A Sunday Reset Routine To Help You Prepare For a Calm Week Ahead.

Sundays are the one day of the week that I don’t feel like I am being pulled in six different directions.   

That said, Sundays can also turn into an exhausting race to get caught up. They can leave you feeling defeated, drowning in chores, and already overwhelmed before the week has even started.

It’s all too easy to get carried away and turn Sunday, “the day of rest,” into just another day of too much busyness.

Refueling, resting, and reconnecting with family should be our priorities, and it’s usually what our bodies are begging us to do by the end of a hectic week.

It’s also the best time of the week to prepare to ensure the week ahead unfolds without any unwelcome surprises. So where’s the sweet spot?

This post offers an ADHD-Friendly Sunday Reset Routine—a flexible, low-pressure routine focused on reducing friction for the upcoming week.

The Secret Formula For a Successful ADHD Friendly Sunday Reset Routine:

The goal is to feel refreshed, refueled, and prepared for the week. But trying to get every single thing on your list done and running around all day will not get you there.  

It’s better to dedicate just a couple of hours to plan for the week ahead; this will put you in the best position for the transition to Monday. There is a delicate balance to navigating this day in a way that truly benefits you without getting overwhelmed.  

Ideas For Your ADHD-Friendly Sunday Reset:

Choose 3-4 tasks that seem doable and work best for your family. Be sure to also schedule time to take a nap or at least go to bed early.

1. Do a Brain Dump to Externalize Tasks & Make Them Visible

• Do a 10-minute brain dump of everything worrying you and tasks you’d like to get done in the next week. Don’t worry about presentation here; it’s okay to be messy because it’s for your eyes only.
• Just doing this helps me organize my thoughts, plan my days, and, most importantly, get those annoying repetitive worry thoughts out of my head.
• Tip: You want ONE list; sticky notes all over the place just create more chaos.
• Once you’re done, circle the items that are top priorities. Put a check next to the ones you’ll do only if time permits. Cross out those that are not mandatory and can wait. Do not tell yourself you have to get everything on this list done.

2. Review the family calendar

• Take a look at the upcoming week (appointments, medications to be filled, assignments due, transportation to be arranged, softball games, etc.).  
• Update the “Family Command Center” (a highly visible whiteboard) so everyone knows the plan.
• Add any additional to-do tasks from your brain dump to the calendar.
• Update the kids’ weekly chore sheet and add those tasks to the whiteboard or calendar so chores get done…preferably by someone other than you.
• Remember to take the last step and set reminders and alarms so important tasks and appointments are not forgotten at the last minute (I am terrible about this one). Use Alexa, your phone, or another trusty device that you can rely on to make this happen.

3. Restock the Launch Pad

• Have the kids empty their backpacks from Friday, sign any papers, restock pencils/water bottles, and put the bags by the exit door.
• Place any other items that need to be remembered next to each family member’s individual Launch Pad (musical instruments, soccer cleats, hat and gloves, etc.), so that they are ready for school.
• Give you/your family a head start by doing a few little helpful tasks that move the needle forward: Place a sticky note on the door to remember lunches.

4. Preplan outfits for school/work

• Pick out 5 days of outfits and place them in a hanging closet organizer or on a shelf (or at least for Monday if all 5 days feel like too much to plan).
• This eliminates morning decision fatigue and last-minute frantic searches when it’s time to get dressed. This is especially helpful if you have kids who also have ADHD.

5. Set up helpful visual cues and prepare for the morning routine

• Set up the coffee maker to brew automatically, put breakfast bowls out on the counter, and put medication bottles right next to the coffee maker or toothbrush.
• Set out any items that need to get done that week, so that they act as visual cues – library books that need returning, a bill that needs to go in the mail, a shirt that needs to be dewrinkled, etc.
• Charge your phone and laptop.
• Make tomorrow’s most urgent task obvious.

6. Do one emergency load of laundry

• Instead of trying to do all the laundry, do only the “Emergency Load” (school uniforms, favorite work pants, kid’s sports gear for Tuesday).

7. Perform a Sunday reset on your home: 15-Minute Family Tidy

• Those with ADHD are more bothered by having to look at clutter than those with neurotypical brains. Taking 15 minutes to tidy up your home will go a long way in creating a more peaceful environment for the week ahead.
• You will be amazed at how much difference this makes when everyone participates!
• Make it fun by playing music; when it stops, the session is over. Don’t be tempted to go longer, or family members may stop being willing to participate.

8. Do a Trash & Dishes” Sweep

• Eliminate trash and dishes. Take a trash bag, walk through the main living areas, and pick up all the trash. Bring any dirty dishes you see to the kitchen sink.
• Wash dishes and run the dishwasher, even if it’s only half full. Waking up to an empty sink and clean dishes is a massive psychological win.

9. Meal Plan For the Week

• Take15 minutes to plan 3-4 easy meals for the week.
• Once you have decided on your recipes, snap photos of them to quickly refer to when cooking.
• Use your phone to create a quick shopping list in the Notes app by dictating each ingredient you need.
• Now you can shop once for the whole week rather than making multiple trips, frantically trying to throw together last-minute dinners.
• If planning whole meals feels overwhelming, just prep healthy snacks for the week to grab on the run.

10. Refresh One Messy Zone in Your Home.

• Clear the kitchen counter, where all the paperwork lands, tidy up the drop zone area, clean off your desk, or declutter the entryway, wherever clutter seems to accumulate.
• This will allow you to start with a blank slate (at least in that space), and you won’t have to look at last week’s leftover mess. 

Conclusion:

Transitioning to Mondays can be hard for anyone, but they are brutal for those of us with ADHD. Soften the blow by giving your future self a head start. 

A Sunday reset isn’t about achieving flawless organization—it’s just about lowering the hurdles for tomorrow. By doing just a few things to prepare, you will head off potential chaos at the pass.

Establishing a few helpful prep routines that you perform regularly can be a major difference-maker in helping you stay afloat from week to week. And while forming new habits can be challenging for those with ADHD, they are so worth it.

Don’t worry about being perfect; just choose 3 or 4 high-impact tasks that will make your tomorrow-self smile.

Still Feeling Stuck?

Schedule a coaching call, virtual organizing session, or home assessment with me and get the insight,  education, and inspiration you need to move forward