Sunday Sacries: A Sign That Something Isn’t Quite Right

Sundays, a day that is commonly known for being the quiet day, the day of rest, the day of peace.

For me, Sundays used to be one of the worst days of the week. From the moment I woke up until the moment I fell asleep, I wasn’t quite myself.

Slightly moody, a bit on edge, irritable and anxious. I had Sunday scaries.

Sunday scaries are a feeling of dread you get for the week ahead, it’s the anticipation of the working week.

Many people experience Sunday scaries as a consequence of a stressful working environment, and it’s their body and mind's way of preparing to deal with that stress. 

I had them, but I wasn't stressed, I didn't leave my job and think about my job. The moment I clocked out, I simultaneously clocked out mentally. And not in a “push it under the rug” type of way. My job was boring and unimportant, with literally no stress.

No deadlines. No stressful tasks. No external pressures.

For me, it was more of a lack of freedom, I was subconsciously reacting to leaving my own schedule and heading back into one that was set for me. The biggest thing I disliked about that job was how little freedom I had.

Breaks were short and strict, toilet breaks were noticed, talking to colleagues was forbidden, clothing was non-optional and feeling like a human being was left at the front door.

Regardless of why we get them, the truth is, we shouldn’t. They’re signs that something is wrong and that should never be ignored or accepted. 

It isn’t a natural consequence of having to work. I work now, and yet Sunday scaries are nowhere to be seen.

If you're getting them, it means you’re reacting negatively to what’s coming in the working week, but the working week is 70% of your life. 70% of your entire life is something that causes a fear response in you. Your entire life is something you dread.

Identifying why you’re getting them can help you understand which elements of your working life need addressing, but I can’t help you with that. Why you’re getting them is subjective, it’s all about you and what you don’t like about your job, of which I know neither.

But what I can say is that uncovering this reason, and then working as hard as you can to change it, is your very next move.

If you’re reading this because you get Sunday scaries and there’s something you want to take from this, it’s: Sunday scaries are NOT normal. Figure them out, work hard, and keep working until 5 of your 7 days a week no longer scares you. It’s the bare minimum.