A Sunday well spent brings a week of content. Rather than sulking over weekdays, cultivating these 11 Sunday habits will help you to have a great week and a great Sunday. Read on to know about the 11 amazing Sunday habits you need to have from now on.

CREATE A TO-DO LIST.

Write down everything you need to get done during the upcoming week. By doing so, you will be able to plan each day effectively, and deadlines will not make you feel like you have to die.

Take out a notepad, grab a pen, or download an excellent note-taking app and fill in all that you want to accomplish during the week. That way, you will be well-prepared for everything that will come your way during the new week.

GO GROCERY SHOPPING.

By gathering all your supplies at the beginning of each week, you will not have to take out extra time for grocery shopping during the week. You will not have to spend those extra bucks too.

Make sure that you have enough groceries at home before the week starts. That way, you will end up having quality time for yourself during weekdays.

 PRIORITISE.

Larger stones go first into the bucket, then come in the smaller ones. Prioritizing will help you to finish the essential tasks first. When you prioritize and work accordingly, you will have plenty of time for all those little tasks, and you will also have some handful of time for yourself.

From now onwards, start prioritizing and make a list of all the large stones that need to go into the bucket as soon as possible.

DECLUTTER AND CLEAN YOUR SURROUNDINGS.

Take out some time on a Sunday afternoon and organize everything. Arrange your bag. Dispose of unnecessary papers, documents, and things. Check whether all your pens are in working condition or not, and throw away the ones that are lying as waste in your bag.

Get all your project files and assignment papers lined up orderly. Run some Vacuum all over the house. Remove everything that stinks in the fridge and clean your kitchen. Such decluttering and cleaning will help you to start your week on a clean slate.

PREPARE YOUR MEALS.

Rather than relying entirely on processed and packed foods throughout the week, take out some time on a Sunday for some meal prep. You can prepare some salads with vegetables and fruits, or you can make some snacks with dry fruits so that you will be able to grab and go throughout the week.

DO THE LAUNDRY.

This habit is a must. By doing laundry before a new week, you can plan out your outfits in advance. Make sure that your formal clothes, as well as your casual clothes, are washed and ironed.

That way, you will save some time, instead of staring at your wardrobe forever and wondering, “What should I wear today?”

CLEAN UP YOUR INBOX.

An overflowing inbox is a pain in the neck. So, delete all those unnecessary messages and e-mails. Only keep those which you might need for a future reference. And, trust me, there will be at least a couple of e-mail lists that you can unsubscribe.

Instead of keeping your fingers lazy, tell them to press the delete button for all the unnecessary mailing lists waiting in your inbox.

EXERCISE.

You read that, right! Exercise. Weekdays leave you with only a little amount of time for you to exercise. Physical activity is vital to stay mentally and physically active. It will also help reduce the effect of those nasty stress hormones.

Next Sunday, grab your shoes, get out and sweat out a bit! Not only will you burn some calories but also end up feeling better and great!

TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR FINANCES.

Sunday is the best time to review your finances. We don’t bother to take a look at our finances because, most of the time, we are in a hurry.

Take hold of your Sunday time and assess your spending and other financial activities. Also, make a note of how much money you may have to spend in the coming week.

GET ENOUGH SLEEP.

A decent night of sleep is essential for you before tackling Monday! Otherwise, you will find Monday punching you in the face. Don’t start your week with heavy eyes and a bad headache. Instead of looking like a sleepyhead, go to bed early, get enough sleep, and wake up fresh!

ENJOY YOUR TIME OFF.

Have a hot shower, scrub yourself, go for a drive, watch returns of your favorite television show, talk to your old friends or scroll up and down your favorite music playlist. Otherwise, get hold of that book which has been waiting for you on the shelf forever.

Play your favorite video game. Or watch a movie while munching on your favorite dish. It’s your day off. So, do anything that you’ll enjoy and will make you feel calming and happy.

Sunday is a great day to refuel yourself. Get yourself ready to handle whatever the coming week throws at you. While it is true that time flows weirdly on Sundays, utilize every moment of that day. Invest in these 11 fantastic Sunday habits and start feeling SUNDAY-LICIOUS.

Unarguably, people waste too many seemingly inconsequential time slots several times a day.

For example, while you are waiting your turn at the ATM, while you are waiting your turn at the mall. While you are waiting for your food to be heated, while you are waiting for your browser to load,thanks to poor internet connection, etc. All of these little time slots may seem little but can be put to some great use.

Here are 5 things you can do in 5 spare minutes during your day.

1. Call a friend or a relative

You promised to call your friend back last week but somehow, you forgot. Now is the time to do that. Return calls you missed, check up on that friend or relative, while you wait for the internet to come back on on your computer.

