How To Deal With Sunday Scaries and Anxiety
Jun 14, 2022
Each weekend, do you find that the closer it gets to Monday, the more your anxiety grows? You might have a bad case of the Sunday Scaries. These are usually anxious thoughts and intense worry about the school week ahead that can sour your mood and spoil the last day of your weekend.
Here’s the good news: It doesn’t have to be that way. There are coping mechanisms you can use to shake off your anxiety so that you can actually enjoy your full weekend instead of spending almost half of it feeling blue or panicked. Check out these four tips to get your anxiety under control.
Get Ready For Monday
You might have a pit in your stomach come Sunday for the simple reason that you’re not prepared for Monday or the week ahead. So, the easy solution is to make sure you are. Set up a home study space and put it to good use. Break up your assignments and studying over Saturday and Sunday so that you’re not trying to do everything in one day—which can make Sunday feel less like part of the weekend and more like another day at school. Avoid doing any work on Sunday night, as that can increase your stress going into the week. Also, carve out half an hour in the evening to make sure your Right Pack and Lunch Break are packed and ready to go so that you have less to do and worry about in the morning.
Let It Out
When you’re feeling anxious, it can help to share what’s bothering you. Try talking with a friend or a family member. Even the simple act of writing down your worries can rein them in. Make a list or try journaling; putting your thoughts down on paper can help you break the cycle of turning them over endlessly in your mind. Once you have them down on paper, try thinking through a solution for each thing that’s bothering you and making a plan for the worst case scenario.
Whether you’re speaking with someone or writing your thoughts down, think of doing so as your designated worry time. That way, when you start to feel anxious, you can hit pause on those thoughts by remembering that you have a specific time to address them.
Do Something Fun
Sometimes you just need a distraction. Make it a point to do something fun on Sundays, whether that’s hanging out with a friend, going somewhere new, or setting aside some time for your favorite hobby or self-care. Knowing that you’ve got something to look forward to on Sunday will not only help you start your homework earlier—since you’ll have less time on Sunday to work on it, but also will help transform any dread into anticipation.
If doing something fun takes you out of the house, don’t forget to bring your Pakalong with your sanitation gear.
Sweat It Out
Working up a sweat is a great way to refocus your mind. After all, it’s hard to worry about the future when you’re concentrating hard on doing something in the present. What’s more, exercise helps you release all that pent up nervous energy, plus a few endorphins to boot. Regular exercise can also contribute to better sleep—another thing which can go a long way towards helping you feel less anxious.
Afterwards, give yourself time to relax. You can use one of these 6 apps to help you begin your meditation practice. Not into meditation? Take a bubble bath, listen to a record, or engage in another low-key activity so that you can lean into this feeling of calm before the busy week begins.
How do you combat anxiety? We want to know! Share your tips and tag us on social media with #LifeUnzipped.
