How to Manage the Sunday Scaries

The Sunday Scaries

It’s Sunday afternoon and a weekend filled with brunches, late nights, and fun is drawing to a close. Suddenly anxiety and mild depression hits you: a new work week begins tomorrow morning. Feelings of panic and anxiety flood through your mind. You realize there is so much more to get done for the upcoming week and only a few hours remain of the weekend.

It will be five days of all work and with minimal play until you are able to enjoy your free time again. And before that, you’ve still got to do laundry, check your meeting schedule, plan your workouts, and make your lunches…it’s enough to make you scream! Why even bother having fun during the weekend when there’s so much to do for the next week? If you can relate to any of this, you might be experiencing what many are now calling the “Sunday Scaries,” formerly known as the Sunday Blues.

What are the Sunday Scaries? It’s a real phenomenon and you’re not alone in experiencing it. Feelings of anxiety and mild depression commonly affect individuals in such cases. The Sunday Scaries are truly dreadful, but the good news is you can learn to manage and even prevent them.
With a little advanced planning and mindful awareness, Sunday evening can feel like a relaxing bridge towards a week of accomplishment – honestly, I promise!

Managing the Scaries

Preparation is the first step to avoiding the Sunday Scaries. Most people are ready to check out by Friday afternoon, but this is when you should really check in. Tie up loose ends at work and make a short list of to-do items for Monday. Try to respond to emails before you leave, or at least have your responses prioritized, so that nothing is hanging over your weekend.

On Saturday and Sunday, divide a few small tasks between the mornings of both days in planning for the next week. Do meal prep, transportation plans, childcare arrangements, check in with your significant other or spouse about their week, etc. You’ll find that taking just a little time to complete errands before going out to have fun won’t hamper your weekend at all, especially if you don’t crowd them all into one day and time.

This will combat the feeling that you have an overwhelming amount of work to do Monday morning, which will enter your awareness Sunday night if you haven’t already addressed these issues.

Strive for balance during your weekend leisure time, too. Your weekend should consist of relaxation and recreation (and rest, too). The goal here is to return you to your baseline after giving your all during the week. Some examples of activities that might relax you include: reading a book in a quiet space, a morning walk with a friend while drinking coffee, or even binge watching Netflix. Do whatever allows you to turn off your brain for a little bit and be at ease.

De-stress and center yourself. Do a short meditation, practice gratitude. Take a few moments of mindful reflection on the past few days a the experiences that brought you joy during the weekend. People who consciously focus on gratitude experience greater emotional well-being, as one study shows.

Recreation is the other side of the coin. Workout, attend a concert, try a new cocktail bar. Treat yourself! You’ve worked hard so that you can enjoy your life. Being sure to balance relaxation and recreation will ensure that wake up Monday morning rested and fulfilled.

So this Friday, try following a few of these tips and see if you don’t come into Sunday evening feeling like you’ve had a restorative weekend, ready for the week!