XP TRACKERHow to start a Sunday reset
A Sunday reset is a short weekly routine that gets your home, food and plans ready for the week ahead. Start with 60 to 90 minutes in four parts: home, food, plans and yourself. Keep the same order every week, and stop when the time is up.
Short answer: To start a Sunday reset, set aside 60 to 90 minutes on Sunday afternoon or evening and do four things in order: reset your home (laundry, sheets, a quick clean), sort food for the week (list, shop or prep), plan the week (calendar and three priorities) and finish with something for yourself. Use the same checklist each week and keep a 30-minute version for busy weekends.
A Sunday reset is a weekly routine with a fixed slot, usually an hour or so, where you clear last week's leftovers and set up the next one, so Monday morning starts with clean clothes, food in the fridge and a plan.
If you need a full day to recover after a rough few weeks, that's a different thing: see our guide on how to have a reset day. This page is about the short ritual you repeat every week.
How to set up your Sunday reset
- Pick a fixed timeSunday at 16:00, or after lunch, or after the kids are in bed. A fixed slot makes it a routine you do instead of one you decide each week. If your week starts on another day, use the day before it.
- Reset the home (30 minutes)Start a load of laundry first so it runs while you do the rest. Change the sheets, clear the kitchen counters, wipe the bathroom sink, take out the bins. Aim for "ready for Monday", not spotless.
- Sort food for the week (20 to 30 minutes)Check the fridge, plan four or five dinners, write the shopping list or place an order. If you have time, cook one thing ahead: a pot of grains, chopped vegetables, a batch of soup.
- Plan the week (15 minutes)Open your calendar. Note fixed events, deadlines and anything you need to prepare. Choose three priorities for the week and put the first one on Monday morning.
- Look back for a moment (5 minutes)Write three things that went well last week and one thing you'd change. This keeps the reset from being only chores.
- Finish with something for you (10 to 20 minutes)A bath, a walk, a face mask, a chapter of a book, a call with a friend. Ending on something pleasant makes you more likely to do the reset again next week.
A sample 90-minute Sunday reset
This order uses waiting time well: the washing machine runs while you clean and plan. Adjust the tasks to your home and week.
- 16:00 Put on a playlist. Start the laundry. Strip and remake the bed.
- 16:10 Kitchen: clear counters, load the dishwasher, wipe surfaces, empty the fridge of old food.
- 16:25 Bathroom: wipe the sink and mirror, swap towels. Take out all the bins.
- 16:35 Food: plan five dinners and write the shopping list. Order online or plan a quick shop.
- 16:50 Move laundry to the dryer or rack. Prep one food item, like washed salad or a pot of rice.
- 17:05 Plan: calendar for the week, three priorities, Monday's first task written down. Pack Monday's bag.
- 17:20 Look back: three wins and one lesson from last week.
- 17:25 Something for you: a walk, a bath or a book, phone away.
The 30-minute version
| Area | Task | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Home | Laundry on, clear the kitchen, bins out | 12 min |
| Food | Check the fridge, write a list of five dinners | 8 min |
| Plans | Look at the calendar, pick three priorities | 7 min |
| You | Make a tea and sit down with it | 3 min |
On busy or tired weekends, the short version still gets you most of the benefit. Doing it every week matters more than doing a big one now and then.
Make it a ritual you look forward to
A Sunday reset can feel like the weekend ending early. A few small changes help it feel like a pleasant routine instead:
- Pair it with something you enjoy. A podcast or album you save for the reset, a favourite drink, a candle.
- Share it. If you live with others, split the tasks. Each person takes one area.
- Use a checklist. The same list each week means no planning the reset itself. Print one from the weekly reset checklist tool.
- Leave Sunday evening free. Finish the reset by early evening so the rest of the day is yours.
For a longer planning session, our guide on how to plan your week walks through the weekly plan in more detail.
Common mistakes
- Turning it into a whole-day clean. A five-hour reset is hard to repeat. Keep it under 90 minutes and leave deep cleaning for a different slot.
- Only chores. A reset with no rest and no look back feels like work and gets skipped. Keep the last 10 to 20 minutes for yourself.
- Planning too much. Writing a detailed plan for every day of the week sets you up to feel behind by Tuesday. Three priorities are enough.
- Doing it late on Sunday night. Starting at 21:00 cuts into sleep before Monday. Pick an earlier slot.
- Skipping it after a busy weekend. That's when you need it most. Do the 30-minute version.
What the research says
There isn't specific research on "Sunday resets" as a trend, so be wary of big claims. The parts are well supported as habits, though. Gollwitzer and Sheeran (2006) found in a meta-analysis of 94 studies that specific if-then plans had a medium-to-large effect on reaching goals, which is what the planning step creates: "On Monday at 9:00, I start the report." Doing the reset at the same time every week also gives it a stable context, which Wood, Quinn and Kashy (2002) linked to habits that run with little thought.
What to do this Sunday
- Pick a 90-minute slot and put it in your calendar as a repeating event.
- Write your checklist in four groups: home, food, plans, you.
- Do the reset in order, and stop when the time is up.
- Monday morning, notice what was easier. Adjust the checklist next week.
XP Tracker includes weekly quests that fit a Sunday reset, like Weekly Review (three wins and one lesson) and Deep Clean, and you can add Laundry, Change the bed sheets and Meal prep as weekly quests from the library. Each one you finish earns XP and damages the current boss. See how it works.
Questions people ask
What do you do on a Sunday reset?
Typical parts are laundry and fresh sheets, a quick clean of the kitchen and bathroom, a grocery list or shop, some food prepared ahead, a look at the week's calendar with three priorities, and something restful for yourself. Pick the tasks that make your Monday easier.
How long should a Sunday reset take?
Sixty to ninety minutes is a good target for most people. A 30-minute version covers the essentials on busy weekends. If it regularly takes half the day, it has turned into a chore marathon and is worth trimming.
What's the difference between a Sunday reset and a reset day?
A Sunday reset is a short routine you repeat every week to prepare for the next one. A reset day is a one-off, whole day to recover and restart after a rough stretch. See our guide on how to have a reset day.
Does a Sunday reset have to be on Sunday?
No. Pick the day before your week starts. Shift workers, parents and people who work weekends often do it on another day. What matters is doing it on the same day each week.
How do I make a Sunday reset checklist?
Write the tasks in four groups (home, food, plans, you) with a time next to each, and keep the total under 90 minutes. Our free weekly reset checklist builds and prints one for you.
Related pages
Start your journey
Pick a class, do the day's quests, and watch your hero level up with you.
Start free on iPhone and Android.
Scan to install Point your phone camera at the code. iPhone opens the App Store, Android opens Google Play.