If you work a Monday through Friday job, chances are you've experienced the dread of Sunday night creeping up on you. This can especially happen during the summer when it's still light out at 8 p.m. but your brain insists that it's bedtime and that tomorrow morning is going to arrive way too quickly. But fear not, friends! With a little preparation and some self-care this Sunday night, you can give your week ahead (and your work week) the kickstart it deserves.
Take a look my favorite ways to avoid the Sunday scaries with self care:
1. Go to bed earlier
This is a no-brainer. If you're having trouble sleeping, the right amount of sleep will help you bounce back and be more alert the next day. It's also important for your health: getting enough sleep can reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and depression.
The best way to get enough sleep is by going to bed earlier so that you can wake up refreshed in the morning. You'll have time for self care!
2. Take time to unplug
If you're anything like me, the idea of taking a full day off from social media has always seemed impossible. But I've recently learned that it's not only possible, it's necessary for your sanity!
Here are some tips for how to avoid the temptation:
Turn off your ringer. If someone needs to contact you urgently, they will find another way (text or email). You can set up an auto-reply so people know what’s going on and when they can expect a reply from you—I do this with my phone number every weekend, since I know there will be plenty of messages waiting for me Monday morning at work.
Get an actual alarm clock if necessary. Some people only use their phones as an alarm clock but even if yours does have this feature built in, set up two alarms: one on your phone and one with all the bells and whistles so that you can still wake up without checking any notifications first thing in the morning (it's much less tempting).
3. Go outside
If you live in a place that has any sort of climate, you can get outside on Sundays. If your city is cold, go for a walk and keep moving until your breath steams. If it’s raining, take a long shower and then head out into the rain; if there’s snow on the ground, try making snow angels or building a snowman with sticks from the forest.
If you live somewhere very hot where going outside is not an option because of heatstroke risk (this does happen), then consider going inside instead: crank up the AC, turn off all lights except one lamp by your bedside table so it feels like nighttime even though you're indoors—and then lie down on top of all blankets piled high against the wall under which we've hidden our emergency supplies just in case this happens again. We don't want anyone getting hurt while they sleep!
4. Meal prep
Meal prep is a great way to save time, money and stress. It's also something you can do on your own or with friends.
Meal prep usually involves preparing meals for the week ahead. The goal is that you'll have healthy food on hand to eat during the week when you're too busy at work or don't have time to cook. Whether you choose to meal prep on Sunday or any other day of the week, it's important that you include self care as part of this process because cooking can be stressful!
5. Practice gratitude
Gratitude is something that's often misunderstood. "Gratitude" doesn't mean you're grateful for what you have, it means being aware of how lucky you are to have what you do. So instead of constantly wishing for more or feeling like you don't deserve what little success you've achieved, think about all the things in your life that bring joy and fulfillment.
Practice gratitude daily by writing down three things: three reasons why today was good, three times this week when someone did something nice for me (even if it was just holding a door open), and anything else that made my day better than usual.
Talk with family members or friends about their successes—and then write down some goals they'd like to accomplish over the next few months or years so they know they can achieve them!
Plan a fun activity with another person(s). It doesn't have to be expensive; going on hikes together works great as well as watching cheesy movies together while eating snacks (bonus points if those snacks involve chocolate). If there's not much going on in town this weekend but all four of us still want an excuse to get out of the house and spend some quality time together—we'll find one! Some ideas include visiting nearby museums/galleries/museums where there will probably be free admission due date night!
The Sunday scaries are a feeling of dread and anxiety that can come over you on the last night of the weekend. They're often caused by your brain's response to being disconnected from work for days and then suddenly having to focus on it again. The last few hours before Monday morning can feel like a countdown until your brain is back in "work mode," which causes stress and anxiety.
The best way to avoid the Sunday scaries is by practicing self care on Sundays. Self care doesn't have to mean sleeping in or going for a long run; it just means taking time for yourself so that you're at your best when you need to be at work (or school). For example, some people like taking baths with candles and bath bombs when they know they have another busy week ahead of them! Others prefer reading a book or watching their favorite TV show—whatever helps calm them down after their weekend break!
Another great way to get ready for the week ahead is by planning out what tasks need done first thing Monday morning so that nothing slips through the cracks during rush hour traffic. While this may seem like an overwhelming task at times, creating lists keeps things organized in advance so they don't get forgotten while hustling around town running errands between meetings all day long (or whatever else happens during regular business hours).
Remember, the important thing to keep in mind when it comes to avoiding the Sunday scaries is that you’re probably not alone. In fact, you might be surprised by how many people feel similarly overwhelmed on Sunday nights and don’t quite know what to do about it. The simplest answer is just to take a little time for yourself and get started on your plan for the week ahead, even if that means taking a few deep breaths right now or doing some yoga before bed tonight. You don’t have to be perfect, but try your best—and remember that there are always ways you can make things easier!
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