Taming the Sunday Scaries (Without Quitting Your Job)

Please tell me I am not the only one that starts feeling like the world is ending when the sun starts to set on Sundays?  You know the feeling–the shift in your stomach, your brain starting to speed up, and all of a sudden you want to run far, far away.  This experience has a name–The Sunday Scaries–and it felt like an appropriate topic as we head into Halloween this week.

​While this experience can feel dramatic, it is our brain and body responding to normal emotional shifts, such as:

• Anticipation of work stress and responsibilities
• Transition from relaxation to structure
• Reflecting on unfinished tasks or potential challenges
• Fear of missing out on weekend activities/regret for “wasting” weekend

So how do we fix it? I wish I could say there’s one magic trick, but the Sunday Scaries are sneaky because they show up in both our minds and our nervous systems. So instead, we want to shift how we prepare for the week and how we relate to those Sunday feelings when they show up.

1. Create a Sunday Wind-Down Ritual: Instead of cramming your responsibilities into the end of the weekend, spread them out and treat Sunday evenings as a time of rest that you can look forward to.  Comfy clothes, your favorite food, and a funny tv show.  Your brain will learn that Sunday night = comfort.
2. Make A Plan: Write down three priorities for Monday–not your whole list, just what’s at the top.  When your brain sees a manageable plan, it stops trying to spiral into “what ifs”.
3. Name the Feelings: When you notice the dread start to creep through your body, identify it out loud: “This is anticipation” or “I am feeling anxious right now”.  Our feelings lose their intensity when they are acknowledged instead of avoided.

The Sunday Scaries are not a sign that something is wrong with you.  They’re a sign that your body cares about safety, predictability, and rest.  If they are feeling especially heavy or happen every week, it could also be your body’s way of signaling that something in your routine, work environment, or boundaries needs compassion and adjusting.  Pay attention to these signals and treat yourself with gentleness.

P.S. The first edition of our monthly newsletter, The Daisy Digest, launches this weekend!  If you are interested in receiving it, sign up here: https://forms.gle/VixNat1t5wXsBZKn9

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