Handling Work Stress and the Sunday Scaries: Your Ultimate Guide

As the weekend slips away, that familiar Sunday dread starts to settle in.

Suddenly, your lovely downtime is hijacked by thoughts of your overflowing inbox, back-to-back meetings and an unforgiving to-do list, transforming your day of rest into an imaginary dress rehearsal for the week’s disaster show.

Pause.. and breathe.

Recognize your triggers – What contributes to this feeling?

Work-related stress and anticipation of a busy week

Incomplete tasks or feeling unprepared

All or nothing productivity goals

Over-committed weekends leading to exhaustion

What can you do to mitigate this?

Try shifting your Sunday to Thursday. One innovative way to combat Sunday stress is to pre-emptively tackle your to-do list before the weekend. Halfway                          through the week, adopting a “Thursday reset” can free up your weekend.

Treat Thursday like Sunday and using it as a day to catch up on weekly to-do’s, organize, and prepare for the next week.

Your Thursday Reset Plan

Start your day earlier and aim to finish work sooner.

Dedicate two hours in the late afternoon to tasks like:

Washing/vacuuming/cleaning

Writing out your next week’s planner

Food prep for the next few days.

Scheduling food shop deliveries for Sunday

Organizing any outstanding home tasks

Finishing this ahead of the weekend allows you to reclaim Sunday as a true day of rest, making it feel like an extra Saturday. This change can transform your mindset, allowing relaxation and quality time to recharge your mental and emotional energy.

Crafting Mindful Sunday Rituals

Mindfulness can be a game-changer when it comes to easing Sunday night (or any) anxiety

1. Enjoy a slow, peaceful start to your Sunday with a favourite activity – yoga, reading, journalling or just sitting with a warm cup of tea. Make sure it’s ‘you’ time. Don’t get lost doomscrolling!
2. Plan for the Week: Spend time laying out your weekly schedule in a relaxed manner to regain control over the unknowns. This simple act helps mitigate the anticipatory stress that fuels the Sunday Scaries. Setting a positive intention for the week by simply choosing a word like “balance” or “growth” can help to anchor yourself when work stress starts to climb. Combine this practice with a Monday perk, like treating yourself to your favourite breakfast, to ease the transition from Sunday to the workweek.
3. Gratitude Practice: Dedicate a few minutes to noting what you’re thankful for. A gratitude list shifts your focus from what’s daunting to what’s uplifting. Try to re-frame the ‘I have to’ to ‘I get to’
4. Limit Screen Time: Consider a mini digital detox to disconnect from work-related or overwhelming content.
5. Enjoy Self-Care: Treat yourself to a relaxing bath, a walk, or a hobby that brings joy.

Final Thoughts

Combining these proactive steps ensures that you’re not only tackling the stress of the upcoming week but also reclaiming your Sundays. Whether it’s adjusting your schedule by shifting tasks to Thursday or embracing mindfulness in small ways, each step helps create a smoother and more balanced work-life rhythm (if such a balance exists, it’s one step closer!)