How can you tell if Shabbat worked? If what you got was enough rest and spiritual connection with the Divine to begin a new week? How can you tell if your Shabbat was really Shabbat--if it functioned as the greatest means, the best way, to renew your soul and good energy, generally, as the main means of "feeling good." Today, on the day of Sukkot Erev we especially need extra energy to build our Sukkahs. Hopefully yesterday, we obtained Shabbat rest by following all the Shabbat rules to avoid work, spending, etc.
On a Sunday, the beginning of a new week after Shabbat, (if Shabbat rules of rest were followed), a meditation should be in your heart that is carried over from Saturday, with a renewed commitment to do mitzvoth and to engage in righteous activities. An overall calmness from prayer on Saturday that makes you want to pray again and continue praying all throughout the week, davening the Weekday Minyan Prayers becomes a necessity, a heartfelt desire, a real dire need to use as an aid to achieve more meditative states like the state you received on Shabbat to carry a sense of peace throughout the weekdays.
It would be nice if you can light a candle flame and recall the Havdalah candle flame's warmth and reflection of the light of truth that you saw on your thumbnail on Saturday night. Remembering the candle's warmth and truth is a sure way to put you back into this peaceful state caused by a day of rest on Shabbat with the thankful closure of the Havdalah. Also smell the Havdalah spices again and again throughout the week. Surround yourself with beautiful scents, so it is easier to recall the peace you felt on Shabbat.
Listen to www.sidduraudio.com if you cannot physically get to a Shul Minyan on Sunday. Chant and move your body to the rhythm of the Hebrew and pray to HASHEM to protect you in the coming week. So you can go about your weekday business carrying Shabbat peace with you. Read www.chabad.org and learn each new Torah lesson for each week. Keep track of it daily and study Torah daily.
This is how to productively benefit from a Shabbat, a day when you celebrated and rested, thanking and praising HASHEM for creating the world on the other 6 days of the week. Be thankful for everything you have and directly thank HASHEM for what you have, in this way you will not be tempted to covet what others have and desire something you cannot attain, or what will not benefit you anyway if you attained it.
Peace be with you, Shalom be yours: good health, prosperity, and peace, good will in all things.
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