Sunday Scaries: Symptoms, causes, and ways to cope

It’s Sunday evening and dread starts setting in. You’re trying to enjoy the final hours of your weekend, but your mind is skipping ahead to next week’s to-do list. There’s butterflies in your stomach and you’re worrying about the pile of work that’s waiting for you. You feel anxious and overwhelmed, and it’s not even Monday yet.  

Can you relate to this feeling? It’s known as the Sunday Scaries, and two thirds of adults in the UK experience it, with ages 18-24 most affected. The Sunday Scaries describes the anxiety you feel when anticipating the new working week. And, these feelings can be more intense than ever at the end of the Christmas holidays, when you’re returning to the office or university.

The Christmas holidays are something that most of us look forward to for weeks (or longer!). Usually, it means time off work and celebrating with loved ones. So, when the holidays are over, there’s bound to be an emotional comedown. It’s normal to feel nervous about going ‘back to reality’, but there are things that you can do to make the transition easier and soothe the Sunday Scaries.

Recognise the signs

To deal with these feelings, it’s really important that you recognise when and why they’re happening. Firstly, take note of your thoughts - what do they sound like? Is there a pattern? For instance, maybe you’re worried that you’re going to be given a challenge that you’ll find hard or fail at.  

Now, think about what you can do to stop these thoughts from recurring every Sunday. With the example above, you could try to challenge your assumptions. You will have had other tests in the past and got through them - and you probably learnt something valuable too.

If a challenging task comes your way, make a plan not to procrastinate, but to tackle it as soon as possible, so that you have less time to worry about it. And, in the meantime, shut down your inner-critic by reminding yourself that you are capable of dealing with challenges - you’re just having anxious thoughts.

Get organised for the week ahead  

If you’re worrying about the week ahead, it can help to be as organised as possible. Try making a to-do list of your tasks, then prioritise them so you know what to tackle first. If you feel most anxious at bed-time, you might want to keep a notebook on your bedside table, so that if anything pops into your head, you can write it down and let it go.  

It can also help to prepare your meals for the week, plan your outfits and make any travel arrangements beforehand. The more organised you are, the more in control you’ll feel.  

Get into a healthy routine

During the holidays, we might be staying with family, non-stop grazing on boxes of chocolates and not exercising as much as usual (if at all!). In other words, our routine can be a little bit all over the place.

Although having a routine might not eliminate the back-to-work worries entirely, it can help to give you structure and get your body clock back on track, so that you feel more prepared for what’s to come. A couple of days before your holiday ends, try to implement healthy habits, like:

• Going to bed and waking up at a regular time

• Exercising or moving your body every day, even if it’s just a walk

• Eating healthy meals, three times a day

Make time for self-care during the week

Remember, the weekend isn’t the only time that you can enjoy yourself. Break up the working week by making time for self-care and giving yourself things to look forward to. If you have an exciting evening planned on Monday, Sunday night might not seem so daunting.  

Self-care just means anything that prioritises your physical and emotional wellbeing. You might want to do something relaxing, like taking a hot bath or watching a film, or something that you genuinely enjoy, like a hobby, a gym class or seeing friends. Doing this can have a big impact on your mood.

Delaying gratification

Plan regular “mini breaks” throughout the year to ensure you have consistent pauses, such as long weekends where work is not the focus. Planning this time off can help you feel as though you are working towards something and make it less overwhelming when Sunday transitions into Monday (often referred to as SMONDAY!).

If you’re feeling especially anxious or down about returning to work, and it’s affecting your day-to-day life, for instance, stopping you from sleeping, making it hard to concentrate or causing physical symptoms – it may be useful to consider cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). This practical approach teaches you tips and tools to manage stressful situations and difficult emotions – and at ieso, our online services means that you can access treatment quickly and within flexible hours.