By Friday afternoon, I can usually tell whether I gave the week my best brain, or if my brain gave up somewhere around Wednesday. (Spoiler alert: it’s usually Wednesday.)

That’s where my weekly reset ritual comes in.

Now, don’t picture some color-coded system with twelve highlighters and a “planner stack.” Mine’s more like this: I carve out an hour, usually Sunday evening, and give myself permission to clear the decks. Sometimes that means sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of tea and a stack of junk mail envelopes that become my “official” planning paper.

Some weeks I’m reviewing my calendar and shuffling things around so the important stuff doesn’t get buried under noise. Other weeks it’s a time audit; looking back and realizing I spent way too much energy on “easy” tasks (read: procrastination in disguise) instead of the projects that actually move things forward. And yes, sometimes it’s the boring admin cleanup: archiving last week’s emails, renaming a couple of files, or updating a checklist so I’m not reinventing the wheel again. (Because apparently my inbox breeds overnight.)

It’s not about doing all of it every week. It’s about noticing what feels heavy…then lightening the load before it steals another ten hours of my life.

The funny thing is, the ritual itself isn’t complicated. It’s just a pause. A chance to look around, ask “What really matters this week?” and sweep away whatever’s in the way of that answer.

When I skip it, I can feel it. I’m more scattered, more reactive, and somehow always behind. But when I take the time, even if it’s only thirty minutes, the week runs smoother. Priorities are clear. Small things don’t snowball. And I usually end Friday with enough energy left to actually enjoy the weekend. Instead of faceplanting into it.

So, if you’re drowning in the churn, try giving yourself one flexible hour to reset. No perfection required. Just a chance to start fresh on purpose, instead of dragging last week’s chaos into this one.

Your Friday self will thank you.