Dark Side of the Sunday Reset: Is it Really Good for You?

By The Cleaning Lady

Introduction

If you’ve never heard of the viral TikTok trend for the Sunday Reset, don’t worry, I hadn’t either until a few months ago. Now I have watched hundreds of influencer videos of them cleaning their spotless kitchens and bathrooms and organizing their pristine refrigerators while giving themselves facials and smoothie cleanses, all on Sunday.

In a nutshell, it refers to the practice of resetting or organizing your personal, professional and health related goals and routines on Sunday.

A Sunday Reset could involve meal planning or prepping, cleaning and decluttering your house, or engaging in self-care activities like exercise and meditation. The goal of the Sunday Rest is to get you physically and mentally prepared for the week ahead and to start on a positive note.

And while I am all for people mentally and physically taking stock and actively getting their lives organized, they may be setting themselves up for failure cramming it all one day. I will add that whatever day that works for you to clean and prep for the week is good enough. Just that you are doing these things is an accomplishment worthy of a pat on the back. But I’m going to go through why these viral trends are sometimes dangerous, especially if you are just trying to keep up with the Jones’.

Why the Sunday Reset might actually be bad for your mental health

Here I will go through 4 ways I think the Sunday Reset may be bad for you, and at the end I will give you tips on how to do a little each day to have your weekends entirely free.

1. Unrealistic Expectations and self-imposed pressure

If you made a list of everything you wanted to accomplish in your Sunday Reset, how long would it be? How many pages? These may be overly ambitious goals that can lead to stress and anxiety, which you are trying to combat with the whole Sunday Rest thing in the first place.

Setting reasonable goals is the key to maintaining a balanced mindset.

2. Sacrificing your personal time

If you are like most people, you get a total of two days off a week. Why do you want to cram a bunch of work into the last of those two days? While I understand many people only have time to clean and do these things on the weekend why not clean your house on a Saturday morning so you can enjoy a clean house for the rest of the weekend. There was actually a study done a few years ago that found people prefer to clean their houses on Saturday. Sunday evening was the most dreaded time to clean.

3. Encourages procrastination

If you relay on having Sunday as your cleaning and reorganization day, you can procrastinate on these things for the rest of the week. Procrastination can have a negative effect on productivity and mental health for many reasons:

• Poor time management: Procrastinating leads to inadequate use of time, making it difficult to complete tasks efficiently. When tasks are put off until the last minute, they often take longer to complete due to increased stress and reduced focus.
• Lower quality of work: When tasks are rushed or completed under pressure, the quality of work can suffer. This can lead to subpar results and potential negative consequences in personal, academic, or professional situations.
• Increased stress and anxiety: Procrastination can cause significant stress and anxiety as deadlines approach and tasks pile up. This can have negative effects on mental and physical health, as well as overall well-being.
• Loss of opportunities: Procrastinating can lead to missed deadlines and lost opportunities. In professional settings, this may result in a damaged reputation, lost promotions, or even job loss. In personal life, it can lead to disappointment and strained relationships.
• Undermines self-esteem: Habitual procrastination can erode self-confidence and contribute to feelings of incompetence. This can create a vicious cycle, where low self-esteem leads to further procrastination and even lower self-confidence.
• Hinders personal growth and development: Procrastination may prevent individuals from reaching their full potential, as they avoid tackling challenges and taking risks. This can limit personal growth and development, both professionally and personally.
• Poor decision-making: Procrastination can lead to impulsive and hasty decision-making, as individuals are forced to make choices quickly in order to meet approaching deadlines. This can result in mistakes and undesirable outcomes.

4. Potential for burnout

Constant goal setting and planning can lead to mental burnout. If you are planning all week on how many tasks you have to accomplish on Sunday, this will lead to anxiety. If the goal of the reset is being secure and relaxed in your upcoming work week, when do you get to relax just in the moment? Self care is very important. I do recommend the self nurturing and maintenance aspects of the Sunday Reset, but if you are trying to cook a week’s worth of meals with an avocado mask melting off your face, I think you’re doing it wrong.

How to strike the right balance all week

Striking the right balance throughout the week can help you avoid the pitfalls of trying to do everything on Sundays. Here are some tips to maintain a balanced routine:

• Prioritize tasks: Identify the most important tasks for the week and allocate time for them throughout your schedule. Break down larger tasks into smaller, manageable steps and distribute them across the week. For cleaning, I have a daily and weekly cleaning schedule that can help.
• Plan your week: Instead of focusing solely on Sundays, take a few minutes each day to plan and review your goals and tasks for the next day. This helps ensure you stay on track and can make adjustments as needed.
• Establish routines: Develop daily routines for work, self-care, exercise, and relaxation. Consistent routines help create structure, making it easier to maintain balance throughout the week.
• Set boundaries: Establish clear boundaries between your work and personal life. Set specific working hours and avoid work-related tasks during your personal time. Make sure to communicate these boundaries with colleagues, friends, and family members.
• Time management: Use time management techniques, such as the Pomodoro Technique or time blocking, to stay focused and efficient during work hours. This can help free up more time for personal activities and relaxation.

• Incorporate self-care: Schedule regular self-care activities throughout the week, such as exercise, meditation, or hobbies. These activities help maintain mental and emotional well-being and prevent burnout.
• Delegate and ask for help: Recognize that you don’t have to do everything yourself. Delegate tasks when possible and ask for assistance from colleagues, friends, or family members when you need it.
• Be flexible: Accept that things may not always go as planned. Adapt your schedule as needed and be willing to adjust your priorities when unforeseen circumstances arise.
• Breaks and relaxation: Make sure to schedule regular breaks during the day and allow yourself time to unwind and relax. This helps maintain focus and prevents burnout.
• Celebrate achievements: Acknowledge and reward yourself for accomplishments, both big and small. Celebrating achievements can help boost motivation and maintain a sense of balance.
• Ask the experts: If you would like to learn more about the Sunday Reset, here is a good article full of experts on how to do it the right way.

Conclusion

By implementing these strategies, you can create a more balanced approach to your weekly schedule, ensuring that you maintain productivity without overloading yourself on any single day.