Tips for Sunday Work Preparation

I changed two things in my Saturday morning routine and it killed my 'sunday scaries' by mistake. The two shifts were simple: 1) From “I’ll handle it later” → to “I clear the open loops before the weekend ends.” If I owe a recap, an intro, a follow-up, or a nudge, it gets handled in the reset window. 2) From “everything scattered across apps” → to “one weekly sweep across my real inboxes.” Gmail. LinkedIn. Notes. Content queue. Calendar. Same order every time. Now Saturday morning is a slow reset (coffee + a mix). About an hour. Here’s the checklist: Gmail → archive the noise → reply to anything quick → flag what needs a real response → turn “I should...” into a task LinkedIn → reply to DMs I owe → reply to comments I want to answer → flag follow-ups + intros I promised Notes / screenshots / loose drafts → move anything worth keeping into one home → delete the rest Meeting follow-ups → recaps I didn’t send → things I promised to deliver → intros I owe → nudges I need to send → next check-ins that aren’t scheduled Content queue (next week) → review what’s scheduled → move drafts to the next stage → kill anything stale before it clogs the pipeline Calendar → write Sunday’s to-do list → make Monday clean → remove meetings that don’t deserve to exist That’s the whole reset. --- Hi, I’m Ryan Pearson. I share strategy, productivity, and content systems daily. I also write 10 Things I’m Paying Attention To, a short brief on media, tech, and culture.

Can a 300-year-old routine transform your day? Boost your productivity with Benjamin Franklin's time-tested habits. I took a page out of Ben Franklin's book—his autobiography, to be exact—to plan my week. Every Sunday, I set aside time to map out my week. Set goals. Prioritize tasks. And review my calendar. It's a simple habit, but it makes a big difference. It keeps me focused and ready for whatever comes. And you can do it too. Franklin's approach was simple: two core questions and six time blocks to guide your day. The 2 Core Questions: 1. Morning: What good shall I do this day? 2. Evening: "What good have I done this day? Reflect on these in your journal each day. Or create your own core questions. Here's how he organized his day: Block 1 (5-8 AM): Morning Preparation Reflect and plan. Organize your space. Learn something new. Eat breakfast to fuel your day. Block 2 (8 AM-12 PM): Focused Work Dive into deep work. Tackle your most important tasks first. Block 3 (12-2 PM): Midday Recharge Eat lunch. Take a break. Reset your mind. Block 4 (2-6 PM): Afternoon Work Return to focused work. Tackle critical tasks with fresh energy. Block 5 (6-10 PM): Evening Activities Do something you enjoy. Connect with others. Wind down. Reflect. Block 6 (10 PM-5 AM): Sleep Prioritize sleep. Aim for 7 hours. Franklin's routine may be 300 years old, but it still works today. The key isn't following his schedule perfectly. It's deciding to have a plan. As Benjamin Franklin wisely said: "By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail." Take a page from his book. Start planning and watch your productivity soar. What's your best time-blocking tip? I'd love to hear from you.👇

This Sunday evening habit can change your week. Many CEOs miss out on this chance. A focused period of reflection and planning can set you up for success. Reflection and Strategic Planning As a CEO of a digital marketing agency, my Sunday evening ritual is key. It helps me shift from downtime to a busy week. How the Habit Works 👉 Reflect on the Past Week: - I take 20–30 minutes to look back. - I review what I achieved and what didn’t go well. -This helps me learn and adjust. - Bill Gates said it best: we must learn from our failures. - Weekends are perfect for this reflection. 👉 Set Priorities and Goals: - I check my calendar and project tools. - I ask myself what is the one thing I must achieve this week. - This keeps me focused, even when things get chaotic. 👉 Organize and Prep: I look at meetings, deadlines, and tasks. I make sure my workspace is ready for Monday. This cuts down on Monday stress and helps me start strong. 👉 Short Burst of Work (Optional): - If I have leftover tasks, I spend 30 minutes to clear my inbox or prepare documents. - - - This “plug in, then unplug” method helps me begin Monday fresh. Why This Habit Works for Remote Leadership 👌 Maintains Work-Life Harmony: I keep my reflection and planning to Sunday evening. This protects my weekend for family and rest. It’s vital for long-term creativity. 👌 Reduces Anxiety: Preparing for the week helps me face the “Sunday scaries.” I turn anxiety into excitement. Many leaders do this to get ready for the week ahead. 👌 Supports Remote Work Structure: In remote work, routine is crucial. This habit anchors my week and helps manage shifting priorities. Sunday evenings shape your week. They set the tone for success. Intentional habits make all the difference. Here’s how to prepare for a productive remote workweek: 1. Reflect on your week. ↳ Take time to think about what went well. ↳ Identify areas for improvement. 2. Plan your goals. ↳ Write down what you want to achieve. ↳ Make your goals clear and actionable. 3. Unplug from distractions. ↳ Set aside time to disconnect from devices. ↳ Focus on your thoughts and feelings. 4. Prioritize self-care. ↳ Balance work with activities that recharge you. ↳ Exercise, meditate, or enjoy a hobby. 5. Create a workspace routine. ↳ Design a space that inspires productivity. ↳ Stick to a schedule to maintain focus. 6. Seek feedback. ↳ Talk to your team about your plans. ↳ Use their insights to refine your strategy. 7. Stay adaptable. ↳ Be ready to adjust your plans as needed. ↳ Flexibility helps you tackle challenges. 8. Cultivate a growth mindset. ↳ Embrace learning and new experiences. ↳ View setbacks as opportunities to grow. 9. Celebrate small wins. ↳ Acknowledge your progress, no matter how small. ↳ This builds momentum for bigger achievements. Your Sunday routine is your foundation. It prepares you for the demands of the week. Success comes from being intentional.

