Sunday, February 2, 2025
You know that feeling when Sunday stops feeling like the weekend and starts feeling like Monday also known as “Smonday” or the “Sunday Scaries”? Yeah, me too!
I want to share with you some way in which I have been able to overcome this awful feeling, thoroughly enjoy my weekends and look forward to my week with feelings of expectancy.
PLANNING
To combat the “Sunday Scaries”, you must take a step back to your Friday evenings. I know you are itching to get off the clock, but before you clock out hold on! Review your calendar to see what plans you have for the weekend. Think about what you want to meal prep for the following week. If you need to; download and print your recipes and shopping lists! Plan for how you would like to accomplish your weekend tasks (chores, socializing, grocery shopping etc.) but also plan time for doing things that make your soul come alive.
For me, a weekend is a failure if I do not get a nap. Period! For some; that could be bingeing their favorite show, a hot bath, reading their favorite genre, polishing off a bottle of wine, QUIET TIME. Whatever it is PLAN for it, so that it does not get overlooked with all the obligations you may have on the weekend.
PREPARATION
A key factor in beating the “Sunday Scaries” is planning for the week ahead. Confront your schedule! I look at any appointments I have scheduled, I meal prep (I will go into detail in another blog post about the importance of meal prepping), I layout my clothes for the next day, I make sure everything is clean, my alarms are set, my bags are packed. What is the thing that gets away from you each week? Plan to confront that so that you can ensure your success.
FUN
Tricks are not just for KIDS! Adults need fun too, whatever that looks like for you. For you to feel fulfilled and like your weekend was well spent you need to add some fun in there. Things that are fun “TO YOU” I am past my “turning up” stage. Fun to me is a mani/pedi while drinking mimosas and watching HGTV, followed by a leisurely stroll down the aisle of Ross Stores looking for one of kind finds for $3, but hey that is me! Just like we schedule activities and play dates for our kids, you need to do the same for you. Our brains need stimuli, keep it FUN!
What have you always wanted to do as a kid and never got the chance? Well, here is your chance! Learn how to swim, Love Dancing with the Stars? Take a ballroom dancing class, Have pent up anger/anxiety? Try kickboxing or self-defense, go to the gun range, go ride a horse. Seriously Groupon has tons of local activities that you probably never thought of to do for cheap. Join your local Facebook group, there’s always events happening around you. Join meetups and find your tribe of people who like the things you like so you can stop feeling like an outsider.
INDULGENCE
I spoil myself rotten on the weekends and I do not feel guilty about it because I plan for it. I also work hard, long hours during the week as I am sure that you do as well. So, if you know you give it your all each weekday you deserve to recharge just as hard on the weekends.
For me, indulgence starts on Saturday mornings where I sleep in. Do not even ask me to rise before 10 AM, it is not my portion! I have been known to take snacks and a book to bed so that way even if I wake up before 10AM I stay in bed and enjoy reading and snacking before getting the day started.
Indulgence also includes a Sunday evening nap on the couch with the sun shining in the windows Hello Vitamin D.
I also spoil myself by eating a really yummy brunch that is different from what I typically eat during the week, so all week I know I have this to look forward to on the weekends.
I also workout hard during the weekday with strength training so indulging my body on the weekends looks like me doing a Restorative Yoga class, where I still close my rings, but it is not as physically demanding as the work week hustle.
SOUL-CARE
Now I know self-care is everywhere right now but before you get visions of candles and rose petal baths (which is lovely) I am here to talk about SOUL Care. The things that make your soul come alive.
Use your weekends to fill up your cup of the things that make you FEEL GOOD. The things that maybe you do not have the time to indulge in during the week. You must spend time getting to know yourself and the things that truly bring you JOY. “Joy n. a feeling of great pleasure and happiness.” Dictionary.com This can look like going dancing, going to church, volunteering, getting outdoors for long walks in nature.
Most importantly, soul care can also be doing the work to build a life that you do not have the “Sunday Scaries” about. In my experience and that of many others I have surveyed most of these feelings come from dreading the thing you have to do on Monday and Tuesday and Wed…you catch my drift. Your job, your work environment, your supervisor, your commute whatever that is for you. I want you to use your weekends to do the work that will eventually get you to a place where you can remove yourself from what no longer serves you. That is the self-care that no one talks about. Doing the hard things!
I challenge you to implement these into your weekly routine and I guarantee you that you will start to feel less anxious about the work week ahead.
Leave a comment and share with us some ways in which you have sent the “Sunday Scaries”” packing for good.
Greetings, Money Mavens!
As a diehard Mint user since the early 2000s, I was very hesitant to try anything new, and I was really going to try to thug it out and go software less. However, if you know me, then you know that did not last long. I craved tracking my finances, and managing my cash flow without having to manually enter data in an excel file. There is a time and place for that and I will discuss this in future posts. However, I needed automation, the ability to budget, to see my trends and track my net worth in real time.
