Crayons & Careers

Let’s be honest: by Sunday night, many of us are running on fumes. The laundry’s half-done, permission slips are buried in a pile on the counter and not much sound better than sitting on the couch or taking a nap.

Sound familiar?

Now imagine this instead: You wake up Monday morning knowing exactly what’s on your calendar. Dinner is planned. Your kids are ready for the week, and you even had thirty minutes last night to sit and read a book! That’s the magic of the weekly reset. A habit that once established can help you trade hours of chaos during the week for calm and clarity. We talked about how time blocking can help you be more productive in the last post but now let’s talk more about the planning for the time blocking and the details within it!

Here’s how it works and how you can make it your new superpower.

💡 What Is a Sunday Reset?

A Sunday reset is a short, intentional routine you do once a week (usually on Sunday, but it’s flexible!) to prepare your mind, your home, and your calendar for the week ahead. The goal is not to add another thing to your schedule but to lift the mental burden for regular activities during the week as you can do them with more intention and less stress.

Think of it as a “check-in.” It gives you the opportunity to pause, assess what’s coming, and design a week that feels aligned with your values and your reality.

🌟 Why It Works

Let’s talk about why this simple habit will make such a difference or you!

• It reduces decision fatigue. I’ve mentioned this as one of my biggest challenges before but every little bit of brain power that I save by pre-planning I’ve minimized the amount of energy I’ve had to spend thinking about it during the week. I used to laugh at this, well planning lunches or meals isn’t that hard and then I had kids. Now if I’ve got most of the meals planned, reviewed my personal and professional priorities and reviewed key appointments with my husband or who is doing the sports/activities runs there is no wasted energy.
• It gives you a sense of control. Are you like me and you like to be in control of things? This gives me a sense of control for the week. Even when life gets messy (because let’s face it, it will), we have a plan and the pivots feel less overwhelming because we are dealing with only a minor change. Think of it as having a project schedule but for your only family and when something pops up that’s out of scope it’s a heck of a lot easier to deal with when you understand the rest of the project or week already!
• It helps align your time with your values. Are you making space for what matters most? I’m guilty of this and with kids it’s very easy to get sidetracked. A Sunday Reset helps you see the full picture and make sure you stack your families’ priorities together. It helps my husband, and I better communicate and avoid stress.
• It lowers anxiety. Instead of starting the week reactive and rushed, you begin proactive and prepared. Is it hard at first and is there anxiety to start, of course! Change is hard but we want progress not perfection.

✅ The 6-Part Sunday Reset Checklist

This is about intention. Even 30–60 minutes of planning can completely shift your week.

Here’s what a simple Sunday Reset might look like:

1. Calendar Check (10 Minutes)

Look at your week ahead. Any work meetings, school events, playdates, deadlines, or appointments?
✔️ Add in what’s already scheduled
✔️ Block time for prep (ex: “pack lunches” or “carpool”)

Bonus tip: Don’t forget to block time for self-care for yourself or your spouse. This can be rest, reading, a hobby, sport or a solo Target run!

2. Meal Plan & Grocery Inventory (10–15 Minutes)

Nothing adds stress like 5 p.m. dinner panic. I could raise my hand on this one for my years. I love cooking but my eyes always get bigger than my time! Start small and use the list below. You can build on this and tweak it over time.
✔️ Plan 3–5 meals (especially for the busy times where you don’t want to eat out!)
✔️ Peek in your fridge and pantry
✔️ Start your grocery list (or order online)

Even a loose plan (think tacos, pasta, leftovers) can ease the mental load. Don’t be afraid to swap meals as you go through the week either!

3. Task Brain Dump (5–10 Minutes)

Get it all out of your head — everything you need or want to do.
✔️ Personal + professional
✔️ Big things + tiny reminders

Then sort your list:
– Must Do
– Delegate (Don’t be afraid to delegate or ask for help!)
– Do Later (Yes, we all have this list and it’s likely longer than your must do now list!)

4. Time Block Your Week (15 Minutes)

Now that you’ve seen what’s coming and what needs to get done, assign it a time. Yes, this is where your time blocking comes in!
✔️ Use a digital calendar or a printable planner
✔️ Block work time, school time, errands, and even rest
✔️ Leave room for “white space” things always take longer than you think

Check out our essential tools and download our Time Blocking 101 Guide to help!

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5. Tidy Up Your Space (10–15 Minutes)

You don’t need to deep clean, just clear visual clutter. Set a timer for 10-15 minutes and choose tasks or cleanup based on something you can put away in a few minutes. This isn’t the time to re-organize all the kids’ toys in the playroom! Start small.

✔️ Wipe down your workspace
✔️ Clear the counters
✔️ Prep outfits, backpacks, or your gym bag

✔️Send out an email to your childcare team or grandparents if they are helping with something for the week.

You’ll be amazed how calm Monday feels when your space feels fresh.

🧩 Make It Your Own

Your Sunday Reset doesn’t have to look like mine or anyone else’s. Some weeks, it’s 30 minutes sitting down with your spouse or partner. Other times, it’s a quick fridge clean and glance at the calendar while the kids play and you go through the week. What matters is that you check in.

Adjust for your season of life:

• Toddler moms might do a toy reset or prep snacks.
• Working parents might prioritize blocking meetings and childcare swaps.
• Single parents might involve the kids to make it a shared routine.

🚧 Common Roadblocks (And How to Solve Them)

🗓 “I don’t have time on Sundays.”
Try Friday afternoons or Monday mornings. It’s less about when and more about consistency.

😓 “I never stick to routines.”
Start small. Even checking your calendar and meal planning can make a big difference.

🌀 “My week never goes as planned.”
Does anything?  The point is not to have everything go perfectly but to ease the mental load and align with your team (kids, spouse, childcare etc.),

🎁 Want to make it even easier?
[Download my free Time Blocking 101 Guide] a printable checklist in our Essential Tools to guide your reset and help you design a week that works for you.

You’ve got this! The goal is to give you more time to be you and be more present in your life, one reset at a time. 💛

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