How do you make sure you run the week, and not let the week run you? For me, I can't go to sleep on Sunday until I make sure I am fully prepared for the week. I've learned that in order to have a productive week at work you need to - Have a definition for what a successful week ahead means - Define clear priorities for both activities and where you will spend your time - Start the week with no backlog...otherwise you are playing catch up all week So in order to make sure I'm ready to have a productive week, here is my Sunday night checklist - Complete 2 to-do lists: 1) What needs to get done Monday, 2) What needs to get done this week - Get to inbox zero and clear out Slack - Review my calendar and make sure the meetings I'm attending align with my priorities (sometimes means adding or deleting meetings) - Finish all action items from the prior week Sounds pretty straightforward right? The trick is doing it consistently weekly. Make this a habit, and you will be running each week instead of the week running you.

How many Sunday nights have you spent dreading tomorrow instead of enjoying time with your family? If you're like I was, probably too many to count. But here's the thing - the most successful sellers I know don't experience the "Sunday Scaries." Instead, they build systems to avoid them. Here are 3 mini-systems most sellers don't do (but should): 1. 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 Why: Your brain is for having ideas, not holding them. A trusted system for capturing everything prevents dropped balls and reduces mental load. How: Implement a simple task manager. (I use Todoist) Every open loop, to-do, or idea gets added so I don’t forget it later. Pro Tip: Install the Chrome extension, email integration and mobile widget so no matter where you are, you can capture everything. ----- 2. 𝗗𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗦𝗵𝘂𝘁𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗥𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗲 (20 min) Why: Dedicated time to tie up loose ends will reduce anxiety and help you better prepare for tomorrow. How: Block 20 minutes at the end of each day for your 'Shutdown Routine’. Here's what mine looks like: → Process email inbox → Process slack messages → Review all upcoming tasks → Process downloads/desktop → Review tomorrow's calendar/meetings Doing so will help minimize the urge to check email/slack during off-hours constantly. ----- 3. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 (30 min) Why: Reflect on what went right, and what didn't. Plan for the week ahead. How: Schedule a 30-minute review every Sunday. Here's what mine looks like: → Review all emails and follow-ups → Review all active deals and pipeline → Review all upcoming tasks and priorities → Plan next week's key activities and meetings → Document wins and learnings Say goodbye to the Sunday Scaries. ----- The Impact: When combined, these three systems save me 5-7 hours every week while keeping deals moving forward and stress levels down. The key is consistency - start with just a capture system for two weeks, then add the others gradually. Want more systems like these? I break down one actionable mini-system every Tuesday in The Systematic Sales Leader newsletter. Next issue drops tomorrow at 10am EST: https://lnkd.in/ewB99KND

Sunday night anxiety comes from Sunday afternoon avoidance. Here's what I've learned after years of working with high-performers: The dread isn't about Monday. It's about going into battle without a battle plan. Competitors spend 15 minutes every Sunday on this simple ritual: 1. Review your calendar for the week ahead 2. Identify the ONE meeting that needs the most preparation 3. List the THREE most significant outcomes needed this week 4. Block 60-90 minutes for those priorities BEFORE Monday hits This small window of Sunday planning does two things: 1️⃣ Eliminates the Sunday scaries 2️⃣ Converts anxiety into a strategic advantage I started doing this five years ago. Sunday nights created excitement because I knew exactly how I'd attack the week. The difference between competing and reacting? Fifteen minutes of intentional planning. Most people spend more time planning their Netflix queue than their upcoming week. Don't be most people. #WeekendsSeparateWinners #CompeteEveryDay #CompetitorMindset #GrowthMindset #LeadershipCoaching

