Last week I gave a list of things to do on Sunday to have a successful week, but that would assume that you have most or all of your Sunday. As busy college students you may work on Sunday, need to study for an upcoming exam, or need to catch up on some sleep.
In order to be a successful college student you also need to plan your weeks in advance. Time is precious and very important when it comes to needing to find time to fit in every little thing you need to do as a student.
Here are some easy tips and tricks for busy college students to help jumpstart your week on Sunday.
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1. Plan your week
Grab your calendar or planner or whatever you use to keep track of assignments and exams.
Turn to a new week and start filling in the days each assignment must be done by and when you are going to work on them. Careful not to assign too much in one day.
Now schedule in your study times. Don’t forget to schedule breaks too!
Lastly, schedule when you are going to sleep and eat. This may sound ridiculous but I’ve seen many college students who don’t plan when they are going to eat lunch and then they fall asleep in an afternoon class because of low blood sugar. Don’t let that be you, plan a half-hour every day for each meal.
Related: Time Blocking Your Schedule as a College Student
2. Quick Meal Prep
As a college student, saving every penny is crucial. The best way to easily save money is to plan your meals ahead of time.
Take some time to look through your fridge and freezer and write down every meal you can make from what you already have on hand. Then schedule those meal ideas to a day of the week. By doing this you spend less time trying to figure out what to have for dinner every day. To college students, time is precious.
Lastly, the best way to save money on food is to bring your own lunch to school. Don’t spend $5-$10 each day on lunch at the Cafeteria or the local fast-food restaurants. That can add up fast if you do it every day.
Make it fun by getting a brand new cute lunch box.
Also, here are some easy lunch ideas you can pack ahead of time for the day:
- Salads (add nuts or an egg for more protein)
- Sandwich (pb&j, lunch meat, tuna, egg)
- Leftovers from the night before
- Pre-made smoothies
**Don’t forget to add some fruits and veggies with your lunch too?
3. 20 Minute Clean
Set a timer for 20 minutes and start picking up your living space. You’ll be surprised how much you can get done in 20 minutes.
Waking up on Monday morning to a messy house can be an instant source of stress and you don’t want that to carry through the rest of your week.
Remember these 20 minutes of effort today can save you hours of stress tomorrow.
4. Self Care
As a college student, you are busy all the time. Often you become overwhelmed with all the assignments and studying you need to do. This stress can wear you out and have a negative effect on your week.
Sunday is a great day to forget about all the things you have to do and destress. It’ll help you start your week off calm, centered, and focused. Take some time, it doesn’t have to be a lot of time, like 30 minutes to an hour, to treat yourself. Make sure to take care of yourself first before your assignments or you’ll become stressed a lot easier.
Here are some ideas to destress:
- Take a bath
- Meditate
- Go for a walk
- Read a book (for fun!)
Related: 17 Self-Care Ideas
5. Go to Bed Early
Honestly, this is probably the hardest thing on this list but also the most important for a successful week. You do not want to start your Monday morning groggy and falling asleep in your first class of the week. After your self-care time, crawl into bed, think about or write some gratitude for the day, recite some positive evening affirmations, and go to sleep.
Here are some ideas for positive bedtime affirmations to help kickstart your morning the night before:
- Tomorrow is gonna be the best day
- I have done by best for today
- I am thankful for today and grateful for tomorrow
- I am allowed to fall asleep
Related: Evening Routine for College Students and Morning Routine for College Students
Final Thoughts
Many college students have to work on the weekends and truly it sucks, but it is only temporary. Work hard now and you’ll reap the reward on graduation day.
These 5 things can easily be done Sunday evening if you’re busy all day studying or working. Or do some of them in the morning if you work into the evening.
How do you get a jump start on your week? Let me know in the comments below!
Alyssa
