By: Catherine Sangi, LPC
We have all been through it before. It is that time on Sunday and we get the inevitable stomach ache and dread for the week ahead of us. The “scaries” can happen for a variety of reasons – anticipatory anxiety of all our duties and responsibilities for the upcoming week, or perhaps some disappointment that our weekend was not what we imagined it to be. Regardless of why we feel this way, here are some tricks to feel more at peace on Sunday and throughout the week.
- Don’t leave all the “adulting” for Sunday. Unless you enjoy grocery shopping, meal prepping, laundry, vacuuming, bleaching, etc. – don’t leave it all for Sunday. Sunday is still your day off and you deserve to relax and do what brings you joy. Try to spread these responsibilities throughout the week so Sunday is not as overwhelming (and boring)
- Do something fun! Whether it is grabbing brunch, going on a hike, or catching up on your shows, try to have the Sunday-Funday mindset, not the Sunday Scaries.
- Remain in the present. Sunday Scaries can be due to anticipatory anxiety of what the future holds. Try to remain in the present and remind yourself that Sunday is still a day that you are able to enjoy if you choose to. Struggle remaining in the present? Try downloading a mindfulness app such as headspace or calm.
- Gratitude Journal. It is easy to get down on ourselves about what we did not accomplish and what we did not do. Gratitude journaling is a great reflective activity to help remind us of the people, experiences, and things in our lives that we are grateful for and add joy to our day to day. Gratitude journaling can be a free-write activity, or you could purchase a gratitude journal that will provide prompts for a more structured process.
- Treat yourself on Monday. Have something to look forward to on Monday or Tuesday. This could be a favorite meal, going on a date, or watching that rom-com that has been on your watch list. Instead of dreading the negative things the week may bring, try focusing on positive activities you are looking forward to.
As Michael Scott once said, “You guys just are working for the weekend, aren’t you? I’m working for the week.”