A poll from Monster.com published in 2015 showed that out of 2,200 respondents, 80% said they had the Sunday night blues. 62% of these people reported this blue was “really bad”. The number was actually higher in the US (76%) than in the European Union (42%).
Who hasn’t felt anxious or down on a Sunday night at least once in their lifetime? Whether it was to go to school or the office the day after, we have all experienced it. To overcome this feeling, there are a few things you could choose to do.
When the blues is not that bad, but still there
1 | Notice what made the weekend so good
Think about all the good moments you had during the weekend. What are they? What made them so good? Reflect on these good times and let yourself feel positive and thankful to have had two happy days.
2 | Plan the week ahead
You will not have as much time during the week as you have during the weekend. That is a fact that we should all accept. You will not be able to do as much, but you can plan the week in a way that will free some of your time. For instance, if you don’t enjoy cooking and you feel like it takes time away from doing pleasant things, plan meals ahead. Organise yourself in a way that it gives you time back to do point #3.
3 | Repeat at least one of these moments each day of the week
If you commit to reproduce during the week at least one thing that made the weekend so good, it will give you a sense of continuity and keep you in that happy place you were in on Saturday and Sunday.
4 | Change your weekend routine
We all have a routine during weekends that tends to be active on Saturday, and more relaxed on Sunday. How about modifying this and doing the exact opposite? You will end up the weekend on a high note and feeling energised.
5 | Make Sunday night special
If Sunday night is difficult, make it special. Do something that you never do during the rest of the week. Create a little ritual that you and your family can look forward to. For instance, for as far as I can remember in my family, we always ate dinner in front of the TV on Sunday evening, which we never did any other day, and we always prepared sandwiches. No cooking was involved to spend more time together and eat something different.
When the blues turns into anxiety
When you feel anxious every Sunday evening, starting sometimes in the afternoon, for a long period of time, try to apply the tips above but also consider the potential underlying issue.
If you feel that way because of work:
- What is it about the weekdays that you dread so much?
- Imagine not feeling that way anymore. What does your week look like then? What changes from the reality?
- Do you feel that way every evening before going to bed, and every morning when you get ready?
- When was the last time you didn’t feel that way? What is different now?
If you feel that way because of the weekend:
- What is it about the weekend that you feel ends on a Sunday evening?
- How could you have that during the week as well?
- What can you implement to change this situation?
Luckily for everyone the Sunday night blues is a condition (let’s call it like that) that we can control if we choose to understand where it comes from and what we can take away from it.