Last weekend Dan and I had the loveliest weekend. We had zero commitments and zero plans which meant we could do anything we wanted. We filled our time with trips to town, getting coffee, getting breakfast, him drawing, me writing. It was exactly what I pictured our weekends looking like when we decided to move in together.
After such a lovely couple of days, it’s perhaps unsurprising that I felt a little apprehensive on Sunday night.
I know I’m not alone in this too, many of us get that sense of dread or even anxiety on a Sunday night - even if you love your job.
I think in this instance, it was because I knew I had a busy couple of weeks coming up (June is always full on for me, see this post about overwhelm from this time last year!) and this always peaks my anxiety.
For others though it may just be the fact that another week is rolling around (anyone else want to hit life’s pause button sometimes?) or even because they’re not happy with how they spend their Monday - Friday.
Whatever the reason, Sunday night ‘dreads’ are pretty common, so I thought I’d suggest some ways we can all try and make them a little less… dreadful.
Try and un-pick what it is you’re worried about
This is especially important if you feel this way every Sunday. Find a way to investigate what’s going on, for me this usually means a good journaling sesh. Think about what it is you’re worried about, what you can do about it and what you can’t. Remember, we can’t always control what happens to us but we can control how we react.
Plan out your week
At work, in the office I do my planning for the week ahead on Thursday afternoons (I work Mon - Thurs). This means I can leave the office knowing I have my to-do list and priorities sorted and I don’t have to think about them over the weekend.
On Sunday afternoons though, I like to sit down with my planner and think about what non day-job related tasks I need to do the following week (blog work, coaching work, events and life admin bits). This helps me gear up for the week ahead and having everything planned out eases any stress I may be feeling (especially if I have a lot coming up).
Schedule fun
Try and schedule in at least one fun, non-work thing in the week ahead. This could be meeting friends for dinner, planning a date night or even just taking yourself out for lunch one day. Basically, create something to look forward to.
Schedule self-care
As well as scheduling something fun, be sure to schedule in self-care - and treat this with as much importance as any other task on your list. If I know I have a busy few weeks coming up I up my self-care game. For example I’ve scheduled in time to either meditate of practise yoga every evening this week to give myself space to be still amongst the busy-ness.
Pamper yourself
Use Sunday evening to make yourself feel amazing. Sink into a bath, enjoy a glass of wine, paint your nails, eat all the ice cream. Treat yourself to a little luxury and make Sunday evenings something to look forward to.
Reflect on the past week, note what you’re excited for… then go to bed!
Before I go to bed on Sunday night I fill in my Happiness planner which prompts me to reflect on the past week, consider what I want to improve on the following week and what I’m looking forward to (I swear I’m not sponsored by Happiness Planner by the way guys, I just really like it!).
This is a great way to help you think more positively and really helps me feel ready for the next week. Then I spray my pillow with Lush’s Twilight sleep spray, coat my wrists and temples in lavender oil, stick on an episode of ‘sleep with me’ podcast and get my ass to sleep.
It’s tempting to stay up late on Sunday nights and put off the inevitable (i.e. Monday morning) but trust me, you’ll feel better for getting some sleep.
To make Monday morning a little more bearable, treat yourself to your favourite coffee, eat something tasty for breakfast and/or blast some feel-good tunes on your morning commute.
If you feel like every day sucks or every morning is a struggle, have a think about whether or not you need a little support. Consider if you need to change your habits, where you work or if you need to talk to someone like a counsellor.
Do you have a routine to make Sunday evenings or Monday mornings more bearable? Let me know in the comments.
In my first audio course, you’ll learn everything I know about overcoming overwhelm. With lessons on self-awareness and practical techniques to help, you’ll come away with your own overwhelm action plan
The course is hosted on Listenable, a platform with lots of audio courses to explore – you can start with a free 7 day trial and then if you decide to continue, it’s $7.50 per month.
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Love this. I will definitely be taking this advice!
Great post thanks for sharing
No problem, thanks for reading!