You know the feeling. It often hits on Sunday afternoons, as your day starts to slip into evening. It’s that underlying sense of exhaustion—or even dread—as you realize only a few hours of your precious weekend remain. It’s less than ideal, trying to cram all of our personal responsibilities, family time, and at least a little bit of rest into a short 48-hour period. No wonder looking ahead to the new week can feel a bit daunting. Couple the traditional Monday apprehension with the new “always working” mentality many adopted during the pandemic as work from home blurred boundaries lines for many, and many find themselves mentally overwhelmed even before the work week starts.
If you find yourself struggling with a case of what I have coined as SAB (Sunday Afternoon Blues) you’re not alone. According to mental health professionals, anxiety that hits on Sundays, in anticipation of the week to come is quite common. But that doesn’t mean you’re doomed to suffer. Thankfully, with a bit of intentionality, you can maximize your weekend and reduce SAB on a consistent basis.
What Does SAB Feel Like?
If you’ve ever struggled with anxiety or depression, SAB can feel much like an acute manifestation of those types of feelings. For some, it looks more like a panic attack—increased heart-rate, sweaty palms, racing thoughts. Unmanaged, the feelings of worry often give way to more depression-like symptoms, feeling overwhelmed, discouraged, and hopeless. However, different from a generalized anxiety disorder or clinical depression, SAB is directly related to your anticipation of the week ahead, and not necessarily symptoms of other underlying issues, and they resolve once Monday arrives and you are in your rhythm for the week.
How to Beat SAB
1. Take Advantage of Friday
Sometimes it’s all you can do to stumble through the front door, drop your stuff, and collapse into your favorite spot on a Friday night after a busy week. Often the stuff you left in a pile on Friday remains there until those SAB hits and your start scrambling to pull everything together, realizing your “off-time” is rapidly coming to an end. As hard as it might be, what if you used your last bit of energy on Friday to set yourself up well for the following week? What if you ran a load or two of laundry and re-organized your bag and put it away? What if you grabbed the dry-cleaning, or signed the kids’ forms, and put the grocery order through before the weekend actually started? By taking action early, you may be able to afford yourself getting to spend two days not thinking about those things, and actually allowing your mind time to rest and reset.
2. Shift Your Mental Energy
It can sometimes be a challenge to transition from the slower (or at least less rigid) weekend routine into the demanding schedule of a typical work week. Set aside time on Sunday in the early afternoon to look over your week, note anything out of the ordinary, write your to-do lists, and connect with the key players in your life (spouse, partner, roommate, kids, etc.) about any details you need to coordinate. Taking time to plan the week—before it’s upon you—can make a huge difference in your ability to handle everything on your plate with confidence and competence. Don’t wait until the last minute when you’re already feeling the pressure and anxiety creep up; shift your energy to intentional planning and organization while you’re feeling peaceful. You might be surprised at the positive impact it has in beating SAB.
3. Institute Restful Traditions
Planning Sunday afternoon means that you can accomplish the necessary preparations for the week ahead of time and enjoy the last few hours of your weekend. As a reward and recharging opportunity, institute Sunday evening traditions such as a movie night, football game, hike or reading your favorite book. Enjoy a simple dinner or grab a healthier take-out option; maybe salmon or a salad. Minimizing the chaos and rushing around on Sunday night will allow your brain and body to enjoy the last several hours of your weekend, maximizing your down time. Getting to bed on the earlier side of things also helps to ensure adequate rest as you start the new week. Wrapping up the night with a cup of your favorite herbal tea (non-caffeinated) and soothing music might be just what you need to drift off peacefully.
4. Envision Your Week
The hard moments can become victories when you are able to meet challenges and show up as your best self. Take time on Sunday to reflect and envision how you want to respond to the situations you face in the coming days. Take note of things that are causing you worry—both the regular annoying things, as well as anything out of the ordinary that may be causing stress. Create a mental picture of those scenes and walk through how you want to respond, what you say, and the energy that you bring to the situation. Often people are skeptical about this practice. I like to remind recommend watching the top NFL Quarterbacks during a game. When the Quarterback is not in the game, you will usually find him on the sidelines either watching a tablet of what has happened to envision other options of what could happen or running drills envisioning various scenarios when he’s back in the game. High Performers envision. While this certainly won’t eliminate the difficult parts of your week, it can reduce your feelings of dread, while also allowing those moments to become opportunities for success and growth.
5. Plan for a Monday Pick-Me-Up
It’s always easier to do something difficult when it’s paired with something you’re looking forward to. Take time to plan ahead for the first day of the week and include something enjoyable. Maybe it’s saving the newest episode of your favorite podcast for your drive to work, setting out a favorite outfit, or planning to stop by your favorite coffee. You could plan to do your favorite type of workout on Monday as another option. Whatever you choose, just make sure it’s something that brings enough positive anticipation to help balance your thoughts and mood.
Still Struggling?
If you continue to experience the SAB, or notice your symptoms of anxiety or depression growing worse, despite making positive changes in your routine, it might be time to seek professional help. Whether there is something bigger going on internally that you need support in handling, or you need to consider other lifestyle changes, a qualified mental health professional or High Performance Coach will be able to help you. SAB doesn’t need to be a permanent part of your weekly routine. Take steps today to end your weekends on a happier note!