I wanted to update you on my progress in finding a suitable Mint replacement. I've experimented with several options to date, including Credit Karma, Use Much App, CoPilot Money and Rocket Money. Most of these services provide a free trial, which I encourage you to test and take advantage of, but I caution you to add a reminder on your calendars to cancel if they do not meet your needs. So far most of these services range between $10 - $20 per month.
As for me I finally settled on Monarch Money. So far, I have to say I am very impressed with the software. It has tons of bank integrations (which was my issue with some of the others using Plaid as the integrator and not connecting with Fidelity, which is my Brokerage firm) this posed a major issue for me. Monarch also gave us the following:
- Ability to upload our mint transactions via a CSV file. Imported not only the historical transactions but also our mint categories (which was a plus because I spent years drilling down on my income/expense categories).
- The reports are way superior to Mint (feels like a traitor saying this, but it's the truth)
- Not only do they offer Budgets but also the ability to Forecast your Income & Expenses for the entire year.
- Their recurring tab, shows you all your recurring expenses and lays it out in a calendar format; so you can see all your upcoming expenses by date, at a glance.
- As with mint, you can set goals, track your investments and get advice for Certified Financial Professionals.
Needless to say, I AM IMPRESSED! If you'd like to try it out for yourself, they have offered me a code that will give you and extended 30 day trial. As you may know, I am a nerd about these things, so if you decide to give it a try and want some help getting it all set up, leave a comment on this post and I'll be in touch.
I'll leave you with this verse Luke 16:10 says, "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much".
Make wise decisions ya'll.
Till next time.
Hi, my name is Sherva. Hailing from the beautiful twin islands of Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. I am a Christian, Entrepreneur, Daughter, Friend, Cheerleader (minus the pom poms) and a self-proclaimed “Jackie of all Trades.”
I grew up in Trinidad until the age of fifteen when I migrated to Brooklyn, NY…. whew chile it was a very rough transition! But look Momma, I made it! I went to college in the beautiful region of the Finger Lakes in upstate NY where I obtained a B.S. Degree in Accounting from Keuka College…. what no one ever tells you is that the lakes never get warm enough to swim…also I should probably tell you that I can’t swim (yes I know “But you’re from an Island “cue the horror”)
Fast forward a few....ok a lot of years and I am currently residing in the Tampa Bay area, where I spend my days working remotely as a Corporate Accounting Manager at a Renewable Energy company in DTX. I spend my nights and weekends pursuing my many passions. That involves my Boutique Agency Influen|ting.co where we specialize in Bookkeeping, Money Coaching and Virtual Assistance services for small business owners, influencers, and creatives.
I also enjoy working out, shout out to my best friend and forever trainer EunoiaFit. Working on my budget former #MINTaddict now #MonarchMoneyMaven and following the #debtfreecommunity on Instagram. My favorite aisle to walk is at my local Ross and you will probably find me sniffing all the candles and then complaining that they are too expensive (spoiler, I buy em anyway).
I am also obsessed with Dodge Chargers (like OBSESSED) I have a 2012 White AWD Dodge Charger R/T with all red interior, his name is ICE and if you hang around me long enough you will soon notice all the Chargers around you. What can I say I am an Influencer like that *shrugs*
My short-term goal is to move closer to the beach, buy a high rise condo with perfect views of the prettiest blue water, meet the man of my dreams, have a couple little Tax Deductions (I'm kidding, relax), maybe get a dog and live our best lives happily ever after.
Lastly, here at The Balanced She I aspire to document my journey as I evolve as a young Immigrant woman in this country, and attempt to do unimaginable things that would make my ancestors proud. I want when I see my God’s face that I left no talent and ability untapped in my earthly body and that I was a good steward of the gifts and talents that he blessed me with.
Join me on this journey.
Here we'll be exploring my five F's of a fulfilling life: Faith, Fitness, Finances, Fun, and Fellowship.
🙏🏾Faith is the foundation of everything we do, and I believe that a strong relationship with God is essential to living a purposeful life.
🤸🏾♀️Fitness is crucial for our physical and mental well-being, and I'm excited to share some of my favorite workouts and healthy recipes with you.
🤑Finances are often a source of stress, but with the right mindset and habits, we can achieve financial freedom and abundance.
🤪But life isn't just about work and responsibilities - we also need to have fun and enjoy ourselves! Whether it's trying out new hobbies or traveling to new places, I'm all about embracing adventure and making the most of every moment.
👩🏽🤝👩🏾And of course, we can't forget about fellowship - building meaningful connections with others is essential for a happy and fulfilling life
I'm excited to share my journey with you and hope to inspire and encourage you along the way.
Let's make the most of each day and live our best lives!