2. Snap some photos

Take a photo of yourself. It must not be something exquisite but you can take a selfie. Snap some photos of something fascinating around you. There’s something that must have caught your attention. Maybe it is the way your mouse pad blends perfectly with your water bottle. Take a shot.

3. Do some exercise for your eyes

Digital screens tire our eyes out very quickly. Try a simple set of exercise for your eyes to ease the fatigue: look up and down, left to right, ‘draw’ diagonals and circles with your eyes, and then look far away. Repeat as often as needed.
Look outside your windows. Stare into space for a while. Close your eyes and allow them breathe for sometime.
Take your eyes off the screen for five minutes and return back to it. Your eyes will thank you.

4. Exercise!

Tabata intervals work great for that. Tabata training is a four-minute mini-workout that consists of 20-second intervals of exercising and 10-second rests. Here’s my favorite combo: Jumping jacks, push-ups, high knees, squats! Listen to your favorite song while doing that to make things more fun… or, you know, you can always just dance intensively to that song.

You can also take a break and walk around, especially if your work involves you sitting still at a table. Stretch your legs and let them catch a break from being at a spot.

5. Have a silent conversation with yourself

We talk to others, we ask for people’s opinions, we make meaningless small talks every day. It is easy to forget to pay attention to your own feelings and ideas. Next time you have 5 minutes, ask yourself what mood you are in, is anything bothering you, or just ‘discuss’ a creative idea!
Have occasional ‘board meetings’ with yourself as many times as you can in a day. It not only keeps you in tune with yourself and your emotions but it also helps you reach forth and draw inspirations from within.

Which of these are you going to try out today?

Have you ever heard the saying, ‘the only thing we have to fear, is fear itself’? Simply put, it essentially suggests that if you spend all of your time worrying about how bad things are going to be in the future, you could easily end up stuck in the past. Not to mention the fact that you won’t be able to enjoy the present if you’re living your life consumed by fear and feeling anxious for no reason.

Anxiety itself can come from a variety of stressors, such as medical conditions, relationship issues, and money matters. By definition, anxiety generally refers to ‘an intense, excessive, and persistent worry and fear that is out of proportion to normally occurring situations that we experience. Some of the most common symptoms of anxiety include insomnia, racing thoughts, poor concentration, irritability, restlessness, palpitations, trembling, nausea, and sweating.’

Similar to your favourite video game, obstacles in life tend to get a lot more challenging the further along you go, increasing your level of stress as you reach each milestone or complete each mission. No one is immune to experiencing stress.

If you’re alive, you’re going to feel some form of stress at one point or another in your life, it’s inevitable. And as most of us already know by now, having too much stress in our lives can lead directly to severe anxiety.

So now, let’s take a look at some anxiety-busting strategies to help you cope more effectively with the severe and debilitating experience of feeling anxious for no reason.

1. Set Realistic Goals

Although you may be able to accomplish anything that you put your mind to—such as losing weight, improving your relationships, or making more money—carefully consider the level of stress involved in whatever it is that you intend to do.

Become a student of your surroundings. Learn as much about the people, places, and things in your life as possible. Whether your dream is to bring the world closer together by creating a brand new social media platform or to open up a cool corner cafe in your own hometown, you’re going to have to be able to cope with some form of stress to make whatever you decide to do in your life a success.

With that said, set goals that are challenging but attainable with hard work and determination.

2. Set Firm Boundaries

Map out your emotional territory. From the very beginning of history, conflict has been an inherent part of the human experience. The more conflict, the more stress, and the more stress, the more anxiety, and so on.

Besides learning how to strengthen your body and soul, you can significantly reduce symptoms of anxiety by taking better care of your mind. When you set firm boundaries with others, you give yourself the emotional space to process the value of relationships on your terms.

Let the people that surround you know exactly what you are willing to do and how far you are willing to go. Ultimately, this will help you avoid feeling overwhelmed by setting realistic and manageable expectations with others.

3. Set Priorities

Choose your emotional battles wisely. Not every stressful situation necessarily leads to debilitating symptoms of anxiety. Rather than trying to tackle the most profound obstacles in your way all at once, reverse triage the situation by chipping away at smaller issues first.

Consider taking on challenges that you feel you can manage effectively with the least amount of effort. Get the momentum going as you lead with your strengths. And then, as you begin to break through each obstacle in your way, take a personal inventory of your accomplishments. Take note of all the progress that you were able to make along the way, as well as how you were able to muster up the courage and internal fortitude to keep moving forward even in your most difficult and precarious moments.

4. Pace Yourself

When you’re feeling anxious for no reason, one of the best things to do is to pace yourself. Life is a marathon, not a sprint. The key to longevity in whatever you do is setting a manageable pace to avoid burning out before you make it to the finish line.

