March 26, 2020
If you have ever had the Sunday scaries, it probably does not surprise you to learn that the feeling is pretty universal. In fact, a recent study showed that an incredible 81 percent of workers say they experience elevated anxiety on Sunday in anticipation of Monday. Per the study, Sunday sufferers attribute the weekly stress to a poor relationship with their boss, a heavy workload, high pressure and a fear of being laid off. If you know these feelings all too well, it may be time to make some changes. Here are a few things that make Mondays suck less:
- Make Sundays Sacred — Want to wake up feeling rested and ready for anything on Monday morning? Follow this mantra: Sundays are sacred. That means that you have to treat Sundays, or if you are really busy, at least Sunday afternoons or evenings, as the exclusive time you have set aside for self-care and decompression. For a better Monday, spend Sundays:
- Saying no to social obligations. Sorry to all of you out there who love pro-football games and HBO watch parties (RIP, Game of Thrones), but you are going to have to clear your Sunday schedule if you want to wake up on Monday morning well-rested and recharged. And we hate to be a downer, but drinking on Sundays is a bad idea, so get into the habit of scheduling your bottomless brunch on Saturdays instead.
- Meal prepping. The goal of a good week is to achieve a lot without distractions, and making small decisions all day — like what to eat for breakfast and lunch — will only hog up your spare mental energy. Meal prep by cooking ahead of time, planning dinners and grocery shopping or ordering your meal kit delivery for the week.
- Groom prepping. Just as many happy and successful people prepare their meals, they also spend time preparing their grooming routines and how they look. Do some pre-week groom prep, too, like trimming your beard and cutting your fingernails.
- Doing laundry and picking outfits. Ugh, laundry. Easy enough yet consistently rated as one of the most-hated chores in America. Do it when you still have energy on the weekend rather than after work when you are totally drained. Simplify your weekday mornings by having a rough idea of what you are going to wear every day, too.
- Hiking or exercising outside. Although it is supposed to be a day of rest, Sunday should also be a day of exercise, especially if you do it outside. Why? You need the Vitamin D and fresh air to boost your mood, energy and creativity and to tire you out so you get a good night’s rest and start the week off right.
- Watching TV And Relaxing — Give yourself the day to get stuff done, but also to watch TV and nap intermittently. Packing in a ton of chores will only zap your energy and cause you to wake up Monday morning feeling like you need to call off just to get some rest.
- Spending Quality Time With Kids And Pets — If you are a parent in any capacity, of humans or otherwise, you know how heavy the guilt can be when you spend long days at work. To ease this feeling, make Sundays all about spending quality time with your kids and pets.
- Enhance The Getting-Ready Process — Have you ever noticed that if you have a new outfit or an exciting new men’s shampoo, you are a bit more amped to get up in the morning? We are not saying you should go and buy a bunch of brand-new stuff — happiness comes from within, of course — but to infuse a little joy and luxury into your getting-ready process. You can do this in a variety of ways, from upping the quality of your men’s hair products to getting into the habit of lighting an invigorating candle every morning.
- Organize Your Life — This one is not something you can do in a few hours on a Sunday night, but something that takes months or even years. Organizing your life helps ensure that everything’s in its right place so you do not wake up, get ready to go and then have to spend a half-hour searching for your keys or water bottle before you leave the house. Get in the habit of putting your keys, wallet or purse in the same place every time you get home so you are not forced to scramble. Organizing your closet can also help ensure that you pull together nice outfits each morning with fewer wrinkles.
- Make Changes At Work — If the biggest contributor to your Monday dread is your work, then it is time to consider making some life changes. We know, getting a new job is a whole lot easier said than done, but your happiness at work could quite literally be a matter of life and death. High stress levels are closely linked with a lowered immune response, which makes you more vulnerable to developing cancer and heart disease, among other serious illnesses. We are not saying you should immediately go out and get a more low-stress job, but maybe having that tough conversation with your boss or asking for a transfer could be the key to your happiness.
- Fill Your Week With Happy Plans — Part of the reason why Mondays suck so much is that they are the first day of a routine that can sometimes feel soulless and monotonous. But if you pepper in the things you love throughout your week, you will have more to look forward to and less to dread. From small things like listening to your favorite band’s new album or a new episode of your favorite podcast to bigger events, like attending a concert or a friend’s birthday dinner, it’s important to sprinkle in some joy throughout the week. Always have something to look forward to!
Make Your Life What You Want It To Be
At the end of the day, keeping the weekdays from sucking is all about making your life outside of work more enjoyable, more organized and more productive. But these things take action and require you to make a few small, measurable changes throughout the week. Once you make them, though, you will be happy you did — especially on Sunday nights!
