HabitsTime

Sunday reset

A Sunday reset is one session that gets your home and your week ready for Monday: a few home tasks, a look at the week ahead, and the admin you have been putting off. The checklist below starts with 9 steps in those three parts, about 90 minutes in all; change any of them and print the card.

Free · No account · What you type stays on this device

Name your routine
Your steps

Change, add or remove anything. Each step sits in a section; the card adds up each one.

Total: 90 min

Home: 30 min · Week ahead: 25 min · Admin: 35 min

A Sunday reset checklist

The checklist's starting point, with the minutes for each part. Do the parts in any order, or split them over the day.

My Sunday reset

Home30 min

  1. Put a load of laundry on5 min
  2. Clear the kitchen counters10 min
  3. Change the bed sheets15 min

Week ahead25 min

  1. Look through next week's calendar10 min
  2. Plan the week's top 35 min
  3. Lay out what I need for Monday10 min

Admin35 min

  1. Clear the inbox down to what needs a reply15 min
  2. Book any appointments I need10 min
  3. Sort the week's paperwork10 min

Total90 min

Why a reset on Sunday

Ready for a new week

In three studies of real-world records (Google searches for "diet", gym visits and goal commitments), people pursued their goals more readily after "fresh start" dates, such as the start of a new week, month or year. A reset on Sunday gets things ready for the week ahead.

The same day every week

Habits form as people repeat the same response in the same context. A reset on the same day each week gives it that repeat; “Start tracking” adds it to the tracker with “Sunday” as its cue.

Sunday reset ideas

Home

  • Put a load of laundry on
  • Clear the kitchen counters
  • Change the bed sheets
  • Take out the recycling
  • Reset the entryway

Week ahead

  • Look through next week's calendar
  • Plan the week's top 3
  • Lay out what you need for Monday
  • Write the shopping list

Admin

  • Clear the inbox to what needs a reply
  • Book the appointments you need
  • Sort the week's paperwork
  • Reply to one message you have put off

A weekly reset on another day

If your week starts on another day, the same checklist works as a weekly reset: rename it in the first field. For one longer session each month, use the monthly reset; for the rest of the weekend, the weekend routine.

What happens to what you type

Your routine stays in this browser and is never sent anywhere; it lives on the card you print or save. “Start tracking” adds it as one habit to the habit tracker on this device only, with “Sunday” as its cue. To add one new habit after a step you already do, stack it.

If you need help now

These tools are for everyday habits. They are not a crisis service. If you are struggling or don't feel safe, you can contact:

  • 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

    988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (US): call or text 988, or chat online. Free and confidential, 24/7.

  • Emergency services (911)

    US: call 911 if you or someone you know is in immediate harm or danger.

  • Samaritans

    Samaritans (UK and Ireland): call 116 123, free, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

  • Emergency services (999 or A&E) · NHS 111, mental health option

    Call 999 or go to A&E if someone's life is at risk or you can't keep yourself or someone else safe. For urgent help that isn't an emergency, call 111 and select the mental health option (NHS).

Elsewhere, call your local emergency number.

Sources

  1. Wood W, Rünger D (2016). Psychology of Habit. Annual Review of Psychology 67:289–314. PMID 26361052
  2. Dai H, Milkman KL, Riis J (2014). The Fresh Start Effect: Temporal Landmarks Motivate Aspirational Behavior. Management Science 60(10):2563–2582. doi:10.1287/mnsc.2014.1901
  3. 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. 988lifeline.org
  4. Contact Us. 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. 988lifeline.org
  5. Contact a Samaritan. Samaritans. samaritans.org
  6. Where to get urgent help for mental health. NHS. nhs.uk