There is no feeling quite like Friday afternoon – the whole weekend is ahead of you and the possibilities seem endless. But somehow the weekend is never long enough, and it’s Sunday before you know it. Cue the Sunday Blues (or Sunday Scaries, depending on who you ask). Many are familiar with the range of emotions and feelings that come with the Sunday Blues: irritability, unease, feeling anxious, restless, and feelings of dread for the impending Monday. What you’re actually feeling is anticipatory anxiety, which is described as feelings of fear or worry around things that have not happened yet. Sundays are always going to come, but we’ve got some tips to help.

The first step of tackling the Sunday Blues is to think about what’s making you feel anxious – is it your to-do list for work? A big test coming up? A hard conversation with your boss? Try to narrow down what exactly about Monday or the coming week is making you feel this way. Putting a name to what’s causing your blues can help you manage your feelings. If you want to take this a step further, write down what’s making you anxious and take some time to brainstorm solutions so when you do have to tackle those tasks, you’ll have a plan ready. It’ll make you feel like you’re ahead of the problem rather than behind it, and that change in perspective will improve your mood. If your list is long, categorize your tasks: things you have to do, things that can wait, things someone else can help you with. Or high, medium, and low priority. No matter what your categories are, organizing your list will give you a sense of control over what you have to do next week.

Another way to combat the Sunday Scaries is to reframe your Sundays. Make Sundays your day. Treat yourself to your favorite meal, have a movie marathon, spend some time outdoors, paint, or dance in your living room all day. You’ll soon start to look forward to Sundays as a day totally to yourself. If you normally reserve chores for Sunday, try doing them first to get them out of the way and reward yourself for a job well done. You can also do this for Monday – schedule something you’ll look forward to on Monday or during the week so instead of dreading the end of the weekend, you’re excited to tackle the week.

If you still find your brain working in overdrive, try getting outdoors. Even taking a walk around the neighborhood will take your mind off of the Sunday Blues, and getting some fresh air will offer new perspective. Spending 10-15 minutes of outdoors time should do the trick, and when you come back inside, you’ll feel rejuvenated. If the weather outside isn’t cooperating or walking isn’t for you, having a quiet meditation or practicing some breathing exercises can also help you get your mind off things. Pick a quiet spot, get comfortable, and close your eyes. If you’ve never meditated before, there are amazing resources and videos online to help guide you through it, and you only need 5-15 minutes.

Unfortunately, the weekend will always come to an end. But using these techniques can help alleviate the Sunday Blues and give you a little mood booster before the busy week ahead. Remember that your mental wellbeing is a top priority, and you don’t have to feel anxious or stressed on Sundays. Reclaim your day so you can #BeTheDifference for yourself, every day of the week.

Resources:

Raypole, C. (2020, May 17). Meet anticipatory anxiety, the reason you worry about things that haven’t happened yet. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/anticipatory-anxiety

Raypole, C. (2020, August 25). Sunday scaries are real – here’s how to cope. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/sunday-scaries

Abraham, M. (2020, October 10). How walking helps anxiety. Calm Clinic. https://www.calmclinic.com/anxiety/treatment/walking-works

Raypole, C. (2020, May 28). 5 visualization techniques to add to your meditation practice. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/visualization-meditation