In an ideal world, we’d spend our Sundays relaxing and, at most, completing a few household to-dos. The beginning of the week is supposed to be a day of calm preparation for the week ahead. Or, a free day to devote to hobbies, friends, chores or creativity.
But as hustle culture rises and people are feeling more pressure than ever to work outside of normal hours. Sundays have instead become a day of worry and work.
What are the Sunday Scaries?
Today, 80% of professionals report spending their Sundays worried about the upcoming workweek. Or dreading their Monday morning commute to the office.
Dubbed the ‘Sunday Scaries’. This Sunday anxiety is reported in the highest numbers among Gen Z and millennials. But, it’s widespread throughout all generations that are currently working. Most people affected by the Sunday Scaries report anxiety, sadness and insomnia on Sunday night before work on Monday.
How to Combat the Sunday Scaries
Truth is, it’s hard to find a healthy work/life balance. Especially as workplace apps like Slack and email are readily available on our phones to remind us of the work we have to do. It’s hard to truly relax or pull away from the office, even after you walk out the door on Friday.
Despite pressure to work into the evening and weekend, it’s important to emotionally detach from work to maintain emotional wellbeing. By being more mindful of our actions during the workweek, we can set ourselves up for a relaxing weekend. And further, we can be mindful to use the weekend as a time to actually detox.
Our tips to combat the Sunday Scaries:
- Try to Accomplish Small Household Tasks Throughout the Week: Don’t save all of your chores for Sunday – instead, complete the smaller, less time-consuming ones before or after work. If we clean out the fridge, repot a plant or sweep the bathroom during the week, we can devote that day to relaxing instead.
- Devote a Period of the Day to Unplugging: It isn’t just workplace apps like Slack and email that make our Sundays more stressful. Social media has also been proven to foster feelings of loneliness and insecurity. It’s important to spend Sunday completely relaxed which, for many, means putting the phone away and spending some time in the real world.
- Don’t Drink Alcohol: Alcohol is a depressant, so drinking it before bed doesn’t beget a good night’s rest. Though some people like to have a few beers or glasses of wine before bed, doing so will inhibit your ability to rest up for Monday morning. Swap out the alcohol with sparkling water, tea or juice.
- Consider Journaling: There are many proven benefits of journaling, including stress relief. A journal can act as a motivator or just an outlet for your frustrations. Keeping a journal handy on Sundays so you can chronicle your anxiety, anger or worries can help relieve these feelings and allow you to relax.
- Develop a Relaxing, Peaceful Morning Routine: Waking up, throwing on clothes and running out the door isn’t a good way to start your week. Work on creating a morning routine that fits your schedule. This will allow you to start the work week on a strong, motivated note. You could set aside time to do a crossword puzzle, drink a cup of tea or even take a long walk around the neighbourhood.
- Make a Friend at Work: Making friends at work can be hard to do – especially for introverts or those who are constantly busy. But putting yourself out there and developing a relationship with someone in-office can actually help you to enjoy work more overall. A work friend gives you a reason to be excited to return to work on Monday, and they can act as a support system throughout the workweek.
In the end, it’s up to you to decide which of these solutions will work best for you. There’s no universal Sunday Scaries diffuser since each person’s needs are different. A good place to start is by mindfully examining your wants and needs. Then, create a routine that lessens your anxiety and motivates you to work hard. There are plenty of options –– and it’s never too late to start.
How do you spend your Sundays? Let us know in the comments.