You’re living your best life. Everything’s feeling easy like Sunday morning, but by the time the Carte Blanche theme song starts playing, the Sunday Scaries have already set in. Here’s how to combat them!
Anywhere (2 April, 2023) — We all know the woes of the ‘Sunday Scaries’, AKA the anxiety that sets in before the dawn of the new week. You should be sitting back, enjoying the last of the weekend’s bliss, but you’re already in a panic about everything you need to do next week.
Not to mention, you’re still unsure if you sent that all-important mail to Bryan at work late on Friday. Anyhow, you’re sure as hell not about to look at your inbox to find out.
Are there ways to combat the sensation? Is there anybody out there? Fear not.
What Are The Sunday Scaries and Why are They Invading My Weekend?
The Sunday Scaries, Creepies, Blues or Reds (however they feel to you) are a massively common feeling. In fact, according to LinkedIn, 80% of working people experience them.
They’re also super common among younger generations, with 90% of Gen Z and Millennials going through the motions.
According to some therapists, the Scaries fall part of ‘anticipatory anxiety’. That’s the kind of anxiety that’s concerned with things not being under control, or something going askew in the future.
The Game Plan
Now that we’re caught up on the Sunday Scaries 101, here’s what to do about it.
1. Avoid Procrastinating Like Your Sunday Depends On It
Because it does. If you’re an avid procrastinator, you know that things always catch up to you eventually. That ‘eventually’ usually comes about on a Sunday. So, to avoid going through the motions and pulling all-night stress marathons, eat the elephant one bite at a time.
Save your next Sunday from procrastination by:
- Settling earlier deadlines for yourself every Monday. If it’s due on Friday, make it Thursday!
- Give yourself little reward when you’re done (a snack, a show, a Twitter debate, whatever floats your boat).
- Make to-do lists and then to-done lists (lists of everything you did in a day after the fact to remind yourself of how awesome you are).
- Follow the countdown rule (count yourself down to 5 before starting a task, then DO).
- Work on getting things ‘done’ rather than getting them done perfectly.
- Separate tasks into difficulty (it’s easy to equate all tasks at the same level of stress when you’re under pressure).
2. Make Sure ‘Rest’ is on Your To-Do List
Yes, you need to allocate some time for true rest. Or, something that makes you feel a little less like a wound-up Jack-in-the-Box.
Importantly, you need to make rest a constant ‘to-do’, not just something you save for the weekends.
Most of the time, we struggle with switching off on the weekends, or after hours, because our minds are still at the place causing us stress. You have to consciously tell yourself that it’s time to rest. Say it out loud if you need to. Get it tattooed.
Apps like Worry Watch are awesome for figuring out what exactly is on your mind, and figuring out if it’s worth it or not.
3. Do Something for Your Community on the Weekend
You’re less likely to have as much anxiety on a Sunday when you’ve done something cool for your community over the weekend.
According to Dr. Jeanne Segal and Lawrence Robinson:
“Volunteering helps counteract the effects of stress, anger, and anxiety. The social contact aspect of helping and working with others can have a profound effect on your overall psychological well-being. Nothing relieves stress better than a meaningful connection to another person.”
Volunteering can also make you feel more satisfied with your life, and less anxious about your near or far-off future.
Researchers’ call the feeling a “warm glow’, something that can also make us happier for longer.
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