Sunday is supposed to be a day of rest in our lives. I’ve written recently about my Lenten journey this year to not work on Sundays. If you want to move towards not working on Sunday, what is the key?

Turning Sunday from “just another day” to a day of rest is more of a process than a decision. In order to not have to work on Sunday, you have to get everything else done in the other six days of the week. It will take planning and it will take discipline. All you really have to do is make these three changes:

• Friday is no longer the finish line. Right now, you probably consider Friday to be the “end of the week.” It means you don’t have to show up to work for two days, so that means that your break has begun. While it’s true that your “work” break starts on Friday at 5pm, you still have a list of things at home that need your attention.
• Work hard Saturday… get up early. Saturday has just taken on a whole new meaning. This is your day for errands, yard work, car cleaning, and home cleaning that didn’t happen the rest of the week. Get up early and run your errands as soon as the stores open. This will help you to avoid losing time waiting in line or in traffic. Don’t stop working until you’ve finished your chores, errands, and any preparation that you need to get done.
• Enjoy the fruits on Sunday. Everything is taken care of, give yourself permission to relax. Don’t be anxious about work on Monday, don’t worry about the day slipping away from you. If you want to nap, take a nap. If you want to go on a day trip, pack up the car! You literally have nothing else that you need to be doing (except going to Mass!).

When you’re finally able to make the switch to a no-work Sunday, your whole world will change. Make the effort, follow the steps, and enjoy the change.

Tags: Productivity