The weekend is winding down. The sun is setting on a pleasant Sunday, and then it hits you: a creeping feeling of dread. Your mind starts racing with thoughts of Monday morning—the emails, the deadlines, the commute. This all-too-common wave of end-of-weekend anxiety is known as the “Sunday Scaries.”
It’s your brain’s anticipatory anxiety about the stresses of the week ahead, and it can rob you of your last precious hours of relaxation. But you don’t have to let it win. Here are five simple hacks to fight back and reclaim your Sunday evening.
1. Schedule Something to Look Forward To
One of the best ways to combat dread is to replace it with anticipation. Turn your Sunday evening from a “pre-Monday” into a valued event in its own right.
- Action: Create a standing tradition for Sunday nights. This could be a special meal you only cook on Sundays, a weekly phone call with a loved one, a new episode of a favorite show, or a relaxing hobby like a puzzle or a craft.
- Why it works: It gives your brain something positive and immediate to focus on, rather than the abstract worries of the week ahead. It reframes the evening as a joyful conclusion, not a dreaded countdown.
2. Perform a 10-Minute “Brain Dump”
Anxiety often stems from a feeling of being unprepared and overwhelmed. Getting your thoughts out of your head and onto paper can work wonders.
- Action: Before you relax for the evening, take 10 minutes to write down everything on your mind for the upcoming week: to-do lists, appointments, things you’re worried about. Once it’s on paper, close the notebook and give yourself permission to not think about it again until Monday morning.
- Why it works: This externalizes your stress. The list will be waiting for you, so your brain no longer needs to waste energy trying to remember everything, allowing you to truly relax.
“Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer’s day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time.” – John Lubbock
3. Create a Hard “Work Cut-Off”
Checking work emails or notifications on a Sunday evening is like inviting the stress of Monday into your weekend. Set a firm boundary.
- Action: Designate a “work-free” period, for example, from 6 PM onwards on Sunday. Put your work phone away, turn off email notifications, and resist the urge to “just check one thing.”
- Why it works: It creates a clear mental separation between your rest time and your work time. This allows your brain to fully disengage and recharge, which is essential for starting the week feeling refreshed, not already drained.
4. Indulge in a Cozy, Comforting Ritual
Engage your senses in a way that signals to your body and mind that it’s time to relax and feel safe.
- Action: Lean into comfort. Take a warm bath with Epsom salts, change into your coziest pajamas, light a favorite candle, or curl up under a weighted blanket with a cup of herbal tea.
- Why it works: These sensory inputs have a real physiological effect. They can lower your heart rate, relax your muscles, and trigger the release of calming hormones, directly combating the physical symptoms of anxiety.
5. Do a Quick “Future You” Favor
A little bit of prep can make your Monday morning significantly less frantic, reducing the source of your Sunday night anxiety.
- Action: Take 15 minutes to do something kind for your future self. Lay out your clothes for Monday, pack your lunch, or tidy up the kitchen.
- Why it works: Knowing that you’ve already handled some of Monday morning’s tasks removes a layer of stress. You can go to sleep knowing you’ve set yourself up for a smoother, calmer start to the week.
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