Is there anything better than summer weekends? The days are long and sunny, the weather is great, everything is perfect and life is good…until sometime Sunday afternoon or evening. That’s when you remember that you have to go to work in the morning. It’s like your ice cream just fell into the sandbox.
The so-called Sunday scaries are real: An expert at the Cleveland Clinic describes the condition as feeling intense anxiety and dread, building as the day goes on. It’s dreading going back to work on Monday or nervousness about the week ahead and, conversely, the lack of free time during the week that you might have on weekends. The Sunday scaries can also involve an increased heart rate, sweating, difficulty breathing, an upset stomach, trouble sleeping and headaches, among other symptoms.
Here’s how to enjoy your weekend — all of it — and keep those Sunday scaries at bay.
Find something to look forward to on Mondays.
That might seem counterintuitive, but why not? Maybe Monday is the day you treat yourself to a fancier breakfast or caffeinated beverage in the morning. Maybe it’s the day you wear a favorite outfit or have a happy hour with your friends. Maybe you decide Monday will be pizza or takeout night, to ease into the week without having to cook. This way you get a little weekend feel to start the week off and something to look forward to as a way to ease the gloom.
Take care of chores throughout the week.
It’s so easy to think of Sunday as the official start of the week and the best time to take care of responsibilities around the house, like laundry, grocery shopping, etc. Instead, why not spread it out during the week? That way, you’ll have more time on Sunday for fun instead of spending it working.
Do something fun on Sundays.
Keeping that previous theme going, find something special to do on Sundays. Maybe you set aside time for a long walk or reading a book you’ve wanted to dive into for weeks. If you’re feeling stressed, maybe you set aside time for yourself on Sunday to reflect, meditate or just collect your thoughts. Sunday is a great day for brunch and, if you’re too busy to see your friends during the week, even a monthly mimosa-fest is a wonderful and fun way to reconnect and prioritize your friends. Sunday is still part of the weekend and doesn’t have to be dedicated to work!
At work, start the week ahead on Friday.
If you can, try to set up a solid to-do list on Friday for Monday, then try to knock off a few little tasks before leaving for the weekend. Even crossing off one item on Friday afternoon will be one less thing to cram into Monday’s busy schedule. Do whatever you can to set yourself up for success after the weekend — your Monday self will thank your Friday self for being such a pal!
Pay attention to what’s making you feel this way.
If nothing else works and you find yourself staring out the window feeling like the next morning’s sunrise will come far too soon, or if you can’t sleep Sunday night due to stress about the week ahead, that might be an indication that something is very wrong. Maybe it’s time to make a change. Or if your anxiety and dread isn’t because of work, sort out what’s causing it and think about how you can address the problem. Life’s too short to waste a day every week feeling miserable.
Time for a change? Check out the jobs currently available through Sterling Personnel!
Sometimes the dread we feel on Sundays is inescapable because we hate our jobs. That’s an important message to receive! If that’s at the core of your Sunday scaries and no amount of tips and treats can help make it better, it might be time to move on.
Sterling Personnel can help! We work with great companies that are looking for strong candidates just like you to join their team. Take a look at the open positions currently posted on our website and see what strikes your fancy. If you’re not sure, we also offer temporary work to let you try something new. Call Sterling Personnel today and put those Sunday scaries on a shelf!
