As a worship pastor’s wife and mom of three little boys (4, 2, and 5 months), Sundays are some of our busiest days. Between early morning rehearsals, and various ministry commitments, you might think Sunday would be the last day I’d choose for household organization.
But I discovered something surprising: our Sunday evening reset ritual has become the cornerstone of our family’s weekly rhythm.
The Counterintuitive Choice
After years of dreading Monday mornings, desperately trying to catch up on laundry while simultaneously getting everyone ready and making breakfast, I realized something had to change. That’s when we started our Sunday reset ritual, and it’s transformed not just our Mondays, but our entire week.
The Sacred Space of Sunday Evening
Our reset begins around 4 PM, after we’ve had lunch and the baby’s afternoon nap. While my husband handles bedtime routines with our older boys, I tackle two main areas: meal prep and laundry. It might sound simple, but these two tasks set the foundation for a smoother week.
The Meal Prep Ministry
First, I tackle meal prep. This isn’t elaborate Pinterest-worthy fare – it’s practical prep that makes weekday cooking manageable. While listening to worship music or my favorite podcast, I tackle things like:
- Chop vegetables for the week’s dinners
- Prepare overnight oats for easy breakfasts
- Pack snack boxes for the week
- Pre-portion ingredients for crockpot meals
All The Laundry
I usually spend the whole weekend catching up on washing and drying all of our dirty laundry, so when Sunday night comes along, I have mounds of clean clothes all over the house. All the clean laundry from the week gets folded and put away.
The Unexpected Benefits
What started as a practical solution has yielded surprising spiritual fruit. This weekly ritual has become a way of honoring both our ministry and our home life. It’s taught our children that caring for our home is part of caring for each other. Even our toddlers help with simple tasks like matching socks or putting away their toys.
The difference on Monday mornings is dramatic. Instead of chaos, there’s calm. Instead of scrambling to find clean clothes or figure out breakfast, everything is ready. This mental space allows us to start our week with intention rather than reaction.
Practical Tips for Creating Your Own Reset
If you’re considering implementing a Sunday reset, here’s what I’ve learned:
- Start small. Focus on the tasks that create the most Monday morning stress.
- Include your family. Even little ones can help, and it teaches valuable life skills.
- Make it enjoyable. Play music, listen to podcasts, or use this time for reflection.
- Be flexible. Some weeks, you might only manage the bare minimum – and that’s okay.
The Real Victory
The beauty of our Sunday reset isn’t in its perfection but in its impact. Yes, sometimes we’re tired. Yes, sometimes it’s abbreviated. But even a partial reset is better than no reset at all. It’s created a rhythm that helps our family transition from the busy weekend to a normal Monday flow. By caring for our home and preparing for the week ahead, we’re creating space for peace, connection, and ministry to flow more freely.
For anyone balancing ministry life with family life, finding your own version of a weekly reset might be the game-changer you need. It doesn’t have to look like mine – the key is finding what works for your family’s unique rhythm and needs.