Beating the "Sunday Night Blues.."
One of the worst feelings is the moment you realize that it is 5:00 PM on a Sunday evening and your weekend is all but officially over. The fun of your free days off is over, and Monday is fast approaching with all of its responsibilities and obligations. According to a recent poll by Monster.com, 76% of Americans say they have experience having “really bad” Sunday night blues. Sunday Night Blues is loosely defined as the feeling of sadness or depression that someone feels on Sunday when they realize that they only have one night before the return to their workweek.
It can be so easy to just bury yourself in your couch and feel bad for yourself. We are all guilty of this. However, completely wasting the last few hours of your day off doesn't make you feel any better about returning to work. So, you may as well fill you day from morning to evening with people and activities that bring you joy and happiness.
Schedule some self-care
I am all about the self care. Taking the time out for yourself to care for your mind, body, and soul should be a priority for everyone and I will always advocate for that. Sundays are a great day to dive into some intentional self care of your choice. You can check out some self care ideas here
Go to “church”
Spending all day Sunday at church was a major part of my childhood growing up. We would have Sunday school in the mornings, regular service, then lunch, and then sometimes even an evening service that kept us there until 7 or 8 at night. Today, I don’t really attend church very often ...at all. However I do love watching church services online from ministers like Steven Furtick at Elevation Church, or just watching inspirational and educational Ted Talks or Super Soul Sunday videos with Oprah. The point is to feed your soul and inspire you for your upcoming week.
Call home
Sundays are often seen as days to connect with family. Even if you are on the other side of the country from your friends and family, like I am, you can create a routine of connection by planning phone and facetime dates with family every Sunday. By doing this you can actively work to stay connected and engaged with the people you love.
Get out of the house
It’s tempting to stay in all day on Sunday binge watching Hulu and binge eating absolutely everything in sight. I am definitely guilty of spend many Sundays this way. However, on days that I do this I ending up feeling worse about myself because I have wasted my entire day doing nothing. Getting out of the house and doing things allows you to enjoy your day without feeling the dread that you have to go to bed in just a few hours.
Schedule you weekly plans
Planning a lunch date with a friend or a date night with your partner can give you something positive to look forward to for the week ahead. Look at your planner and see what you have time to schedule and who you would like to spend that time with.
There are so many ways to combat the Sunday Scaries you just need to choose which avenue is the best for you. The goal is to just do SOMETHING so that you do not ideally sit by and allow yourself to fall into a depression. Sundays are for joy and reflection so plan your day accordingly.