How to Beat the Sunday Night Blues and Get More Out of Your Weekend
It’s sad to see the good come to an end, which is why most of us feel a little overwhelmed on Sundays . You suddenly realize that Monday is coming and you start to feel a sense of dread. Even if you enjoy your work, anxiety can really ruin your day. Plan ahead this weekend and nip Sunday blues in the bud.
Plan something fun
Breaking Bad was a great show, but I was kind of looking forward to it just because it made me forget it was Sunday night. Scheduling something fun Sunday night can distract you from work or other day-to-day responsibilities. In a way, it seems like you are extending the weekend.
But you can think of something more active than watching TV. Researcher Cassie Mogilner says Real Simple, that recreation will make you happier :
“If you’re doing something that makes you move, you’re absorbed in the moment, and there’s much less room in your mind to let the worries of the work week slip through and take hold,” says Mogilner. So, while we’re eternally grateful to HBO for transforming Sunday nights, you might want to DVR your favorite episodes and watch them on a less anxious night, like hump day.
You can set up a Sunday night date with a friend, take people out for dinner, or visit your family – anything that interests you other than ending the weekend. Of course, you can also schedule fun activities alone. But socializing can help you prepare to interact with people on Monday.
You can try yourself as a volunteer too. Volunteering can make people happy . You feel a sense of purpose and community, and by being involved in this way, you can forget about the Sunday blues.
Also, when you volunteer, you are usually on the job. It’s a great way to get ready for work without actually being there.
Work together on friday
Sometimes it seems like the transition from Sunday to Monday goes from 0 to 60, and this can make Sunday especially terrible. It is unpleasant. To deal with this, do a little preparation on Friday before leaving work. Go ahead and schedule or organize your tasks for Monday. That way, you know what you’re working on and the weekend doesn’t end so abruptly. Knowing that your Monday is scheduled can soften the shock of getting back to work.
Likewise, I sometimes schedule a small amount of work for Sunday. It’s usually something quick and pointless – nothing too tedious, but enough to make me feel a little more confident at the end of the weekend. You can do something as simple as checking your work email Sunday night so you don’t get overwhelmed on Monday morning in the first place. It might not work for every personality type, but if you find Monday seems too difficult, you might want to give it a try. Weekend work may seem counterintuitive, but even a little preparation can calm you down and allow you to enjoy the rest of your day more.
Do housework on saturday
Just as it helps you plan something fun for Sunday, it can also help you not plan anything that you fear.
We often schedule fun activities for Saturday and leave our tasks and responsibilities for Sunday. If you do, try swapping. Housework can make you even more afraid of Sunday.
Plus, these awful activities might not be so bad if you do them on Saturday. It can give you a fresh perspective on them because you are in a better mood. As Real Simple says :
For example, visiting your great-aunt in a nursing home when you’re already feeling depressed can remind you of the shortness of life; Seeing her with a fresh Saturday morning mood can bring you back to the summer in the hut (which will be happier for her, too).
It also contributes to a better, more fulfilling holiday by lifting your spirits on Sunday.
Don’t make appointments on Mondays
You have enough work waiting for you on Monday morning, so don’t add to it. If you have any control over your schedule, try to make Monday a quiet work day. Don’t put anything too high or onerous in your schedule because you will likely have enough after playing catch-up on Friday and the weekend.
Of course, on this day, you can feel quite productive. In this case, when the time comes, you can always take on additional work. But knowing that you have a Monday full of projects, appointments, and commitments can make that Sunday anxiety even worse.
Or maybe there is a job that you really enjoy doing. If so, schedule this assignment for Monday . Thus, you will have something to wait, except for meetings and ordinary affairs.
Consider any deeper questions
You may have a deeper cause for concern on Sunday. For most of us, the Sunday blues are a natural part of the rhythm of the week. But if you are dealing with a more complex problem, then the blues can be downright depressing.
Maybe you hate your job and you know it’s time to move on. This is a completely different topic (and we have already written about ), but because of it, Sunday can be worse for you than for most people. In this case, you may have to tackle a real problem, whether it is learning how to survive the job or finding a new one .
Psychology Today points out that for some of us, Sunday sadness can even be triggered by childhood anxieties . Maybe you were brutally bullied at school, and on Mondays you feel vulnerable and insecure. Maybe Sundays are a subtle reminder of your parent’s custody issues. Whatever the reason, understanding what exactly is upsetting you on Sunday, if anything more serious, can help you cope with depression.
Psychology today argues that in addition to recognizing a problem, you can think of Sundays as part of an ongoing process, rather than as an end point. Friday is not the beginning, and Sunday is not the end – it is just a procession of days, a part of life. In fact, it can help all of us. You can work any day of the week, we traditionally choose only Saturday and Sunday. But these days are just like any other, and on Sunday, nothing is final. Taking this approach to the week can help remove the stigma associated with Sunday.
It’s natural to feel a little overwhelmed at the end of the weekend. But a few habits and changes in your schedule can help change your perspective and see Sunday as it really is: just another day of the week.