I find my weeks usually going like this: Monday through Thursday I buckle down for grind time, Friday and Saturday I live a little (or a lot), and then comes Sunday — I’m a little fried, a little burnt out and in desperate need of some rest. But wait, what’s that knocking at my mental door? Ah, yes. That is the sound of a week’s worth of assignments. Usually, it is accompanied by some stress, burnout and perhaps even a sprinkle of homesickness. Along with absolutely no motivation. This feeling, my friend, is what I call the Sunday Blues. I’ve been having them since my first week as a freshman. They’re perfectly normal and also perfectly beatable; so let me show you how I defeat the Sunday Blues:
Clean air for a clean body
Instead of marinating in your bed for the first two hours of the day, dip your toes into the outside world. Sunlight will wake you up and boost your serotonin. The fresh air will feel revitalizing. A morning walk or some light exercise outdoors is a guaranteed way to start your day feeling alive and motivated. It’s hard to be blue on a Sunday morning with your bare feet in the grass, instead of being holed up inside with the covers drawn.
Organize, schedule, plan
Sundays often melt away through various types of procrastination; all of a sudden, it’s seven in the evening and no solid work has been done. Before you go out on Saturday, write down everything you need to get done the next day. Order that list. Set aside time for each task. And then, when Sunday rolls around, you barely have to think about what to do. The work is laid out for you, and you can simply get cracking.
Reward Yourself And Take A Break
Sundays should not be all about work. You spend almost every day of the week completing homework, fulfilling extracurricular responsibilities and attending classes (I hope). On Sundays, carve out some time for a hobby or a self-indulgent moment. Watch a movie, or maybe read a book, but block out that time in the evening so it serves as a little reward for getting everything done in the first half of the day.
Take Preventative Action
Do you know what would really make Sundays less of a drag? If we didn’t stuff so many tasks into it! Cramming three essays, a load of laundry, an emergency Target run and three lectures’ worth of notes into one day is setting yourself up for burnout. There are probably small time-sucks throughout your week (hello, mindless TikTok scrolling!) that you can fill with these tasks, so by the time Sunday rolls around, you get a day of rest instead of catch-up. When you feel like wasting a chunk of time on a Tuesday afternoon, think about how much future you will thank yourself for getting the work done now.
Self-care, Baby!
Sunday self-care is my jam. And self-care doesn’t just mean doing face masks and lighting candles (although you should totally do those things). It can also mean scheduling your week, vacuuming your carpet and cleaning up your workspace. It can mean stretching and eating something healthy. Do things that will make you feel better, both now and in the long run. That is what self-care is, and it’s the perfect way to make sure you go into the week feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.
Beating the Sunday Blues is no easy task. Even if you’re having a great time in college, it’s completely natural to feel burnt out every now and then. You deserve a break. You deserve to watch that episode of Gilmore Girls or to have that cozy crochet evening with your roommates. Sundays don’t have to be overwhelming and depressing. When you wake up on a Sunday feeling anxious, try one of the tips listed above. See the sun. Make a plan. Reward yourself. Do some self-care. And whatever you choose, remember that the Sunday blues are absolutely beatable. You got this.