One in seven people contend with Sunday scaries. Research by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities found 53% of people feel anxious about working in person, compared to 6% of people who feel anxious about working from home. Stress is one of the biggest causes of health problems in the workplace. Long hours, tight deadlines and ever-increasing demands can leave you feeling drained, worried, and overwhelmed. A 2018 survey commissioned by LinkedIn found that 80 percent of professionals worry about the upcoming workweek on Sundays.
Many experience ‘Sunday Scaries,’ which may arise as the weekend winds down. This term denotes the apprehension before the workweek resumes, affecting over two-thirds of Britons due to work stress, sleep deprivation, and mounting to-do lists.
Even after a fulfilling weekend, we can still get the Sunday Scaries if we often associate work with stress. Thinking of work triggers our fight or flight response, causing stress even at home. A Clinical Psychologist and Professor at The University of North Carolina stated, “The perceived threat varies—it might be getting up early or being busy, and “on” for several days in a row.”
The Sunday anxiety may also occur because of a social overload that happens during the weekend. This may be more recognisable for people who work hard during the week and designate their weekend as being their primary time for socialising. Research, commissioned by The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID), found that people turned to social media, binge-watching, comfort food to distract themselves.
Overcoming the ‘Sunday Scaries’
To alleviate Sunday evening anxiety, symptoms like stomach issues, restlessness, and irritability may surface. Here are tips to overcome the ‘Sunday Scaries’ effectively:
· Adjust your schedule to prioritise self-care
· Practice kindness towards yourself
· Enhance enjoyment on Sundays
Changing your schedule and rearranging your plans allows you to consider whether you’re overbooking yourself. Prioritising yourself in your day-to-day tasks is important. Additionally, splitting up your day to ensure you are being more organised with your time. This relives overwhelming feeling of stress and anxiety.
Adopting a new mindset is crucial to avoid feelings of disappointment from the tasks you didn’t complete over the weekend or the week prior. Getting down on yourself for not doing enough will only worsen the Sunday Scaries. Instead be kind to yourself and acknowledge that you can only do your best and focus on things you love such as friends, family, and hobbies.
Making Sunday night enjoyable can help relieve some of your distress. Dedicate Sunday to relaxing activities such as reading a new book, taking a walk or hike, or even taking part in a yoga class. This will enable you to replace your fear and anxiety with something calmer and more peaceful.
International Stress Awareness Week held from the 7th – 11th November focuses on stress management and campaigning against the stigma associated with stress and mental health issues. In addition it promotes the importance of employee wellbeing for individuals and organisations.
Wellity want to support your organisations and teams around this crucial topic, we offer sessions that help you to recognise triggers and tells. Explore the fundamentals of stress awareness, learn coping strategies to proactively tackle stress to prevent physical and mental ill-health.
Our training titles include:
• Banishing Burnout
• Transitioning from Distress to De-Stress
• Managing Stress Awareness
• Creating an Energy Management
To find out how you can better support your team around this significant awareness week. Contact our Wellity team on hello@wellityglobal.com
