How many times have you thought, or even grunted aloud, “One of these days, I’m going to get my life together”? If you’re any bit like me, the answer is “a lot.” My coworker and I say this half-jokingly on the regular, and I’m betting that we all think about how messy life can be and how much we wish we could feel like we’re on top of it at all times.
One of my favorite ways to get in a state of feeling like I have my life together is through setting weekly GYST (get your sh*t together) days every Sunday.
GYST is a term created by the lovely YouTuber, Kalyn Nicholson. (Side note: Check her out if you haven’t before. She’s one of my favorite YouTubers; her content is pure gold and she does tons of videos documenting her GYST days.) The idea behind having a “get your sh*t together” day is to create time for getting the tasks done that might get neglected throughout the week and tasks that will set you up well for the next week: face masks, laundry, meal prep, etc.
I created my own breakdown for a GYST day, so I thought I’d show you how you can get started creating your own GYST day in your routine and adopt it however best it fits in your schedule.
Here’s my GYST day category breakdown:
1) Maintain: Complete the tasks that feel like maintenance.
Ideas: Wash your sheets, get leftover tasks done for the week, wash or clean out your car, make appointments, follow up with people who haven’t emailed you back, etc.
2) Prep: Get prepared for the week ahead.
Ideas: Prep your meals for the week, lay out clothes for the next day, plan your schedule and workouts for the week
3) Care: Show extra love to yourself.
Ideas: Do a face mask/hair mask, take a bath, do foam roller stretches, go for a run or to yoga
How to plan out your weekly GYST day
Step 1: Write a list of tasks as they pop up throughout the week
Throughout the month, before your GYST day approaches, start writing down all the little tasks that you keep putting off or don’t seem to have enough time for. Maybe it’s setting up your budget, cleaning out your car, washing your sheets, or taking in your dry cleaning. For example: Perhaps you’ve been meaning to go get your eyebrows waxed for weeks now, and you haven’t simply haven’t gotten around to making your appointment. So you’re walking around with extra furry brows and not feeling like your best self.
Your GYST days are made for all those little tasks that pile up and bother you, but rarely seem to happen.
Step 2: Map out your GYST day
The morning of your GYST day (or the evening before if you’re extra efficient), look at that list of tasks, and figure out how to best schedule your GYST day.
Maybe you’ll start your load of laundry before you head to the grocery store. While you’re prepping meals for the week, you can look over the goals you’re working on.
Plan the day, hour by hour, so you have a framework to go by and you’re making the most of your productive day.
Choose how you will end the day. Will you take a bubble bath? Read your favorite book? As important as all the productivity is, the end of the day relaxation is just as important as checking off all your to dos. Be sure to take time to think of how you like to spend your evenings.
Step 3: Start your GYST day fresh
To ensure you’re at your maximum productivity, eat a healthy meal to start the day. And ideally, exercise before starting the rest of the tasks. It starts you off with a boost of energy, and you already will check one thing off the list at the beginning of the day.
What to do when you don’t have a day to dedicate
We don’t all have a whole day each week to dedicate to getting our lives together, especially every single week. That’s life.
When I don’t have a full day to dedicate, I try to find at least two or three hours on Sunday and get my most important tasks done that will make a significant difference in my week. Usually this looks like grocery shopping and meal prepping, planning my workouts, doing laundry and putting my laundry away, and cleaning dishes. I’ll try to sneak in more tasks in there if I can like doing a face mask and more quick cleaning or decluttering, but those few key tasks are the most essential for me and get done just about every Sunday.
It’s important to prioritize and stay away from an all-or-nothing mentality. We’re human, and creating a full on GYST day isn’t always going to happen the way we want it to. Make it a goal to find at least a couple hours every Sunday, or whatever day works best for you, to get the tasks done that make the most difference in your week.
Oh and it’s OK to plan a GYST day every other week or once a month, if that’s all you can do. What’s important is to remember why you do them and how prepared it will make you throughout the week.
Why GYST days are the best
It’s so empowering to choose one day each week to better yourself. You’re choosing to value your life, and your time, in a way that improves you.
Your week is so much smoother because of it. Have you ever started your week feeling 100% pumped up for a Monday? Like, you’re SO ready to tackle the week ahead? That happens for me a lot more now that I plan GYST days regularly.
You feel more prepared, more on top of it. And you get excited about all the stuff you have planned when you plan your week ahead of time.
Happy GYSTing! Let us know how it goes if you give it a try.
