Weekends are a time to relax and have fun, but Sundays should be utilized for planning. These are our GYST days and we all need them. If you don’t know what a GYST day is, it means having a “Get Your Shit Together” day, which helps us stay organized and on top of things. I first discovered this term from Youtuber Kalyn Nicholson when she broke down her Sunday Routine in 2017. Here, she emphasizes the importance of maintaining a GYST day in your week so you can kick-butt adulting:

Sundays are the perfect day to focus on organizing your life so your week runs smoothly. Everything that tends to fall on the backburner:  meal prepping, scheduling, appointments, errands, fitness, and just taking care of yourself, can be fit into a GYST day. So, how can you make the most of your Sunday?

1. Meal Prep

Sundays are a great day to stock up on food for the week! I’ve broken down how to meal prep in my previous article: Meal Prep 101. But dedicating one day (like Sunday) to cook your daily lunches can start your week on a productive foot. Organizing them all in containers will make them easy to grab on your way out, so you can SAVE MONEY. It also makes deciding what to eat MUCH easier. For more information on how to be a smarter shopper when it comes to meal prepping, read Nicholas Duarte’s A Student’s Guide To Grocery Shopping. 

2. Scheduling

School can feel chaotic. You’ll often have deadlines upon deadlines tailing after you, making it easy to feel overwhelmed. Use Sunday to organize your upcoming projects, essays, midterms, and exams. Don’t forget to block off time in your calendar to actually work on what you need to; this could be making time to study, outlining an essay, or setting up a meeting with your group. If you take charge and stay on top of things, Monday will be less stressful.

A planner comes in handy, but if you prefer Google Calendar or your phone, use whatever tool keeps you motivated. Blocking off time to get work done benefits you, so don’t procrastinate. 

3. Booking Appointments

If you’re doing this on a Sunday, be mindful of Sunday hours. They tend to differ from standard hours. If you’re booking a massage, nail care, or anything within that context, you’ll probably be fine. Doctor appointments may be a whole other ball game. So, adjust your schedule as needed.

4. Running Errands

Do that grocery shopping you didn’t have time for last week or pick up that item you’ve been needing. If small errands are piling up, see if you can do them all on your GYST day. This will relieve some of the pressure you face during the week when you’re trying to fit everything into your schedule. Take care of them on Sunday, so they don’t get pushed to the back burner. You will feel less guilty (and less stressed) about prioritizing larger, time-sensitive tasks.

5. Cleaning

Let’s face it, cleaning can be the bane of our existence, but it feels SO good waking up to a fresh-smelling bedroom and heading to a clean kitchen for morning coffee. Work days can be exhausting and when you finish class or work, you may find yourself vegging out on the couch with no ambition to clean everything you set out to in your imagination. On Sunday, devote an hour or two just for cleaning. It will help you fight back the looming entropy.

Laundry, dishes, sweeping, vacuuming, or whatever else, can be saved for Sunday. If you plan out different chores every weekend, cleaning won’t feel like such a laborious task.  

6. Don’t Forget to Exercise   

Don’t fall onto your couch, turn on a TV show, and forget to move around (no, Netflix we will not continue watching). If you have access to a gym, make the time to go. It doesn’t have to be for long—even twenty minutes is better than nothing. If you don’t have a membership, go for a walk or a run. Take your dog out. Do something that gets you moving.

7. Personal Time

Bubble baths. Face masks. Nail care. Waxing. Shaving. Whatever you need to do to boost your confidence, or simply relax, is worth including on Sunday. After all, you need downtime before facing everything you’ve just organized for the week, right?

Sundays (or GYST days) are perfect for organizing your personal agenda and school life so you don’t stress the little things. What will you get done this Sunday?