How to Fight the Sunday Scaries

These five tips can help you fight the dread.

Everyone in the workforce looks forward to the end of the workweek: When 5 o’clock rolls around on Friday, liberation commences! Well, until Sunday morning, that is. In theory the whole weekend should be your time, but most Americans spend their final 24 hours fretting about their jobs. According to Monster research, a majority of Americans report having “really bad” Sunday night blues—also known as Sunday scaries—generally defined as depression over the fact that one night’s sleep stands between you and a new workweek.

With the sudden shift to working from home and remote jobs due to the pandemic, we have become what we do for a living, and we live where we work rather than working where we live. We could be leisurely enjoying a three-hour Sunday night dinner with family or friends, but instead we’re quickly devouring dinner, logging in and immersing ourselves in work mode to get ahead before Monday morning hits. That is, if we can even remember what day it is. 

Want to avoid the dread? Below are five tips you can take to help you take back your weekends.

1. Don’t check work email

The more you refrain from checking-in, the more refreshed you’ll feel on Monday morning. If you find it too challenging to completely remain off the grid, you want to get a head start on the upcoming week, or your boss demands that you be in touch, set a timer. Limit yourself to no more than an hour to check email. Or at least do tasks that don’t require much brainpower, such as updating your calendar and task list for the upcoming week.

2. Identify the triggers

It’s important to evaluate what’s causing the Sunday scaries. Is it your boss? An intense workload? A toxic environment? A rough commute? Start breaking it down, so you can identify stressors in order to address or reduce them.

3. Review your wins

Keep a running list of accomplishments, however small, as well as recognition from your colleagues. Glance at it whenever you’re feeling down and continue to build upon the list throughout the week.

4. Schedule something for Sunday night

Create a work-life balance that incorporates valuable time with family and friends, exercise and healthy eating right up through the end of the weekend to distract you from the blues.

5. Look for a new job

Revising your resume and looking for a new job on Monster can help remedy the situation. What does a job description look like at your ideal job? Create a proactive job search plan centered on your career goals.

Look to Monster for help

Instead of accepting the Sunday scaries as part of life, consider it temporary. Need help taking the first steps to look for a new job? Join Monster for free today. As a member, you can upload up to five versions of your resume—each tailored to the types of jobs that interest you. Recruiters search Monster every day looking to fill top jobs with qualified candidates, just like you. Additionally, you can get job alerts sent directly to your inbox to cut down on time spent looking through ads. Those are two quick and easy ways to create an action plan and find a new job that will make you happy—every day of the week.