What’s your favorite night of the week? Chances are it’s not Sunday. Most people, even those who like their jobs, hate Sunday night, otherwise known as the official end of the weekend.
According to a 2018 LinkedIn survey, 80 percent of professionals say they experience sadness on Sunday night, often triggered by a rush of hormones associated with work-related stress and dread. The survey found that professionals say worrying about the week ahead could ruin their evening: workload (60%), balancing professional and personal to-do’s (44%), and thinking about the tasks left unfinished from last week (39%) were listed as the top causes for their dark mood.
Part of the negative feelings we associate with returning to work is the perceived loss of control we have over our time. On the weekends, we choose how we spend our time and when to do what needs to get done. During the week, many workers feel overscheduled and overwhelmed.
Finishing Friday strong is one way to go into the weekend feeling good and taking some of the dread out of Monday morning. Take the last hour of your Friday afternoon to organize your office space and create a to-do list for next week. You’ll leave feeling good about how it looks and appreciate coming into a clean and efficient space on Monday morning.
You can also counteract the dread of the upcoming week by focusing on what you’re looking forward to. Take some time on Sunday evening to discuss why the upcoming week will be a good one, what you’re looking forward to, and what you’re grateful for. Studies have shown that mindfulness and gratitude practices can significantly increase your sense of well-being.
Some of the Sunday blues may come from procrastination. Take the time during the beginning of the weekend to check off your personal to-do list. Getting those chores done earlier allows for time to reward yourself with a special treat for getting things done.
Staying in the moment is the best way to fight off feelings of dread about the week ahead. Create a new routine that will help you keep the Sunday Blues away.
