After a fun Saturday night, Sunday morning rolls around, and a gut-churning pit of anxiety hits your stomach. That’s called the Sunday scaries. It’s like your mind knows the relaxing weekend is almost over, and you’re back to work, school, or other life activities. Sometimes, the Sunday scaries win, allowing procrastination and avoidance to prevail. Overpowering the Sunday scaries lets you take control of your life, or at least your weekend. Here’s how I conquer Sunday scaries.
Whether I stay in or go out on a Saturday night, I try to wake up before noon. If you’re having a late night, that may not be realistic, but my internal clock wakes me up by 10 a.m. at the latest. If you’re not an early riser, try to be consistent when you wake up every Sunday. I am not an instantly productive person when I wake up. Usually, I let myself bed rot for an hour or so before I jump into anything productive, as balancing your life is key.
My Sundays tend to be routine. My first priority is grocery shopping and meal prep. Meal prep is essential as a broke college student because I can’t break the bank eating out. Therefore, I buy everything for the week at three or four grocery stores. The time I spend grocery shopping is also time for me to relax. I enjoy listening to music while driving and hopping from one store to the next. In a way, it helps calm my nerves.
When I get home, I don’t wait to start meal prepping. While this took a few weeks, I’ve mastered the art of meal prepping within one to one and a half hours of grocery shopping. I find many recipes on TikTok featuring one-pot meals that I rotate throughout many weeks. This gives me peace of mind during the week because I don’t have to worry about cooking.
Next, I clean everything. Cleaning isn’t something I enjoy, but I know I’ll thank myself for it later. Having a clean room, bathroom, and kitchen cleanses my mind and gets me ready for the week. I vacuum, Swiffer, wipe down mirrors, and pick up clothes off the floor. For the rest of the week, I don’t have to waste my time cleaning when I could be doing homework instead.
When I’m done cleaning, it’s usually around 5 or 6 p.m. Depending on the week, I go to the gym or do homework. I usually go to bed around 11 p.m. on Sunday, so I don’t want to start doom-scrolling or bed-rotting now. Doing something productive or healthy keeps my routine going for a few more hours, making me feel good, whether I get a good workout or an assignment accomplished.
By 8 p.m., I’m ready to wind down. This is when the big event of the day arrives — the everything shower to prep for the monstrous week ahead. I exfoliate, wash my hair, shave, and use three different kinds of soap. This shower symbolically washes away the past week’s stress while getting me ready for the new one.
After my shower, I eat dinner and have a sweet treat. I usually splurge on a nice baked good or extra special treat when shopping for the week. This is a nice reward for getting through the week and having a productive day. I’ll pair it with a cup of sleepytime tea and a much-deserved hour of phone time, and be ready to hit the mattress.
Ultimately, the Sunday scaries are all in your head. Don’t let that feeling get to you and control your life. Instead of dreading Monday, look forward to Sunday as the start of the best week possible.
Conquer the Sunday scaries next week and win.