Are Mondays your least favorite day of the week? You’re not alone.
One 46-country study found that participants far more frequently reported weekends to be a “good day” than a Monday. And it makes sense. Monday means back to work along with everything that comes to it—responsibilities, early mornings, or commuting.
But what’s interesting is that a new phenomenon has grown and emerged in recent years—the “Sunday Scaries.” This describes feeling anxious or stressed on a Sunday, typically triggered by the anticipation of an upcoming work week.
Here we explore what the Sunday Scaries are, why they can be detrimental to your productivity, health, and well-being, and 5 tips on how to combat them.
Understanding the Sunday Scaries
Just as there is a widespread dislike of Mondays, there’s a widespread case of the Sunday Scaries. One LinkedIn study found that 80% of Americans worry about the week ahead on Sundays. The reported reasons included:
- Worrying about their workload.
- Balancing professional to-do’s.
- Thinking about tasks they didn’t finish last week.
Another research initiative taking aim at “banishing the Sunday night blues” found that people’s energy dips on Sunday evenings, often triggered by:
- Receiving emails over the weekend.
- Self-imposed pressure to perform.
- Blurred boundaries for work-life balance.
This last cause of the Sunday Scaries has been particularly significant since the COVID-19 pandemic. As more people work from home or on a hybrid schedule, there’s less separation between work life and home life. This makes it easier for the line between “Monday work” and “Sunday rest” to also become blurred.
Technology and the constant access to emails, messages, and information can also be a contributing factor to why we start to get anxious on Sundays for the work week. Without being fully able to disconnect, it’s hard to stay in your weekend relaxation mode.
This constant connectivity may describe why younger generations are more likely to experience Sunday Scaries (94% of Gen Z and 91% of Millennials vs. 72% of Gen X and 69% of Boomers).
Some employees also face immense pressure to perform, whether self-induced or from their managers and companies. This mindset makes it hard to “turn off” your brain on Sunday night because you’re eager and anxious to get started on the week—you feel behind before you’re even started!
The Impact of Work-Related Stress
Whatever the reason for your Sunday Scaries, it’s not helping your productivity, health, and well-being. Chronic work-related stress has extensive negative impacts on employees in America:
- Decreased productivity and engagement.
- Negative impact on mental health and significant contributor to burnout.
- Difficulties sleeping.
- Stressed-out eyes and work-related back pain.
- Increased absenteeism.
- More negative workplace relationships and interactions.
The list can go on and on. Stress and anxiety are not good for us, period. But when they’re present in a workplace setting, they can impact more than just your mental health—they impact your productivity, your workplace relationships, your performance (and your company’s performance), and your overall morale.
Proactively addressing work-related stress is key to combating these negative impacts.
And what better way to do it than to start with the Sunday Scaries? Ensuring your work week begins with the mindset can set you up for success down the road.
Five Work Habits to Overcome Anxiety
With employee stress at a record worldwide high, it’s clear that we’ve got to address the Sunday Scaries head-on. Here are five work habits to implement today:
1. Time Management
With so many employees feeling anxious about their upcoming to-do list, mastering time management can be a key way to combat the Sunday Scaries. Here are some tips to try:
- Allocate time on Sunday to get organized. Instead of worrying incessantly all day, spend a short amount of time—say, 30 minutes—to set priorities and create a to-do list for the rest of your week. Write it down or document it so you know it’s all there and can come back to it during your work hours.
- Carve out time on Monday morning to attend to your most urgent tasks. You can put a block in your calendar to spend time on these things so no one books you in for a meeting.
- Finish Friday well. Instead of throwing in the towel on a Friday afternoon, set yourself up for the week ahead. Organize your calendar, make a list of tasks, or set priorities. This helps tie up loose ends that you don’t have to worry about over the weekend.
2. Mindfulness Practices
Time management is all about the practical, but this one’s all about your mindset. Cultivating a mindfulness practice can be an important way of staying calm and relaxed, even if you’re stressed about the upcoming work week.
Here are some practices to consider:
- Deep breathing: Try exercises like box breathing that help you stay calm and relaxed.
- Meditation: Clear your mind with a meditation practice—try tools like Calm if you want a guided option.
- Yoga: Join a class or try a YouTube tutorial.
- Journaling: Writing about the things you are stressed about may help you process them and move past them.
- Gratitude practice: Focusing on gratitude can help you transform your mindset and eliminate stress.
3. Work-Life Boundaries
Along with being strict on your time management, learn to be strict with setting work-life boundaries. It’s easy to blur the line between work and home life, especially when there’s no separation between the two.
Boundaries look different for everyone, but here are a few options to try:
- Turn off notifications: Avoid getting drawn into your email inbox by simply turning off all work-related notifications on the weekends.
- Find a workspace: If you’re a remote employee, create a physical separation between your work and home life by using a coworking space. This creates a mental switch-up so you can disconnect from work when you’re not on the clock.
- Communicate with your team: Talk to your team, colleagues, manager, or anyone else you work closely with. Share your desire to create more work-life balance and clearly communicate your boundaries with them.
4. Physical Activity
One of the most powerful stress-busters is physical activity. It helps get you out of your head and into your body, stimulating endorphins that make you feel better. It also takes your mind off of your to-do list and makes you present in the moment.
Any type of physical activity is good, so choose something you enjoy! Here are a few ideas to get you started and live a fitter lifestyle:
- Take a long walk with your partner and have a good chat.
- Sign up for an upbeat exercise class with a friend.
- Do some slow, meditative stretches to loosen up tight muscles.
- Put on a feel-good playlist and dance it out!
5. Social Support
Finally, seek support. You’re not in this alone—many people in your life will relate to the Sunday Scaries and can be a great resource to you. You can set work-life balance goals together and stay accountable to them.
Social support is important for anyone, but especially for those who work remotely or independently. Without in-person colleagues and social bonding, it’s easier to feel the weight of stress and anxiety—it’s just you, alone, to deal with stressors.
If you don’t have a supportive workplace, consider joining a coworking space like The Post. We’ve seen first-hand the benefits of working alongside like-minded professionals. From organic connections to formal events and networking, there are tons of ways to build strong relationships and reap the benefits of community.
Not to mention, a productive workspace can help you stay on top of your to-dos and ensure you are getting what you need to do.
The Sunday Scaries may be a common phenomenon, but that doesn’t mean they’re inevitable. Taking a hands-on approach to combating stress and anxiety will set you up for success in the future while caring for your well-being.
Try these five tips this week and see how they can transform your productivity and mood. Ready to elevate your professional experience and boost your daily productivity? Book a tour of The Post today.