For people working a traditional 9:00am to 5:00pm job, the feeling of a slight pit in the stomach on a Sunday evening, dreading the week ahead, is all too familiar. In fact, a survey on LinkedIn of 2,000 US workers found that 75% of workers experience the Sunday Blues or “Sunday Scaries.”
But how can we decipher the difference between general feelings of the Sunday Blues and more problematic and persistent work-induced anxiety? Health experts from CBD.co, with their expertise on the corporate work environment, discuss the implications of continuous Sunday anxiety and offer tips for managing it.
What are the “Sunday Blues”?
Most of us know how it is – you leave work on Friday feeling relieved for the weekend. Saturday comes and you get to sleep in, maybe do some chores and even see your friends. Then, maybe after enjoying a night out, you wake up on Sunday morning with that pit in your stomach, dreading the week ahead.
These are the Sunday Blues, otherwise known as the ‘Sunday Scaries,’ a cloud of worry that hangs over you as you anticipate all that you have to do for the week ahead.
Where Do They Come From?
The good news is, if you’re experiencing this phenomenon, you are not alone. Having the Sunday Scaries is a common occurrence, especially among remote workers, and a variety of different work-related worries can cause these feelings.
For example, in the current economy, job security is a constant worry. In fact, according to a 2023 survey, 74% of workers tied their Sunday Blues to economic insecurity, meaning, they were worried about being laid off.
Additionally, 37% of workers linked their Sunday Blues to feeling overwhelmed at work. Another 31% attributed their fears to the possibility of another recession.
Sunday Blues, or Something More?
It’s one thing to not want the weekend to end, but another thing entirely to be facing full on work-induced anxiety. It is important to distinguish between the two: Sunday Blues vs. burnout and mental health decline.
If you are consistently becoming overwhelmed with your job, so much so that you spend your entire weekend worrying about it, it could be a sign you are experiencing deeper issues. For instance, dreading the week ahead so much that you become emotional to the point of experiencing panic attacks could be your signal to seek new employment, or at least take active measures to combat your work anxiety.
Experts at CBD.Co recommend these tips to manage your work anxiety:
- Look Forward to Mondays
Reclaim Mondays by giving yourself something to look forward to that day. Allow the good weekend vibes to trickle into the work week by giving yourself something fun to do on a Monday.
CBD.co advises, “Whether it’s a class with your favourite spin instructor, coffee with a friend, or lunch with a colleague, plan your Mondays in advance so that there is a consistent light at the end of the tunnel waiting for you.”
- Keep a To-Do List–And Stick to It
The Zeigarnik effect refers to how the brain clearly remembers certain things which have been interrupted, such as an unfinished task. One reason why you keep thinking about all the things you need to do is because your brain is wired to do so to help you reach your goals.
One way to combat this is to keep an updated to-do list. Once you get into the habit of writing down tasks you need to accomplish, your brain will learn that it does not need to keep track of every little thing. This should give you a much needed mental break.
- Leave Your Work at Work
Even though people physically clock out of work at the end of the day, they frequently bring their work home with them. Although it may seem you have a never-ending list of tasks and stressful deadlines, it is good practice to learn how to disconnect from work once you’ve left the office. That means you should try not to answer work calls or emails when you get home.
CBD.co recommends, “Instead of cutting yourself off cold turkey, a more gentle approach might be a better practice. Start by taking just one night a week off completely. Leave your phone and laptop in a separate room, relax, and go to work the next day discovering the relief that it did not all fall apart without you. Little by little, practise this every weeknight, and eventually, your entire weekend as well.”
- Establish a Sunday Night Routine
When the Sunday scaries hit, it is common to procrastinate the following day by staying up late. It is as if you are trying to soak up as much Sunday time as possible before the dreaded week.
In this case, CBD.co recommends that “you try establishing a calming nighttime routine where you do a relaxing activity you enjoy, such as watching your favourite show, or painting your nails. Then, head to bed early so that you can wake up the next day feeling refreshed and tranquil.”
- Make a Change
After months of experiencing the Sunday scaries, it could be time to reevaluate your current employment circumstances. Perhaps it is not the day of the week that is the problem, but rather, your job itself. Try and zero in on what exactly started causing your Sunday scaries…Was it a promotion with more responsibilities? Are you constantly having to train new employees? Or maybe, you changed your schedule from part-time to full time, and are having a hard time adjusting?
Whatever the case may be, CBD.co says to “see if you can talk to your manager to make some changes in your work life balance. If that seems out of the question, perhaps it is time to consider changing your job or industry altogether.”
Corporate Workplace Health Experts from CBD.co commented:
“Make sure you distinguish the difference between an everyday case of the Sunday Blues and intense work anxiety. With hustle culture as alive as ever, it is important to find balance between work and what brings you joy. This will help to prevent burnout as well as to preserve your mental health. Pinpoint the cause of your stress and decide whether it is something that can be solved through small, effective steps, or if you need to switch jobs altogether. Either way, know that a proper work life balance is not only worthwhile but crucial to establishing a successful career.”
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