You know that feeling you get once you realize the weekend is almost over, but you don’t want to start thinking about all the work you have to do for the week to come? Well, you are not alone, they are called “The Sunday Scaries”. Even if you love your job, it’s that sense of having to deal with responsibilities again that can get us worked up. If it is really severe, one might even call it dread.
Here are some suggestions to help kick that not-so-pleasant feeling before Monday rolls around:
- Utilize Your Fridays
Most people treat Friday as a day to wind down before the weekend and all our thoughts are on what great plans we have after work. We all know it, productivity isn’t the greatest, but what if you just spend 30 minutes planning out your next week: get things on the calendar, organize your to-do’s, etc. That way you can rest easy on Sunday knowing that when you walk in the door on Monday things will be in order and no need to worry about them all Sunday long.
- Work Never Ends
You might think that if you just get that one task done faster or accomplish those few extra deadlines, everything will be better. It won’t. Next week will be the same and the week after that. It’s like the saying “it’s a marathon, not a sprint”, pace yourself and don’t worry, there will always be tomorrow to get things done. This does not mean you should slack off, it just means that it is a fact of life, not everything can get done all in one day. The sooner you get comfortable with planning to do stuff later, the quicker you will feel better and will be able to relax and enjoy your weekend, including Sunday night.
- Plan something Fun for Sunday Evening
Having that last final something to enjoy yourself before winding down for the evening and having something to think about to add a night cap to your weekend will help you enjoy your Sunday. Plan to watch a movie or a enjoy a dinner out. It could even be just reading the next chapter in that book you keep meaning to finish!
- Find Joy
A job is not supposed to be fun, right? Wrong. Find the positives and look forward to what you are working on. Do not, I repeat, do not, come into work thinking about when you are going to leave or what you are doing afterwards. People believe that there needs to be balance between work and life with the popular phrase “Work-Life-Balance”, but that is not the best way to look at it. Work is part of life, our body and our minds need it, so try to find joy in the daily grind.
If those Sunday Scaries just don’t go away, maybe that is a sign you need a change (or maybe just a vacation)!