How can I stop the Sunday scaries?
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Ah…. The “Sunday scaries”, a dreaded feeling of anxiety and sadness on a Sunday when your weekend is coming to an end. It typically kicks in on a Sunday afternoon and continues until your head hits your pillow. Then BOOM, another week back to the grind, aka your job.
Firstly, you’ll be pleased to know that you’re not alone. The Sunday scaries is very common and a normal feeling to experience. Even if you really enjoy your job, you can still experience this. For some, the Sunday scaries feeling is more intense than others. Regardless of intensity, it’s not a pleasant feeling for anyone, and it’s certainly not a great way to end your week and start the next.
What causes the Sunday scaries?
We often view our weekends as our freedom, and a respite from our working responsibilities. Some jobs come with more stress and responsibilities, making our weekends of freedom even more precious to us.
The Sunday scaries is typically caused by having to wave goodbye to your weekend of freedom and break from working pressures. It’s somewhat similar to experiencing the holiday blues.
How do you get rid of the Sunday scaries?
We set out 10 ways to get rid of your Sunday scaries once and for all.
1. Carve out time on Sundays to fully unwind
It’s so easy to spend part of your Sunday feeling down and/or anxious. Instead, use this time to plan something that really unwinds and relaxes you to take your mind off Monday. This could be as little as 10 mins or as long as you need. For some, this might be lighting their favourite scented candle or watching a movie that they’ve been meaning to watch for a while.
2. Observe your emotions
Note on paper when your Sunday scaries kick in, the time, what you’re feeling, and whether there’s any underlying issue that may have triggered this feeling such as an impending deadline at work. This will help you to unpack any possible causes and allow you to address these head on.
3. Write it down or vent to someone willing to listen
Similar to observing your emotions, write out your feelings in a journal as if you’re confiding in someone about how you really feel about your upcoming work week, in particular Monday.
Not everyone enjoys journalling. If this is the case for you, vent to a loved one if possible. If this isn’t possible, feel free to post in our Job Honesty forum, stating whether you want help resolving a dilemma or to simply vent. Our Job Honesty community will help share their views where needed.
4. Plan for the week ahead
If you normally have stressful Monday mornings, take some of this burden away by doing some of the prep work on Sunday. This could be preparing your lunch or ironing your outfit for Monday the night before. Think about what you really dislike doing as part of your getting ready for work Monday morning routine and complete it on a Sunday evening, if it works for you.
Another way to help you to alleviate any pressure from the week ahead might be to plan what tasks you need to complete each day by writing out a to do list. Even planning weeknight meals or even meal prepping to remove the hassle of cooking every evening, after a busy day at work might allow to enjoy your weeknight evenings more.
5. Self-care and treat yourself
Think of what self-care activities and treats, small or large, really get you excited. Indulge in these on Sundays to ward off any feelings of despair before your working week starts.
6. Plan something for Monday mornings and evenings
Why should self-care and treating yourself end on Sunday? To make Mondays more bearable, and even enjoyable, plan and do something fun after work that recharges you. This might be catching up with friends after work or even going to a gym class that you’ve been meaning to go to.
In terms of Monday mornings, meal prep a delicious breakfast the night before that you wouldn’t ordinarily have or treat yourself to a fancy coffee (at home if you’re on a budget or a coffee shop if you’re not) if you don’t typically have this.
7. Exercise on Sundays
Make time to get some exercise in your Sunday plans. You’ll get those feel-good hormones pumping and will feel better. As they say, no one ever regretted working out. This doesn’t need to be extensive such as running a marathon, but something that’s around 10-15 mins long that gets your heart rate up.
8. Get a good night’s sleep
Sleep is incredibly important to our mental, emotional and physical wellbeing. Being sleep deprived is going to make you grumpy and not your best self to tackle Mondays. If you can’t sleep due to the anxiety that Sunday scaries brings, accept that you’re going to have a bad night’s sleep. By doing this, you won’t be putting pressure and further stress on yourself. You may find that this helps you to catch those Z’s.
9. Complete tasks on Friday
We’ve all been there. It’s a Friday afternoon and we know that we should finish off a piece of work or task, but we put it off until Monday morning. After all, the Friday feeling is high and we want to either finish early or on time. In reality, we’re just delaying this and creating an uncomfortable feeling on Monday. If you often fall into this trap, try encouraging yourself to complete these tasks on Friday, knowing that on Monday, you’re likely to thank yourself tenfold.
10. Visualisations and gratitude
Sometimes, it’s all too easy to get caught up in our own bubble. Think about the benefits that your job affords you to have. The money, to pay your bills, perhaps fund your hobbies and lifestyle. No matter how much you despise your job, you get to work and are miles better off than those that are unemployed and desperately seeking work. Practicing gratitude helps cultivate a positive frame of mind.
Combine this with visualisation techniques. Do you have a personal goal that is connected with your job? For example, saving up to purchase a big-ticket item such as a deposit for a home? If so, when the Sunday scaries kicks in, visualise your goal. Picture it in your mind and think about how you’ll feel when you achieve this goal.
Overcoming the Sunday scaries isn’t going to be an overnight fix. However, by adopting some if not all of the above tips will have a marked difference on your Sunday mood in a positive way. You may even realise that your job is not for you and plan to find an alternative job – one that might make you feel the Sunday scaries less.