Have You Been Taken Prisoner By The Sunday Scaries?
Are you currently overcome by the Sunday Scaries?
Are you now realizing, “Shoot, I AM stressing over the week ahead!”?
“Sunday Scaries” refer to that feeling of dread, stress or anxiety that you may notice creeps up like clockwork as your weekend winds down and the voices in your head reminding you that you have to start a new workweek get louder and louder.
Many leaders have become so accustomed to this phenomenon they consider it normal. In fact, according to a LinkedIn survey, “80% of Americans worry about the week ahead on Sundays.” This stat is even scarier (yes, I said it) for Gen Z and Millennial professionals, where 94% and 91% of respondents report feeling the Sunday Scaries, respectively.
If you are currently experiencing the Sunday Scaries, here are a few suggestions you can experiment with to make your evening a little more friendly:
NOTICE YOUR THOUGHTS
What are the stories your mind is creating and running through that are causing you stress? Ask yourself, “Is the level of stress I am experiencing useful, or unuseful?”
CONSCIOUSLY CHOOSE WHAT TO DO NEXT
For example, is your mind telling you that you have a packed agenda tomorrow and you therefore choose to take a look at your calendar now so you are clear about what the day will actually look like and then choose to stop ruminating over it (useful)? Or, is your mind telling you you have a packed agenda tomorrow and since this thought alone makes you anxiety ridden, you instead choose to allow the thought to continue to run in your mind and build into something that takes up a lot of brainspace which then stresses you out to the point of causing mental and physical anguish, completely ruining your evening and potentially your ability to get a good night’s sleep (not useful)?
BECOME AWARE OF YOUR PATTERNS
Are you regularly experiencing the Sunday Scaries and if so, what patterns do you notice about the stories that are causing you anxiety? For example, if you notice that every Sunday you stress out about a deliverable you have due Monday morning because you feel like you typically barely get it completed by the deadline, ask yourself if there is a step you are willing to take to reduce this trend. This could mean putting part of the report together on Friday, delegating a part of the report or speaking with your boss or client about a more sustainable deadline. Keep in mind, choosing to do nothing about it is a choice too. You are choosing to continue to invite the Sunday Scaries in each week by not making a change. Is this what you want? This is a fair question to ask yourself!
GIVE YOURSELF SOME GRACE
As you begin to notice your patterns and experiment with making changes to reduce your Sunday Scaries, you may notice that some changes are easier to implement than others. Some may be quick fixes, with others you may have less control over what needs to change and need support to make it happen, and some patterns may be the outputs of long ingrained habits that will take time to unwind. Be patient and loving with yourself as you take the necessary steps to make meaningful changes in your life.
ASK FOR HELP
You don’t need to go it alone. Find someone to talk to, whether it is a trusted friend, colleague, mentor or coach to support you along the way. As you begin to experiment with making changes, you may realize that the Sunday Scaries are pointing you to recognize something larger that you need to welcome, accept as your current reality, and address. Perhaps you begin to realize that your Sunday Scaries are a pointer to a bigger issue: that you are working for an organization that is not aligned with your values, that you are burnt out, or that you have outgrown a role that no longer brings you joy. Maybe you just feel stuck and you aren’t sure what to do next. Whatever is coming up for you, do not be afraid to seek support from those around you. You are not alone!
WHAT IS ONE STEP YOU ARE WILLING TO TAKE RIGHT NOW TO REDUCE YOUR SUNDAY SCARIES BY 1-5%?
If you’d like some support to create meaningful change in your life and say, “sayonara!” to the Sunday Scaries, schedule a complementary breakthrough session with me through this link or reach out to me at nicole@leadwithbliss.com. I look forward to helping you become the leader you have the power to be and to live the life you most want (including on Sunday nights).
Photo by Elisa Ventur on Unsplash
