11 Tips For When Sunday Night Rolls Around And You're Like, "WHY GOD"

Sundays don't have to suck.

You know how on Saturday you're like, "HUZZAH! THE SWEET TASTE OF FREEDOM!" and then Sunday night rolls around and you're like, "Death is but a door, time is but a window"?

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Well, whether you call those feelings the "Sunday Scaries" or "Sunday dread" or just straight-up anxiety, there are ways to soothe your stress and sadness as Monday approaches.

Here are some suggestions from Reddit, Quora, a couple of my coworkers, and yours truly:

1. Call your person.

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For the longest time, I've used Sunday as my Day To Call People. I pretty much always talk to my parents on Sunday to catch up on how our week went and maybe talk through anything I need advice on, which always grounds me before diving into whatever fresh hells Monday has in store. Reflecting on how things are going in your life, getting any emotional support you need, and having a laugh with whomever you consider ~your person~ should help you break out of your Sunday-night funk.

2. Have Sunday-night dinner with your crew.

FOX

"When we can, my sisters and I eat dinner together on Sunday nights, which is delicious and a great way to catch up with them after a long week and weekend. Plus, it forces me to get all of the bad stuff (cleaning, picking out work clothes, etc.) done earlier in the day so that I can just focus on having a lovely night at dinner and forget what the next day is." —Terri Pous

3. Plan a Monday-morning breakfast you can look forward to — whether that's your favorite Starbucks drink or a fluffy stack of pancakes.

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"If I know I have a filling and balanced meal planned, I honestly look forward to it before I go to bed. For others, it may be a specific Starbucks coffee, or a bowl of awesome cereal, or chocolate chip pancakes, but whatever it is, if you can get excited enough about it, it will work." —larz27

4. Do your chores on Friday night instead of leaving all that work for Sunday.

20th Century Fox

"Cleaning on Friday nights may feel weird at first, but it just makes so much sense. After a long week of doing things like wearing a bra and sitting in traffic and debating whether to end a work email with a period or an exclamation point, the last thing I want to do is put on heels or mascara or a smile. But I can put on soft pants, a Beyoncé playlist, and my favorite cleaning gloves, and give my future self the gift of a clean, cozy apartment and a weekend that is free of chores and full of possibilities." —Rachel Wilkerson Miller

5. Write down in detail what you'd like to accomplish in the week ahead.

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"Set goals and list the steps you'll have to take to achieve them." —d4z8jtc

6. Make sure you have something fun planned for the week ahead too, no matter how small.

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If your week solely consists of commuting, working, and commuting again, you'll be on a train straight to Agitation Station on Sundays. Give yourself a lil' pick-me-up during your week, which could be anything from grabbing drinks with friends to marathoning your favorite movies. For me, I look forward to my nightly ritual of lighting a candle, making tea, and watching The Great British Baking Show on Netflix like the grandpa that I truly am inside.

7. Move your body.

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Exercise is known to improve symptoms of anxiety, so when that Sunday dread sets in, move 👏 your 👏 body 👏 — whether that means going to the gym, practicing yoga, or taking a stroll or ride around your neighborhood. Getting your blood flowing and breathing some fresh(ish) air is a tried and true way to feel a little bit better about the state of things.

8. Rearrange, reorganize, or redecorate.

NBC

"I like to rearrange my closet or my shoe racks, redecorate a corner of my house, or compile my folders on my laptop. After doing one of those things on Sunday afternoon, I feel a sense of relief and accomplishment. I don't know why, but I feel like I just solved a huge problem, and I feel good every time. With that kind of mood, I am ready for anything, including Monday." —Mary Manafe

9. Decide on an outfit for Monday that'll make you feel totally fab.

The CW

"Use Monday as your 'wearing' day when you show off your favorite outfit. This can help build your confidence at the workplace and might get you a few compliments from your peers. When you feel good about yourself, you've won half the battle." —Yen Tran

10. Climb into bed early.

Disney

"Don’t get into the habit of leaving work for late Sunday night, which is guaranteed to negatively impact the quality of your sleep. Instead, set a bedtime alarm to go off 30 minutes before you need to sleep. Then, get away from TV and your computer, and do something different to unwind. For example, listen to a podcast, read a book, have a conversation with a close friend or roommate, or write in your journal." —Nela Canovic

11. And if your feelings of dread are really consuming you on the weekend, it might be time to take them more seriously.

Comedy Central

If the Sunday Scaries are consistently ruining your weekends or causing symptoms of anxiety and depression that can't be managed with the tips on this list, you might want to consider talking to a professional.

You got this!

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