We’ve all been there — 8 p.m. on Sunday night, and you’re just sitting on the couch with the weight of the impending week on your shoulders. You could have sworn that five minutes ago it was still the weekend, and now you’re just watching the last precious few hours of freedom slip away. You’re spending so much time thinking about how to effectively use them, and before you know it is 9:30 and you’re confronted with all of the homework you need to do. It happens to the best of us, however, there are some things I’ve picked up on to help avoid the dread that can come with the last day of the weekend.
1. Finish your homework earlier in the week
Sundays can be hard enough as is, and I know that this is easier said than done, but I promise that getting your work done ahead of time helps. If you can go into your Sunday without the anxiety of work that needs to be done immediately, that’s one more thing that’s off your plate and can help you enjoy your last day of freedom a little more.
2. Hit the gym
Elle Woods hasn’t led me astray this far in my life. If you can get past that initial hurdle and get the blood pumping, exercising a little can help you get some energy out and feel productive afterward.
3. Spend time with other people
It’s so much easier to spiral with anxiety when you’re alone with your thoughts, so try to socialize just a bit — it can be as little as sitting out with your roommate(s) instead of holing up in your room alone, or you can invite a few friends over or out to dinner. Just talking to other people and doing something else can help you get out of your own head.
4. Do some chores
Make your bed, wash those pans that have been “soaking” in your sink for the past few days, do some laundry. Doing something productive with your time will help alleviate some of those nagging thoughts of “I’m wasting my time!” or “It’s already 9:00, and I haven’t done anything!”
5. Set aside something to look forward to
You could set aside some time to catch up on some Netflix, make dinner plans with a friend or just plan to take a nice long shower (you know the kind I’m talking about — hair mask, shaving everything, the whole ordeal). Just setting up something that you can be excited about will brighten your day and help you reconcile the ickiest day of the week.
6. Limit screen time
Finally, it can definitely be hard, but try to limit time on your phone and laptop; this is also a lot easier if you get your homework done ahead of time, or if you’re spending time with your friends. Falling down YouTube rabbit holes won’t help that unhappy feeling that’s pulling at the back of your mind — it can help to separate yourself and take some breaks from your screen.
Sundays creep up on all of us, and to some degree, the Sunday Scaries can be inevitable. However, it doesn’t have to ruin your day, and there are things that you can do to keep busy, feel productive and enjoy the last of your weekend!