The Sunday scaries: Why we dread the end of our time off

Have you ever noticed a feeling of unease creeping in as your time off draws to a close? Maybe it’s a Sunday evening, or maybe your “Sunday” happens to be a Tuesday or Friday because, well, shift work. That creeping dread, tight chest, or restless mind about the week (or night shift) ahead is so common it has a cute name: the “Sunday scaries.”

Honestly, nothing refreshes me for another five days of work quite like cramming every single chore, errand, and social catch-up into 48 hours off…

Why do we get the “Sunday scaries”?

Whether your workweek starts on a Monday, Thursday, or randomly rotates every week, the anxiety before returning to work is universal, especially for people in caring or helping professions. A few reasons why the “Sunday scaries” might hit hard:

• Transition anxiety: Switching gears from downtime to “work mode” is a shock to the system, especially when your job means holding it together for others.
• Overloaded schedule: When all your life admin, batch cooking, laundry, and catching up with friends get squashed into your “weekend,” there’s hardly any actual rest.
• Unfinished business: Loose ends or lingering worries from the previous week (or shift) like to pop up just as you’re trying to relax.
• Perfectionism and responsibility: Caring a lot (sometimes too much) about doing a good job, supporting others, or “not letting anyone down” can add extra pressure to the transition.

What does Sunday anxiety feel like?

• Trouble relaxing or falling asleep as your time off ends.
• Racing thoughts about clients, patients, caseload, or inbox.
• Feeling irritable, restless, or a sense of dread as “Monday” looms - whenever that is for you.
• Struggling to be present with loved ones because your mind’s already at work.
• Physical symptoms like stomach aches, headaches, or muscle tension.

You’re not alone - And you’re not “bad at coping”

Let’s be clear: having the Sunday Scaries doesn’t mean you’re bad at your job or bad at coping. In fact, it probably means you care - sometimes so much it’s hard to switch off. Major transitions (like the end of your weekend, whenever it falls) put your brain on high alert, especially if your work is people-facing or unpredictable.

CBT-backed strategies to manage the Sunday scaries

These evidence-based techniques are just some practical first steps for managing mild to moderate pre-work dread. CBT - cognitive behavioural therapy - has been rigorously shown to help people in health and caring professions manage work-related anxiety and stress.

However, if your symptoms are persistent, severe, or affecting your daily life, consider reaching out for therapy with a mental health professional experienced in work-related stress and anxiety.

1. Notice and name your patterns (self-monitoring)

The first step in managing the Sunday Scaries is to notice when your anxiety begins. Is it after a particular activity? As the evening sets in? Try keeping a brief note on your phone, or jotting down what you’re thinking and doing as the anxiety rises.

Example:

You might realise your anxiety peaks just after dinner, when you start mentally scanning the week ahead. By naming this, you can prepare to use a coping strategy instead of slipping into autopilot avoidance (like suddenly deciding to deep-clean the bathroom or endlessly doomscroll in front of an unwatched TV).

2. Challenge catastrophic thinking (cognitive restructuring)

It’s common to imagine the worst (“This week is going to be a disaster,” or “I’ll never catch up”) and believe them to be true or certain. Instead of arguing with these thoughts, gently test them with questions like:

• “What’s the actual evidence for this?”
• “Have I felt this way before and coped?”
• “Is there anything I’m looking forward to this week, however small?”

Example:

If your mind jumps to “I’ll never get everything done,” remind yourself of times you’ve managed before, or identify one task that feels achievable and start there. Also, be aware that bad days or weeks at work happen, but they aren’t defining and will pass. If they are every day or week, it may be a sign of more significant issues in the workplace, and we need to focus on what is in your control.

3. Break tasks into manageable steps (problem-solving and behavioural activation)

A core CBT skill is breaking overwhelming tasks into smaller, actionable pieces - reducing avoidance and helping you feel more in control.

Example:

Instead of “sort out all my life admin tonight,” choose one: reply to two priority emails, or lay out your uniform for the morning. Spreading chores throughout the week, rather than saving everything for your days off, creates more space for genuine rest. Also, if you complete a small task, it’s a significant win compared to procrastinating and avoiding the mountain of tasks that seems unscalable.

4. Practise focused relaxation and grounding

When anxiety spikes, engage your body and mind with brief, structured relaxation. These are proven to help lower physiological arousal and anchor you in the present.

• Box breathing: Inhale through your nose for 4, hold for 4, exhale through your mouth for 4, hold for 4 (repeat for a few cycles). Notice your muscles relaxing with each exhale – blow the tension away each time and feel it leave your body. Anxiety is surprisingly physical – that “nervous energy” tends to be stored in your shoulders, stomach, head and elsewhere.
• Grounding: Name 5 things you see, 4 you feel, 3 you hear, 2 you smell, 1 you taste. Notice that you are here, in the present, and all of those racing “what ifs” aren’t real and can’t hurt you – no matter how scary they seem.

Example:

If you notice yourself doomscrolling or feeling tense, pause and try box breathing for two minutes, or do a “5-4-3-2-1” grounding scan of your surroundings.

These strategies are starting points - not cures. For ongoing, intense, or worsening anxiety, or if self-help isn’t shifting things, a trained therapist can provide tailored support, deeper skills, and a safe space to work through underlying causes.

If you’d like support building new habits or learning practical anxiety skills, consider reaching out to a professional. Therapy can help you reclaim your time off and approach the workweek with more ease and confidence.