Start fresh: 4 tips to help ease Monday-morning anxiety
You’re enjoying a quiet Sunday evening at home when suddenly it hits you: Tomorrow, you have to go to work.
That feeling of dread may be all too familiar to some. The stress you thought you had escaped from on Friday evening is re-emerging as the dreaded beast known only as “Monday morning.”
But what some may call a simple “case of the Mondays,” experts say is actually a very real emotional and mental phenomenon that is compounded by uncertain economic times and weak job security. When Sunday night approaches, the fun and relaxed atmosphere of the weekend becomes a faint memory job experts say a mere 15 minutes of “me time” can help bridge the gap between Sunday and Monday.
Most often, it’s the stress of thinking about work — what should have been done last week, what needs to be done this week — that causes such anxiety, which is similar to the feelings we all had in high school and college. Stress is caused by the lack of proactive planning, especially when employees feel that they have too much to do and not enough time to do it.
To relieve Sunday night stress, consider the following tips:
1. Get organized: Take a few moments over the weekend to plan ahead. Carve out a consistent time over the weekend to prepare, organize and review the calendar of the new week. Consider what your responsibilities will be as well.
2. Look ahead. Review what you’ve accomplished and what still needs to be done before leaving for the weekend. This saves time on Monday morning trying to remember what you still need to do.
3. Manage your time: Manage your moments better during the week so the following week is more productive. Most people are disorganized. As a result, they waste time reacting to things. Set aside some time not just on Sunday but on the previous Friday to get yourself set for Monday morning.
4. Embrace your downtime: You may be wasting precious time during the workweek. Take a good look at how you spend your days to determine if and where you can make improvements.