How to Plan a Productive Week 👇 Success doesn’t happen by accident—it’s built on consistent, intentional habits. Here’s how I approach planning a productive week to maximize focus, energy, and results: 1. Set Your GPS (Goal, Plan, System): Start with your big goal for the week. Break it down into actionable steps and create a system to stay on track. Clarity is power. 2. Time Block Your Priorities: Schedule your non-negotiables first—workouts, creative time, meetings, and rest. Treat your time like the valuable resource it is. 3. Reflect on Last Week: What worked? What didn’t? Adjust your strategy to build on your successes and learn from your challenges. 4. Plan Your Morning Routine: Begin each day with habits that fuel your mind and body—meditation, journaling, exercise, or reading. How you start your day sets the tone for everything else. 5. Batch Similar Tasks: Group similar activities together—emails, calls, or creative work. This minimizes distractions and keeps you in the zone. 6. Identify Potential Roadblocks: Anticipate challenges that could derail you and plan solutions in advance. Preparation beats procrastination. 7. Commit to Rest and Recovery: Productivity isn’t about grinding 24/7. Schedule downtime to recharge, reflect, and stay sharp for the long game. 8. Use Sunday as a Reset Day: Take time to organize your space, review your calendar, and set intentions for the week ahead. A clear mind leads to clear actions. 9. Stay Flexible: Life happens. Adapt without losing focus on what matters most. Productivity is about progress, not perfection. 10. Celebrate Wins Along the Way: Acknowledge your progress, no matter how small. Gratitude fuels momentum and keeps you motivated. Remember, planning is the foundation, but execution is where the magic happens. Make this week count!

The start of a new week is full of promise and potential. But without proper planning, it can quickly become overwhelmingly busy. Earlier, when I had no plan in place, I used to get exhausted by the end of the week. I used to wonder where all the time went. To be honest: → I was not very productive. → I was not keeping track of all tasks. → I was not giving 100% attention to planning. Then, I started carving out time on Sunday mornings for thoughtful weekly planning. This habit has become my secret weapon for feeling focused, intentional, and effective daily. Now, every Sunday, I block out 30-60 minutes while my kids watch cartoons. I grab my planning sheet and coffee and get strategic about the week ahead. Here are the main benefits I've experienced from this weekly planning ritual: → Sets me up to feel organized and effective all week long → Reduces stress and anxiety since I have a clear plan laid out → Lets me batch similar tasks together on certain days for efficiency → Provides a sense of accomplishment as I check off completed tasks → Helps me balance my time between urgent tasks and important goals The weekly planning habit has been a total game-changer for me. I highly recommend giving it a try if you're looking to work smarter and more efficiently. Set aside time on Sunday to clarify your priorities and map out your week. It's a game-changing habit for feeling focused, prepared, and effective. Give yourself the gift of an intentional, meaningful week. P.S. Do you have a productivity system in place? How do you plan your week?

I run 2 businesses, take 6 classes, host a podcast, and play quarterback on a college football team. People always ask me, “How do you do it?” Here’s how I juggle it all (9 simple practices to supercharge performance): ~ 1) Sunday Systems A productive week begins on Sunday. By outlining my week on Sunday, I save 4+ hours during the week. Here’s what I map out: - Building blocks - Creation blocks - Podcasts - Workouts You can find a free Sunday Systems worksheet in the comments of this post. ~ 2) The Night Before Morning productivity begins the night before. Here’s how I prep: - Tasks outlined - Computer set up - Clothes laid out - Water + Electrolytes ready This way, there is no mental friction upon waking, and I can drop right into a creative flow. ~ 3) Dopamine Modulation To maintain focus and motivation in the morning, I conserve my dopamine for my most important tasks. This looks like: - No phone - No social media - Grounding + sun - Supplement stack The work feels way more rewarding without any cheap dopamine hits. ~ 4) 3-4 Hours of Focused Work Once the world is awake and classes begin, chaos ensues. So the key is 3-4 hours of deep focus in the morning: - 1 building block - 1 creative block - Miscellaneous tasks If I’m super dialed, I can knock out a week’s worth of work in one morning. ~ 5) Habit Stacking When it’s time to work, I keep my supplementary habits consistent: - Deep house music - Black coffee - Coconut water - Mountain Valley - Red light Once I’m in my workspace with music, a coffee, and hydration, my mind and nervous system are primed for focus. ~ 6) Batching Rather than schoolwork lingering and taking up mental bandwidth, I knock out a week’s worth of work in one 2-4 hour work block. By condensing school into one day a week and leveraging Parkinson’s Law, my mind becomes free to focus on creating and building. ~ 7) Clean Physical & Digital Space Our external world is a mirror of our internal world. If our external enviroment becomes messy, our minds become messy as well. To keep a clear mind, maintaining a clean apartment, office, and digital workspace is key. ~ 8) Close Loops as They Arise The Tao te Ching says, “The master accomplishes the difficult task while it is still easy.” - Put things in order - Delete the email as it arises - Delete the file after you use it I repeat this in my mind all day. Closing loops keeps the mind sharp. ~ 9) Physical & Mental Inbox 0 When notifications or chores build up, it creates friction in the mind and sabotages productivity. At the end of the day, if I can be at or close to 0 notifications and have my apartment in order, I wake up fresh and ready to attack the morning. ~ 9 practices to enhance your productivity: 1) Sunday Systems 2) Dialing in the night before 3) Dopamine modulation 4) 3-4 hours of focus 5) Habit stacking 6) Batching 7) Clean digital & physical spaces 8) Close loops 9) Inbox 0 ~ Sunday Systems Worksheet below: