Most working professionals don’t enjoy an entire weekend. Sure, Saturday is fine. Unfortunately, the day before the work week starts is often consumed by the Sunday Scaries, marked by anxiety and a rising sense of dread. Instead of focusing on friends, family, or even fishing, the Sunday Scaries can make your attention diluted. Many start feeling the wave of Monday’s workplace stress long before it arrives. While it may not merit a listing in the DSM-5, the Sunday Scaries is afflicting far more people now than it did before the COVID-19 pandemic.
You would think that wearing pajama pants to work and not having to deal with commuting to an office would be an amazing stress buster. Instead, remote workers are fighting the Sunday Scaries because they transformed work-from-home flexibility into a work addicted lifestyle. Is it really a day off if you’re emailing the boss or reviewing reports? According to a recent LinkedIn survey of nearly 3,000 Americans, over 30% of male professionals blamed the pandemic for their first bout with the condition while 41% of women and men said it either caused or worsened Sunday Scaries. Among Millennials and Gen Z, almost four out of five endure the “Scaries.” These numbers are unprecedented.
Plus, we need our weekends. One Stanford study a few years back suggested that productivity plummets after 50 hours or so of work. Even self-made millionaires take a day or two of rest. The truth is, the time we spend relaxing is also time our brains spend recharging –– gearing up for the workweek head. So how do you vanquish the Sunday Scaries and replace a day of dread with a true day of rest? Here are a few ideas.
Go On a News Fast
If you’re like me, you grew up reading the Sunday paper. Many have continued the tradition, relaxing in bed while perusing the latest news online. Except, it’s not really relaxing, is it? In a Good Morning America segment on Sunday Scaries, writer and mother Sara Baker confessed to tracking the threat of COVID-19 in her community and worrying whether her husband or children had enough personal protection equipment for Monday. I get it. The virus is scary. Except it’s been with us for over 18 months and it isn’t going away anytime soon. Do you truly believe you’re keeping your family safe by obsessing? When you fly, how helpful is your anxiety to the pilot? My recommendation: do what you can to remove the anxiety, and take action without fear being your motivator. It’s better for your body, though the stress of these times we’re in is incredibly understandable!
Accept that there are some things you can’t control. Start the day by reading a novel or a nonfiction book that has nothing to do with your job. I recommend the print versions –– it makes it harder to check your email.
Orthodox Jews don’t use electronic devices from sunset on Friday to after dark on Saturday. Interestingly enough, many Jewish millennials report less stress as a result of the 24-hour phone fast. Regardless of your faith, I heartily endorse taking one day a week to not check email, socials, or news sites. And if you are enduring the Sunday Scaries, then you already know which day I think you should choose.
Take a Break from Your Good Habits
Listen, I’m a tireless advocate for lists and getting ready for the next day. The exception is if you feel making to-do lists on Sunday drags the workweek into your day off. Be honest. Does the list add to your malaise? Do you feel down when you prep meals for the upcoming week? Plenty of people find that lists, meal prep, and other things reduce their anxiety, but don’t be afraid to jettison your “good” habits if they are making you sad, or exhausted. Even if you’re back to working in-office, you don’t really have to set out your clothes the night before, do you?... When’s the last time you accidentally commuted in your PJs?
Be kind to yourself.
Maybe you had big plans for Saturday, but spent the day sleeping. Or your chore board is filled and your motivation is depleted. That’s okay. No matter the day, I don’t recommend being hard on yourself, but consider giving yourself a special reprieve on Sundays.
Make Sunday Special
Yes, it’s fun to watch sports or binge Bridgerton, but lying around all day staring at a screen may be a recipe for a melancholy evening. Take the fam for a hike. Play tennis with friends. Have a Sunday Funday –– which can include everything from brunch with friends to an escape room or exploring museums. And I fully endorse the idea of a “Self-care Sunday.”
I appreciate the fact that plenty of folks aren’t ready to go to a movie theatre yet. However, if you’re a Saturday movie night gal or guy, think about substituting a Sunday show. Going out to a movie at seven will do a far better job of taking your mind off work than watching a film at home. Sitting in a dark auditorium with strangers is more effective than being ten feet from your kitchen.
Make Monday Special Too
I understand why people go to Friday Happy Hours, but why not also make plans to have an extra energy boost on Monday? It will give you something to look forward to and liberate you from at least some of the Sunday night dread. Even if you’re working from home, a planned meet-up with friends or coworkers can really make the first day of the week special. Although I generally recommend tackling your most challenging project early in the day, if you wind up ruminating about it Sunday night, know you’re working for free and likely contributing to your own burnout. Wellness comes with boundaries Instead, select your favorite task or one thing you love about your job and plan to do it first thing on Monday.
There are plenty of cures for Sunday Scaries. If you’re also fighting the Terrible Tuesdays and Wednesday Wickeds, it may have less to do with the day and more to do with the job. If that motivates you to pursue new opportunities, then all the better. Just maybe don’t start your search on the weekend.
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September 16, 2021 at 08:30PM
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Sunday Scaries: Anxiety Of Facing Another Work Week - Forbes
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