Do you ever want to throw things at the television when you hear the 60 Minutes clock ticking at 6pm on Sundays? It’s taunting us, isn’t it? “You’ve.Wasted.The.Whole.Weekend.”, “The.Party’s.Over.”, “No.More.Fun.” No? Just me? How about obsessively checking emails on Sunday evenings or having trouble getting to sleep?

I’ve absolutely been there.

When I was young, I suffered from the Sunday Scaries & had no idea what was going on. I just knew I was unhappy & a little scared. One year my parents were in a seasonal bowling league on Sunday nights. That schedule change & a medical drama (anyone remember Trapper John MD?), threw me for a tailspin every week*. My poor sister had to try to figure out how to handle me which, at times, meant calling my parents home early.

Over the years, I’ve managed to figure out the problem & handle things a little more like a big girl. Which is good because my parents live 700 miles away. Here are a few of the cures that I’ve found most helpful:

1. Do something calming: Set up a routine for Sunday nights like a nice bath or reading a good, non-work-related book with a great smelling candle.

2. Go for a walk: The mental benefits of exercise are well-documented & for good reason. While it’s not impossible, it’s much harder to stay upset after having gotten your body moving & feeling that good-tired feeling.

3. Make a high-level plan for the week: If the feeling of being unprepared tends to be the culprit for you, set yourself a timer for 10-15 minutes & plan out your top 3-4 priorities for the upcoming week. For those of us who love to cross things off lists, this exercise can check multiple boxes (pun intended).

4. Work on that positive mindset: Think of about something that you can look forward to on Monday & spend a little time expanding that thought. Maybe you have a meeting with a co-worker that, now that you think about it, has had some interesting ideas on how to make budgeting less painful (who is this person & where do I find them?). Now picture how you can put that meeting to good use by asking some good questions & learning how that person thinks. Wow, are you getting yourself excited to get to work tomorrow??

5. Get yourself to bed early: I never thought I’d see the day that I would be happily trotting myself up the stairs to my bedroom at night, but it is now one of my favorite ways to ease Sunday night anxiety. There’s nothing better than a really good night’s sleep to guarantee a good morning.

6. Think about your career choice: This is a bit more challenging than the others but working through your feelings about your career, and determining whether it plays to your strengths & passions could be the ultimate cure. Looking forward to your job the next day because you feel fulfilled & enjoy it so much could turn Sunday nights into your favorite part of the week. Too much? Possibly. But what if??  

To take advantage of a free consultation call to find out more about how I’ll help you barely even flinch when you hear “I’m Leslie Stahl, and this is 60 Minutes”, just click the button at the top to book a call.