Sunday Blues
With school back in session, and work never ending, the post-summer Sunday Blues are sure to hit hard this September. Our lives now filled with projects, homework, early mornings, running to all the afternoon activities, even on your precious weekends, that makes time fly by all too fast. The hustle and bustle of life can create some serious Sunday Blues, and while some of you may know exactly what I’m talking about, for those who do not, I will explain this phenomenon further.
The “Sunday Blues” is that feeling of “where did my weekend go?” and dread for the upcoming week at some point on Sunday. Some may experience this right when they wake up or not until later when the day starts to come to a close. Sometimes the Sunday Blues are caused by feeling burnt out with trying to balance work and being a human with certain constant needs. We get ready for work or school, actually work, come home from work/school, then have all of the basic human hygiene activities to do, i.e., eating, showering, cleaning up, getting ready for the next day, spending time with loved ones, recharging, and finally getting enough rest. If you have poor time management in general or, more so due to feeling overwhelmed, task paralysis, a love for procrastination, or just life’s daily distractions that can come up, the Sunday Blues may hit you harder as everything comes to a head. Our thought processes can also make or break our Sundays.
So, what do we do about this? We can work on better time management for one by spacing out tasks that need done throughout the week and weekend so you don’t dread doing things at the last minute just before having to start your hectic work week. You can share the tasks with siblings or children so everyone pitches in on the workload. Also, you can “fill your cup” by doing relaxing activities (e.g., watching television or reading), self-care (e.g., skin care or taking a bubble bath), simple things on your list to get done before the week (e.g., finally put those folded clothes or clean dishes away), and be around the people and things that bring you joy. Similarly, other actions to try would be to fill your Sundays with new and current hobbies as well as quality time with friends or family. This can help keep your mind off of the upcoming week and help you stay present in the moment of it just being a Sunday. You can also spend time planning your week followed by exciting plans for after work or the following weekend to give you something positive to think about. If your mind wanders to all of the stressful events the upcoming week holds, remind yourself to stay present, as your anxiety will not change all the potential stressful events or prevent them from happening (if you even have a stressful week in the first place!) If you find yourself constantly struggling with this feeling of dread, on Sundays or at other times, it can be helpful to reach out to a professional for some assistance. Call Peninsula Child and Family Services today to get started on working towards a life with less dread!
- Ciera Canaday, LCSW
Clinical Director and Psychotherapist
Weekend Enthusiast