So, try not to get ahead of yourself as you work your way up and through the gauntlet of impending issues that we will all ultimately face along the way in life. Rome wasn’t built in a day, neither will your own personal empire, no matter how entrepreneurial or emotionally fuel-efficient you may be.

Rather than trying to accomplish all of your goals as fast as possible, you may be better off striving to reach attainable milestones on your journey. Whether you’re dealing with problems at work or home, do as much as you can to address and resolve your issues without getting yourself stressed out and overwhelmed.

And if you just can’t get a handle on the situation, know when to say when. You just may need to step away from the battle for a moment or two, so that you can ultimately return to the front and fight the good fight another day emotionally re-energized.

5. Talk to Someone

You can’t see the forest from the road. That is unless you’re able to somehow see above the treeline. Many of us experience tunnel vision when we’re dealing with something that we perceive to be a major problem in our lives. We find ourselves consumed with the circumstances that surround whatever it is that’s bothering us while losing sight of many of the other important things in our lives.

Taking the time to talk through your greatest fears with the right person can help you break through even some of the most seemingly impenetrable walls of anxiety that you have ever experienced. Talk therapy works if you work it.

In other words, if you want to change the fruit, you have to start at the root. The more you open up to another person about the things that make you feel anxious, the less likely those things will negatively impact your life moving forward.

6. Breathe

Have you ever worried about something so much that you actually ended up feeling physically sick, emotionally drained, even gasping for air? I know that I have. Sometimes, we may feel anxious for no reason.

If you haven’t realized it by now, life is like a perpetual obstacle course. It’s full of ups and downs, plenty of unexpected twists and turns, a bunch of hurdles, and even a few trap doors along the way. However, rather than being the first to arrive at an actual finish line, you may want to focus your attention on simply being able to make it through to the other side successfully, accomplishing as much as you can in your life-time with as much peace of mind as possible.

Holding your breath until you get what you want might work a few times when you’re a child but not at all when you’re an adult with responsibilities like paying your bills and maintaining healthy relationships with others. With that said, at one point or another, you are going to have to come up for air to help clear your mind and replenish the oxygen in your lungs. Similar to pre-flight instructions, if there’s a problem in the air, you have to put your oxygen mask on first.

Conclusion

In conclusion, no matter how cool, calm, and collected you may appear to be at one point or another in your life, you are going to experience stress in one form or another. Too much stress can ultimately lead to a variety of debilitating symptoms of anxiety, which in turn, negatively impacts your quality of life.

Now, more than ever, as we all learn how to adapt to our post-pandemic new-normal world, many of us are experiencing symptoms of anxiety no matter how hard we try to manage the level of stress in our lives. By learning how to effectively cope with anxiety, we can ultimately break right on through it so that we can live an even more productive and fulfilling life.

Nevertheless, perhaps the most common-sense strategy to reduce experiencing symptoms of anxiety is to avoid putting yourself in highly stressful situations in the first place if possible.

Why am I so tired all the time and have no energy?

I’ve noticed lately that when I ask friends how they’re doing, half the time their response is either “tired,” “exhausted,” or “beat”—it’s almost as though being worn out is just another part of our busy, modern-day lives that we’re somehow supposed to get used to.

But I believe that when our bodies and minds are in sync and healthy, we should feel amazing and energized even when our schedules are full. If we’re getting enough rest, exercising, and eating foods that fuel us, we should feel strong, satisfied, and alert. But as most of us know, that’s easier said than done, and there are several reasons why you may be feeling mysteriously tired.

Read on to find out some of the most common causes—then make some lifestyle changes or see your doctor so you can rediscover the energy you need to feel your very best!

Dehydration

Even slight dehydration has been shown to cause moodiness and fatigue in women; other signs can include headaches and inability to concentrate. It’s an easy fix: just drink more fluid throughout the day! Women should consume, on average, 2.7 liters of fluids (or about 11.5 cups) a day, more if it’s hot outside or you’ve been exercising. Try to keep a big bottle of water on your desk while working or in the car when when driving, so you can continuously sip throughout the day.

Not getting adequate sleep

Before you roll your eyes at how obvious this one is, think about it: are you really getting seven to eight hours every night? Because that’s the amount the National Sleep Foundation recommends most people need. Well actually, that’s the suggestion for people over age 64—they advise seven to nine hours for people between the ages 18 to 64. And if you’re not getting that much, then it’s probably the main cause of your fatigue. Make an effort to get to bed earlier, and stick to a regular nighttime routine that encourages a restful nights’ sleep.

