When you hate your job and the weekend is coming to an end Sunday evenings can be brutal. As the evening rapidly approaches the dread can be overwhelming. Or maybe you love your job or just slightly dislike it occasionally but still aren’t looking forward to Monday. The anxiety and feeling of impending dread as you approach Monday is commonly known as the Sunday Night Blues.
I HATE my job so I know this feeling all too well. If I am not careful the “Sunday Blues” can ruin most of my Sunday and cause a huge amount of anxiety and needless worrying.
If you are like me and unable to just quit your job without another one lined up (I have 2 kids and too many responsibilities to just walk away) here are some tips that may help.
Remember this too shall pass…
It can help to remember that your current job situation is not permanent. One day you will look back at this time with a smile and a sense of nostalgia. You may even wonder why you let this job get you down so much. So it is important to take a step back and put your situation in perspective.
Keep doing the best that you can, don’t beat yourself up too much for getting into this situation and keep moving forward. Keep looking for your next gig….who knows you might just land that dream job. It could be one connection, phone call or email away!
Relax before you go to bed
Take a hot bath or shower to relax your muscles and release tension. Listen to your favorite podcast, read a good book, listen to calming music or play a video game. Cuddle up with your significant other on the couch and watch a movie or mindless TV show. This will help clear your mind and help you sleep better.
Personally one my favorite ways to unwind is to soak in a hot bath with Epsom salt while listening to a fun podcast, reading an Archie comic and drinking tea.
Don’t forget to exercise
Getting your body moving and working up a sweat is a great way to burn off anxiety and increase your endorphins. This could include an intense workout at the gym or a brisk walk with the dog around the neighborhood. Just get moving!
Exercise is a antidepressant and will help you get a good night’s sleep. I have personally found that exercising is the best way to break my “worrying/anxiety loop”. It’s hard to be stressed and filled with anxiety when you are pushing yourself to do one more rep, drenched in sweat, and trying to catch your breath.
Prepare for the workweek
Carve some time out on Sunday afternoon to prepare for the workweek. Pack your lunch for Monday, do laundry, iron if needed and pick out your clothes for Monday morning. Put gas in your car and other little things that can hep give you a sense of control and readiness for the upcoming week. I also recommend doing this all at once rather than doing it in bits and pieces through out the day. Do the chores, get them out of the way, and then get back to living your life.
Practice mindfulness
Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us.
It also means to be in the present, the current moment and not focused on the past or worried about the future. I’m just beginning my journey to achieve focused mindfulness but it can be a game changer.
Don’t self medicate
Drinking a couple of beers or a few glasses of wine may seem like a good idea and a way to take the edge off but alcohol is a depressant and will make your Monday morning much worse.
Trust me on this one. As someone who has a history of drinking too much on occasion this will leave you feeling groggy on Monday morning with lower energy. You want to be mentally sharp when you get to work so avoid alcohol Sunday evening. Instead have some herbal tea. I stopped drinking and feel so much better. Trust me on this one, drinking will only make your problems worse in the long-run.
Always be looking…
If you are in a job you can’t stand it is important to always keep your resume up to date and to keep looking for the next opportunity. If you don’t like your job the last thing you want to happen is you find a job posting for that dream job and your resume is not up to date.
It is worth repeating Keep your resume up to date! You never know when you will see the next great job posting and you want to be ready. It will also make you feel good when you apply since you are taking positive actions to improve your situation. The job you love could be just around the corner so keep pushing forward!
Get lots of sleep
Try to get at least 8 hours of sleep Sunday night. It may seem counter-intuitive since you aren’t looking forward to work and will naturally want to make your Sunday last as long as possible. But you don’t want to be tired and drained of energy Monday morning. This will just make matters worse. So hit the sack early and get some well deserved rest. Let your body heal and re-energize.
Identify the root cause
Figure out what is causing your anxiety and face it head on. Maybe you are dreading a project or you dislike your boss or a specific co-worker. Remember that life is short and that you don’t want to live just for the weekend because before you know all of this will be over.
Instead believe that you can live a life where you look forward to the future and getting out of bed every morning. You deserve your best life so keep pressing towards the mark! I keep working and striving to create the life I want and believe that one day I will achieve it and you can too!
