re a student, working a full-time job, a parent, or whatever your life looks like, we all deserve some time to ourselves to practice self-care. I know that it can be difficult to find the time, so it doesn’t need to be every Sunday. Try working in a night of self-care every other week or even once a month. Do something nice for yourself and take care of yourself. And if you’re someone whose schedule is different, remember your “Sunday Night Routine” can be any night of the week. You’d be shocked at what one night of a little self-love and care can do to improve your mood, mental health, and productivity. Either way, self-care, preparing, or both; this routine relaxes you and gets you in the mindset for a productive and positive week.