Sleep apnea

Sometimes people think they’re getting a good night’s sleep, but if you suffer from sleep apnea, you experience short bursts of wakefulness through the night caused by brief interruptions in your breathing. It’s also not a condition that should be taken lightly. If you snore loudly and feel tired even after a full night’s sleep, you might have sleep apnea. Since people often aren’t even aware that they have it, a doctor may order a sleep test to diagnose.

Not fueling your body with the right kind of food

Eating too little is an obvious issue, but eating the wrong foods can also be a major drain on your energy level. Eating less fiber, more saturated fat, and more sugar throughout the day is linked with lighter, less restorative sleep. In one study, researchers tracked diet, and sleep for a group of healthy adults over the course of five nights and found that indeed, food choices during the day did affect sleep. So, including protein (eggs, fish, meat, lentils), healthy fats (avocado, nuts), and good-for-you-carbs (fruit, slower processed grains like quinoa and oats) will give you long-burning energy. Simple carbs and sugar will make you crash and burn.

Anemia

In particular, iron deficiency,  anemia is one of the common reasons for fatigue in women and is more common during pregnancy. While initially, it can be so mild it often goes unnoticed, once the body becomes more deficient in iron and anemia worsens, the signs and symptoms intensify. Some of these symptoms include extreme fatigue, weakness, headaches/dizziness, cold hands and feet, and more. See your doctor for some blood tests on your iron levels then take a high-quality supplement, and incorporate iron-rich foods into your diet.

Not getting enough exercise

It may seem counterintuitive, but anyone who regularly works out will tell you that breaking a sweat actually gives you more energy throughout the day. Exercise delivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues and helps your cardiovascular system work more efficiently.. It just makes sense—when your heart and lung health improve, you have more energy to tackle daily chores.

Hypothyroidism

Your thyroid controls how fast or slow your body converts fuel into energy, and hypothyroidism (a condition in which your thyroid gland doesn’t produce enough of certain crucial hormones) means that it’s under-active which can lead to obesity, joint pain, infertility, and heart disease. Fatigue is also a side effect of this condition. Head to the doctor for a blood test if you think you may need to get your thyroid checked.

Food allergies or sensitivities

If you have an undiagnosed food allergy or sensitivity or suffer from environmental allergies, you could be in a cycle of inflammation and fatigue also known as brain fog. Try eliminating certain foods to test your intolerance levels (a simple elimination diet is a good start), and see if your fatigue improves.

Depression

Many people don’t realize that depression has physical symptoms as well as emotional ones. If you’ve been feeling down and tired for a few weeks, especially combined with a loss of appetite or headaches, consider seeing a doctor or speak with someone that can help.

Why don’t we get along with our spouse, parents, kids or other important people in our lives as much as we’d like?

The reality in the lives of far too many people is that their relationships with those closest to them are too strained, difficult, and disconnected to think they’ll ever get along.

Maybe you have heard these statements…

“He just doesn’t get me,” from a son who had tried several times to explain why he chose a particular career path to his father.

“All my husband cares about is himself” from a wife whose husband doesn’t commit himself to following through plans with her.

Or maybe you have heard somebody swear not to visit their family anytime soon because they are ‘difficult’.

It’s pretty obvious that it’s beyond the belief of these people and so many others that they can heal the past and rebuild their relationship once again.

But why?

Why do all the things that have happened in the past scar the present moment and make it difficult (or in some cases feel impossible) to have a good relationship with another person?

The answer is that we tend to live in the past and carry it with us, even though it’s really our version of the past and may not be anyone else’s version.

Why don’t we all just forget the past and get along?

The simple version is that you have your way of looking at life and the other person has his or her way. The upshot is that your “rules” for living clash and both people want to be right.

The two people live in separate realities.

We try to get the other person to see the world the way we see it and are pissed off when they don’t.

But it can be different.

How?

Here are 3 ways to get along better with those you love even if you don’t see eye to eye…

1. Come to a neutral place inside you concerning this person or situation.

In order to get to a neutral place, you’ll want to stop spinning stories about what’s gone wrong.

That’s not to say you put a happy face on what happened in the past but it is to stop repeatedly reliving it.

2. Be willing to open the door to connection and understanding.

Notice if there’s even the slightest desire inside you to connect more deeply with this person.

It is a possibility that you don’t have all the information about a particular situation.

When you approach this situation or person with curiosity, you’ll be more open to a new understanding.

While opening your heart to understanding doesn’t mean you have to agree with what happened in the past, it does mean that you both may see something new that will create a healing.

3. Set boundaries from a loving place of knowing inside you.

It may be that you need to set some boundaries with this person but you can do this from love and not tightness or anger.

You can listen to what’s deep inside you and speak that from your heart without apology while still staying open to loving this person.

You can heal a relationship divide while still staying true to who you are.

When you do, you’ll have less stress and more ease and love in your life.

I hope this helps.