I recently came across a study that concluded that 76% of Americans deal with an increased amount of anxiety on Sunday night concerning the impending arrival of Monday and the beginning of the workweek. While it may be called Sunday Night Stress, Sunday Night Blues, or even the Sunday Scaries, whatever it’s called it seems to be having an effect. Personally, I do fine Sunday night, it is at whatever point that I wake up on Monday morning do I feel the stress of “all the things” that need to be done to begin the week. This feeling abates little by little as I accomplish those things and usually by mid-afternoon I can take a deep breath and begin to feel normal again.
Practically speaking what can be done to mitigate or eliminate Sunday Night Stress altogether? Proper planning throughout the week may help. If you aren’t procrastinating or putting things off through the week it will definitely reduce the amount of stress on Monday morning. I’ve found that if I do certain tasks at the end of each work, day in preparation, it makes the next morning go much more smoothly. Having a proper perspective may also help. There may seasons in your work where you know they are going to be busier or more stressful by their nature. Learning the cycles of your business will help you prepare your mindset to know “it won’t be like this forever, just for now.” Also, it may be that there are stressful aspects to your job that are unavoidable. Having a proper perspective means that you learn to accept those things that you simply cannot change. Finally, might I suggest persistent prayer. There is a verse in the Bible which encourages us to “not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Phil. 4:6 ESV). There is a calm assurance that awaits those who can offload the stress and anxiety to One who is a little more capable of carrying it.