Do You Suffer From The Sunday Scaries?

Sunday – it’s long been known as a day of rest. Still, whether you choose to lounge horizontally in a onesie or catch up with family and friends over a roast dinner or brunch, at some point, you’ll remember there are things you need to do. Plenty of them: the dishes, the meal prep for the next week, the emails, the washing. The second load of washing – yes, the one with your child’s PE kit all crumpled, dirty and forgotten about until…now. 

As the clock tick-tocks through Sunday, you start to realise there’s no rest for the wicked. The deadlines won’t be met without a fight. It’s time to face the endless list of to-do’s, the things you’ve blissfully ignored since shutting down your laptop on Friday afternoon. 

The new week is about to start and you feel an impending sense of doom. There’s so much to do. The sofa is no longer your safety net. The selfies on your phone with friends or during a leisurely walk in nature with your family seem like they were taken years ago, when, in fact, it was only yesterday. Or, perhaps, you didn’t do anything fun this weekend. You filled it with chores. – all the stuff you needed to do, rather than what you wanted to do, and before you could stop for air, it’s almost Monday. You’re experiencing a full-blown attack of the Sunday Scaries.

Sunday Scaries

Otherwise known as the Sunday Blues, this term refers to the anxiety and stress people commonly feel, particularly on a Sunday evening. When the reality of the working week sets in, you anticipate what’s to come. Suddenly, your ability to enjoy the rest of your weekend is disrupted. A recent LinkedIn survey discovered that 75 per cent of professionals experience Sunday Scaries, while 37 per cent of individuals say they feel more overwhelmed at work than ever before. 

Catherine, a paediatrician in Dubai and mum of two, admits that she dreads Mondays. ‘I’m always completely slammed on Mondays with appointments, meetings, and calls. I feel as though I am being pulled in every direction. A feeling of dread sits in the pit of my stomach on Sundays.’

It’s no surprise that Sunday evenings are being labelled as the new Monday mornings. UAE-based journalist, Hana, says: ‘I can feel the anxiety building from late Sunday afternoon. I feel like I’m totally behind before the week has even begun. By the time Monday morning rolls around, I am already exhausted.’

Tell Me Why I Don’t Like Sundays 

And it’s all down to the almighty power of anticipation. It’s why we arrive at the airport early and prepare for meetings. It’s our way of clawing back control wherever possible. But every Sunday finds us on the brink of the start of a cycle – launching a week of unknowns and we want to be ready for whatever uncertain situations we might face while hitting every trarget. It’s a huge juggling act, and when these feelings are evoked week after week, the mental worries become a recurring ritual.

Dubai business owner, Salma, explains why Sundays are particularly stressful. ‘I know that the week ahead will be filled with tasks and challenges that need to be addressed quickly,’ she says. ‘The anxiety is intensified by the feeling that I may have overlooked something or missed a crucial detail. This is especially true for me as a small business owner who does everything by myself, from planning to execution.’

According to University of Exeter’s Ilke Inceoglu, the Sunday Scaries are particularly pronounced among people who frequently check their emails during the weekend and have unreasonably high expectations of themselves. ‘Matters seem to have been made worse after the pandemic,’ Inceoglu says. ‘The rise of home working has blurred the boundaries between work and leisure. The fact that many employees routinely work from home on Friday also means that the trip into the office after the weekend is an even ruder shock.’

Scaring Away The Scaries 

Most experts’ advice is to prioritise your weekend, filling it with fun activities or treating the two days off as a mini-vacation. But this isn’t sustainable. Plus, it means that for five days of the week, you’re miserable. 

Life should not be about living for the weekend. In truth, weekends and modern life can actually be draining rather than rejuvenating. ‘Many of us cram as much in as possible, eating and drinking too much and going to sleep later than usual,’ says New York-based psychotherapist, Meg Gitlin. ‘Or, we catch up with family and friends, which while nice, requires emotional and logistical energy. Therefore, on Mondays we are more tired than we’d like to be, which is directly correlated to low mood.’

So spread out your likes and dislikes. Try not to experience all the highs followed by all the lows. Meet a friend for morning coffee. Take a walk after dinner with the children. Make Saturday evening a date night with your husband. Don’t sweat it out at the gym if you don’t enjoy it. Instead find a form of exercise that you connect with, feel good about and grow to love. Don’t wait for the weekend to watch that movie you’re excited to see; watch it this evening, instead of scrolling on your phone and flicking through TV channels.

Now, redesign your Mondays. Sure, The Bangles sang about ‘Manic Mondays’, The Carpenters crooned over ‘Rainy Days and Mondays’, and The Boomtown Rats shouted ‘I Don’t Like Mondays’ from the rooftops, but you don’t have to join their band! Implement simple changes to your Mondays. Start by doing something you’re good at, setting aside a little unstructured time where you’re able to do whatever you want. Play your favourite music on the way to work. Have lunch with someone who lights up your world, even for 30 minutes, while you discuss your guilty pleasures

Incorporating mindful practices daily, such as 10 minutes of morning meditation, will significantly reduce anxiety, too. Set positive intentions for the week ahead with some gentle advanced planning. And above all, prioritise your sleep – and you never know, you might find yourself banishing the Sunday Scaries and even looking forward to Mondays.