I was listening on the radio this (Monday) morning as I was driving to work and new studies have shown Sunday night anxiety has dramatically over this past year. Now I am sure many of you will know that feeling…come 4pm on a Sunday the feeling of sadness starts to kick in when the weekend is over and Monday morning is fast approaching! Monday morning fear about the unknown of the upcoming week in a stressful job or a boss that goes out of their way to make people upset, mixed with less sleep and a glass or wine or two can leaving you feeling pretty unsettled.
Now for most of us, we have had a job or two in the past. Some maybe we liked and some we didn’t. I have certainly been through both ends of this and I have been lucky enough to have some jobs I have absolutely loooooved…especially my job now!!! But I have certainly had some jobs that have given me that Sunday night anxiety. In fact, I still can't drive past my old office without feeling that pit in the bottom of my stomach and I haven’t stepped foot through the door in nearly 4 years!
I honestly believe over the last couple of years and with the current financial crisis, anxiety as a whole is on the rise. But with many people feeling like that have to take on work that they perhaps didn’t want to, or feeling more confined to their current jobs, for the sake of being able to pay their bills this winter, Sunday night anxiety is becoming more difficult.
So what to do when Monday morning is suddenly looming and that fear and anxiety start to hit you fast??
Set yourself boundaries: Work emails are for Mondays – NOT Sundays. Don’t let yourself get sucked into reading your emails and trying to get ahead of yourself and focussing on the week ahead. Let yourself have your Sunday evening. Have a bath, read a book and spent some time relaxing! When you are at home, be at home, be present and enjoy YOUR time. Going for a walk, a run or even a swim can not only help you to relax but also to eliminate some of the excess adrenaline caused by anxiety and can help leave you feeling calmer and get a better nights sleep too!
Brain dump: If you are finding yourself really worried, make a list of all your worries. Get them down on paper, out of your mind and into black and white. Looking at things in front of you, as opposed to whirling around you mind can give you such a different perspective. If you need to go back to them in the morning, you can but hopefully after a good nights sleep you will feel happy enough not to need to go back to them!
Challenge the imaginary outcomes: So much anxiety is caused by focussing on a negative outcome in your mind. The truth is you don’t know what the outcome will be. So if you have a negative outcome in your mind, you need to at least balance that out with the positive outcome. I want you then to think about the likely case…more often than not, the like case scenario is closer to the best case then the worst case. Imagine yourself getting into work feeling good, being able to handle any challenges that come your way and having a great week at work. The chances are anything you are worrying about on a Sunday night – will have a positive outcome Monday morning!
Finally remember Sunday are yours....enjoy them however you want to enjoy them.
Speak soon
Lauren xx
If you are struggling with anxiety of any kind, feel free to get in touch to see just how hypnotherapy or mindset coaching can help you move forward in a positive way! You can book a free consultation below:
