Sundays have always felt like a coin toss between rest and productivity. One side whispers that it’s the day of rest—a chance to recharge and breathe, to let the week’s weight slide off like a heavy coat. The other side, though, shouts about all the things left undone: the pile of clean laundry waiting to be sorted into cabinets, the dishes needing attention, the clutter in every corner silently screaming for order.
This morning, I woke up already caught in the tug-of-war. My body begged for an easy day—coffee sipped slowly, a book in hand, cats curling up beside me, time moving at its own unhurried pace. My mind, on the other hand, had already made a checklist before I’d even opened my eyes. It reminded me of the mess lying around my room, the cat-spilled coffee from days ago dried on the floor, the shelves that looked like they were devastated by a typhoon, the bills that needed sorting, the things I’d promised myself I’d accomplish over the weekend.
I made coffee anyway. I sat with it in the quiet morning light, letting the cats wander around my feet. I told myself it was okay to pause, to sit in the in-between. I didn’t have to pick a side yet. The day stretched out in front of me, waiting.
But the pressure lingered. Rest felt indulgent, almost reckless, with so much that needed attention. And being productive felt like a betrayal of the very spirit of Sunday, a day meant to slow down and savor life outside the hustle. Where is the balance between the two?
I think it might be in the letting go. In giving myself permission to have a Sunday that doesn’t have to fit into a category of "restful" or "productive." Maybe it can be both. Maybe it can start with an hour of sorting through the chaos in my room, followed by an unapologetic afternoon nap. Maybe I can fix the clean laundry while taking sips from my nth cup of coffee. Maybe I can plan meals for the week but also leave enough space to read a few pages of the book I’ve been neglecting.
The truth is, balance doesn’t always mean an even split. Some Sundays will tilt toward work, others toward rest. And that’s okay. What matters is that I let the day unfold in a way that feels kind—to my body, my mind, and my spirit. This is the same principle I try to do with work and the so-called work-life balance. The balance is personal, it is not a rigid rule of pre-defined percentages. You don't impose it on others or yourself. It also roots into how well you truly know, understand, and accept yourself.
So today, I’ll try to make peace with the tug-of-war. I’ll do what I can without losing myself in the doing. I’ll rest when I need it, without guilt. And at the end of the day, I’ll remind myself that Sundays, like life, or work, don’t have to be perfect—they just need to be lived.
Here’s to all of us navigating our Sundays, one small decision at a time. May we find moments of rest in our productivity, and moments of productivity in our rest. And may we remember that we’re enough, no matter how the day turns out.
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