Conquer the Sunday Scaries
Do you get that feeling of dread on a Sunday before the new working week starts?
Have you ever had that sinking feeling on a Sunday afternoon (or maybe even morning), when you realise that it’s not long until the working week starts again? Do you find that you waste Sundays worrying about what you have to get done in the coming week? You’re not alone - you’ve got the Sunday Scaries.
At Do Good Jobs, we don’t often get the Sunday Scaries. Except perhaps if we’ve been reading news stories about recessions and job cuts! That’s because:
We’re a remote-first team, so we’re able to work from home (or wherever suits us best)
We’re flexible. If you want to start early on Monday morning to get a jumpstart on the week, you can. But if you’re a little slow at the beginning of the week, you can start a bit later and ease in.
We do regular check-ins. On Monday, we do a quick online check-in. This helps us know what’s planned and whether anything outside of work will impact our capacity that week. Then, during the week, we have a team catch-up to discuss any issues that have cropped up and longer-term plans.
While it might not be possible to banish the Sunday Scaries completely, there are lots of things you can do to reduce them. Plus, they’ll help to improve well-being in general.
Dealing with the Sunday Scaries
As an individual, you can try…
🗓️ Planning the week before you finish work on a Friday. That way, you know what you need to do and can go into the week with a clearer head.
⏰ Talking to your boss about the possibility of flexible working to help you get other things done or have extra time to rest. This can help make weekends feel less packed with tasks.
😎 Creating a calming Sunday ritual for yourself. Spend Sunday afternoon doing something that you love. Take a walk, meet up with friends or take some time for a hobby. That helps you associate Sundays with something fun rather than just thinking about work.
📵 Committing to not answering work emails or phone calls over a weekend. If needs be put on an out-of-office message so people know you won't be replying, and turn off your notifications to reduce distractions.
☕️ Booking yourself a Monday treat. Make going to work on Monday more fun by picking up your favourite coffee on the way or scheduling a lunch date with a friend. This gives you something to look forward to.
If you lead a team, you can…
📵 Implement a no-contact policy for evenings and weekends and ensure staff are not expected to check their emails outside of work hours. This leaves them free to enjoy their weekend and recharge.
🏠 Look at whether your team can work from home or start later on Mondays if that helps them get into the swing of the work week. Looking at ways you can be flexible in working generally, such as a hybrid home and office working model or early finishes on Fridays, can also help to reduce anxiety about work and improve wellbeing.
📊 Consider whether you can make Mondays meeting free. This leaves your team with space to plan their week, catch up on regular tasks and pick up anything left over from the week before.
🗓️ On Friday afternoons, give your team time to set aside for planning the following week. This can help everyone know exactly what they are doing when they come in on Monday and provide a chance for people to highlight any potential stumbling blocks or need for assistance before they finish for the week.
🧁 Start Mondays with an in-office treat to give your team something to look forward to. If you have remote workers, make sure this is something that can include them too!
✋ Check in regularly with your team to make sure their workload is within capacity and that they aren't struggling with obstacles. Encourage open communication so staff feel comfortable raising issues.
🤗 Recognise that if one of the team turns up less than ready for work on Monday, it might be a personal issue that is causing them stress rather than work. Give them the chance to talk about it if they want and see if there’s anything you can do to help.
Do you do anything to reduce your Sunday Scaries? Tell us your best tip in the comments.