The Sunday scaries. We've all been there, done that. Sunday can either be a day on which you sit around dreading the week ahead, or a day where you cross items off your to-do list, get stuff done and feel great about it afterward. In fact, a productive Sunday can set you up for a great week ahead. Yes, it is possible to have a good Monday after a feel-good Sunday!

If you’re wondering how you make that happen, here are six things to do on Sunday to make for a better Monday and a great week ahead.

1. Make exercising a priority.

It’s easy to make excuses and avoid exercising any day of the week, but Sunday is a particularly easy day to let excuses get in your way. Instead, don’t leave time for excuses. Wake up, get out of bed and make working out on a Sunday morning a priority. Getting fitness equipment for your home will eliminate one potential excuse and give you an easy way to get started. Consider a morning routine that includes waking up, eating a quick breakfast and then working out without leaving home.

Exercise will get your day started on the right note and lead to further productivity. On top of that, exercise can actually give you more energy during the day and can boost your brain power and mental capacity, according to a 2011 study published in the U.S. National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health. So grab a water bottle and get moving on Sunday morning.

2. Make a to-do list.

Organization is key to a successful Sunday. Making a to-do list will help you prioritize and can even help you de-stress. Whether it’s going to the pharmacy, running errands, preparing for a big task at work or simply picking out your clothes for Monday morning, making a to-do list will help you organize your thoughts. While having a running list in your head can make you feel like you’ll never get everything completed, once it’s down on paper, you can plot out a timeline for how long you need to accomplish each task and create a plan to get it all done. The satisfaction of crossing items off the list as you complete them will make your day even better.

Not to mention, science backs up the idea of list-making. A 2011 study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology sought to find out how making a plan can eliminate cognitive effects of unfulfilled goals. The study found that "By planning for their goals, people can better manage their multiple pursuits" and "a plan increases one’s odds of attaining a goal and simultaneously reduces the cognitive activities that promote the goal.”

So make that to-do list, cross items off and feel fulfilled afterward!

3. Go food shopping.

Food shopping during the week can be a drag. Not to mention, having the nightly conversation (with yourself or with others) of “what should I eat for dinner” gets old fast. If you go food shopping on Sunday for the week ahead, you’ll eliminate a few of the tedious conversations you would otherwise have during the week. Figure out what ingredients you need for the week ahead (another list may come in handy here!) and try to avoid returning to the supermarket again for at least a few days.

4. Meal prep for the week ahead.

Cooking can have a calming effect, perfect for a Sunday. And what’s better than having a week’s worth of lunches or dinners prepared ahead of time that you can easily reheat and enjoy? Not much! If you’re a stranger to meal prep, it’s preparing easy-to-make meals for the week so that they're ready to be heated up and consumed when you’re hungry and don’t have time to cook or something else planned. If you get home late at night, like bringing your lunch to work or have minimal time to cook during the week, meal prepping for the week ahead can help solve multiple problems. Small kitchen appliances such as blenders, electric can openers and food slicers can help make meal prep easier. We recommend putting on some music to make it fun, too! A coffeemaker to fuel you up with caffeine can go a long way on a Sunday, too!

5. Just relax.

How often do you just relax? Taking time for yourself is one of the best things you can do on a Sunday, whether that means going to get a massage, hanging out on the couch and watching a movie or spending time with a friend. There are plenty of things you can do on a Sunday, and relaxation should be one of them.

If you’re more used to high-stress situations and aren’t sure how to let loose, you may be overthinking it. Whether it's meditating, visualizing your happy place, going for a walk, writing in a journal, gardening or laughing with a loved one, there are plenty of ways to relax while still getting everything you need to do accomplished before the weekend ends.

6. Go to sleep early.

The weekend is a great time to catch up on sleep. If you’re tired on Monday morning, there’s a good chance you’re going to be increasingly tired each day of the week. So get your Sunday to-do list crossed off and out of the way before jumping into bed at a reasonable hour. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends adults ages 18-60 sleep for seven or more hours per night, while 61- to 64-year-olds are advised to sleep seven to nine hours each night and those 65+ should sleep seven to eight hours a night. Getting a good night’s rest will not only make for a better Monday, but it could help you live longer, too!

You won’t dread Monday when you set yourself up for success on Sunday. Between the morning workout, afternoon food shopping and evening candy break, you’ll be excited to hit the sack and conquer the week ahead.

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Lauren Silver - Marketing Coordinator -  
This article was submitted exclusively to CrystalWind.ca by David Martin.

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