What are the Sunday scaries? 7 ways to make Monday your (almost) favorite day

Leah MessengerLeah Messenger
Jan 8, 2025

We've all been there—that feeling of dread that settles in as the weekend draws to a close. It's called the 'Sunday scaries', and here's how to fight them.

We've all been there—that looming feeling of dread that settles in as your weekend or break draws to a close. It's called the 'Sunday scaries', and it's a modern phenomenon that affects way too many of us.

You're about to find out all about the Sunday scaries, and how to fight them. 👻

What are the Sunday scaries?

Sunday scaries can feel different from person to person, but its symptoms are based on the anticipatory anxiety that builds up as you prepare to get back into work mode.

Common symptoms of the Sunday scaries include:

  • Knots in your stomach
  • Sense of dread or doom
  • Difficulty sleeping
  • Restlessness
  • Nothing but work on your mind

And the Sunday scaries aren't just exclusive to Sundays either. If your work week starts on a Tuesday, for example, these feelings of unease can kick in on a Monday night.

None of that sounds fun for (what's supposed to be) a rest day, is it?

What causes the Sunday scaries?

  • Overwork and burnout: When your mental health takes a hit due to work-related stress, it's pretty natural to feel apprehensive about returning to the office. In fact, declining mental wellbeing is often the primary driver for these pre-workweek jitters.

  • Toxic work culture: Poor team management, team dynamics, or office environment can turn even the most enthusiastic employee into someone who dreads a Monday morning. When good vibes are missing from your workplace, it's hard to see the positives about coming into work.

  • Lack of preparation: Sometimes it's as simple as feeling overwhelmed by what the week ahead holds... or might hold. Whether it's down to a calendar full of time-draining calls, an oversized to-do list, or insufficient planning time, feeling unprepared can really scupper your downtime.

  • Last week's unfinished tasks: Didn't get round to tying off those loose ends and unresolved tasks on Friday? This can cast a long shadow over your weekend, and make it really difficult to properly unwind.

  • Poor work-life balance: When work consistently encroaches on your personal time, including weekends and late nights, you miss out on the essential reset period your mind and body need. And no surprises here, but that's no good for your stress levels when the workweek begins.

  • Project scope creep: For the times when planned projects with a deadline turn into a lot more work than they were intended to be; this contributes significantly to work-life imbalance, taking up more time and energy than you have to offer.

How to make Monday your (almost) favorite day

Okay, so what can we do about these Sunday scaries? How can we make Monday our favorite day? ... or at least, how can be make Monday better? Because, let's be real; not many people actively ask for their weekend to be over.

Here are 7 ways to make your Monday better, and fight those Sunday scaries:

1

Open communication and transparency


If something isn't working for you, speak up. Having honest conversations with leadership about workload, expectations, and challenges can help address issues before they become overwhelming and lead to general or creative burnout.
2

Start your week with a plan


Block out 15 minutes every Friday to outline your Monday (or next week) priorities. This will give you peace of mind over the weekend, and a clear direction when you start your week. A lil bit of preparation goes a long way. 🤏
3

Create Monday rituals you actually enjoy


Whether it's splashing out on an overpriced lunch, blocking out focus time in your cal, or setting out rules of no high pressure meetings or demanding tasks on a Monday, create positive Monday traditions to ease the overwhelm.
4

Keep an eye on that work-life balance


Try not to let that work-life balance slip, okay? Create clear boundaries and only do it when you really have to. And yes, that means resisting the urge to check work emails or complete tasks in your downtime.
5

Have a self-care Sunday plan


Turn your sad Sundays on their heads by scheduling in self-care routines—this doesn't (necessarily) mean bulk-buying face masks and pedicure sets, and could mean making time for reading, light exercise, or just a good old-fashioned early night.
6

Focus on progress, not perfection


To reduce the amount of Sunday night overwhelm, you should change-up your mindset about that to-do list. Break down big tasks into smaller, more digestible tasks so you can tick those boxes off one-by-one throughout the day.
7

Embrace an integrated marketing approach


With an integrated marketing strategy, you have the advantage of using a team's worth of skills and knowledge to get projects over the line. This level of teamwork not only means you can do more with less as a team, and relieves some pressure as an individual when you're struggling a little.

Integrated marketing: Do more, with less stress

Did that last one sound good to you? Integrated marketing is—without a doubt—our favorite type of marketing strategy.

Why? Because it gets the best out of every member of the team, and gets results like you've never seen before. No burnout, no need for extra hiring, no begging for campaign budget. Instead, just total team alignment, the ultimate creativity, and unmatched productivity.

If your Sundays are filled with dread over another chaotic week ahead, consider how a more integrated approach to the way your team operates could bring structure and ease. When people, processes, and campaigns work in sync, the impact is greater—and work feels more focused, productive, and manageable.