Got “Sunday Scaries”?
“Sunday Scaries” has become part of our lexicon in the last few years. It’s that feeling of dread or anticipatory anxiety that hits you on a Sunday, as the weekend is winding down and you begin to think about the upcoming work week.
Often this sentiment is a result of dissatisfaction with work, experiencing burnout, or an overbooked and overwhelming scheduling, but it can also just be a natural response to the shift in circumstances that typically occurs from weekend to weekday. Generally, our weekends are more unstructured, more relaxing, and frankly, more enjoyable, and why wouldn’t your brain want more of the thing that feels good and less of the thing that doesn’t?
However “normal” the experience may be (normal based on the way our current world is set up), there are a few things that might help reduce the Sunday Scaries and help ease the transition back into the work week.
Normalize and accept the experience - Remember, this is just your brain working as it should, wanting the thing that feels better! The pressure you are putting on yourself to stop feeling anxious as your Sunday slips away might actually be making you feel worse.
Set up a Sunday ritual - Take some time to think about your ideal Sunday. Is it super social? Purposeful and productive? A little of both? Craft a Sunday routine for yourself that allows for whatever you need to ease yourself into the work week.
Plan one thing that makes Monday “good” - Maybe on Mondays you listen to a new album on your commute, treat yourself to a fancy coffee, plan a midday walk, attend your favorite fitness class, or call a friend in the evenings. Having something to look forward to that can ease your transition into your week might help reduce the dread.
Plan one thing that makes Monday “less bad” - If it’s hard to feel like you can add something to look forward to into your Mondays, are there things you can do that will at least reduce the friction? Maybe it’s meal prepping, intentionally laying out a favorite outfit, or planning out your week into more manageable chunks–something simple that could have a big impact!
No need to reinvent the wheel - Think about the last time you didn’t have that creeping Sunday dread. What was going on then? Even if it was a one-off experience, noticing what made that time different might actually help you figure out what could help.
If your “Sunday Scaries” are getting more intense or even impacting your ability to function, maybe it’s worth considering if there is burnout or overscheduling at play, and if it would be helpful to listen to those cues and restructure some things in your life. You might always feel a little anxious moving into the work week–again, this is normal–but the dread doesn’t have to be!
Wishing you easy Sundays!
