A Short Sunday Plan Helps Calm Stress About Monday
Meer says looking at the week ahead early helps calm anxiety about what is coming.
The Minimalists · 561 | Good at LifeBen Meer, describing his own weekly habit, talks about the Sunday scaries before an unplanned week. He thinks of that anxiety as the brain asking for a plan.
His response is what he calls system Sunday, setting aside about half an hour to an hour on Sundays. Instead of dealing with stress only in the moment, he tries to reduce some of it before the week starts.
In that time, he reviews his priorities for the coming week and puts them on the calendar. It is a short planning step meant to get ahead of friction during the week.
Meer says that early look can reveal a double booking or several meetings in a row with no time for a bathroom break. Where possible, he adds a little space between meetings or moves things around, and he notes that not everyone can do this.
When there is flexibility in a schedule, he favors keeping mornings for focused work on the most important and creative projects. He describes holding a block of a few hours for that work, moving meetings to the afternoon when possible, and being deliberate about what goes in those blocks.
Meer says that half hour of planning helps calm the stress and anxiety in his head.
Questions people ask
When exactly should I do the Sunday session?
Meer suggests Sunday, for 30 to 60 minutes with a calendar in front of you. Pick a quiet time you can keep each week so the review becomes routine.
How do I pick priorities for the week?
Choose two or three outcomes that would make the week feel successful, such as finishing a draft, exercising twice, or preparing for a review. If everything qualifies as a priority, nothing is one, so look for what moves work or life forward.
How much buffer time is enough?
Even ten to fifteen minutes between meetings can give room to breathe and reset. If work meetings cannot move, try adding space around things you control, like departure times, errands, and bedtime.