After this holiday break, I was talking to a lot of friends about how anxiety-ridden they were to get back to work. This time, it wasn’t technically on a Sunday, but it was definitely the Sunday Scaries nonetheless. This time of year brings on a lot of added pressure. We’ve established our goals for 2020, but diving back in or starting to tackle them brings out a whole new wave of stress.
In general, you don’t even necessarily have to dislike Mondays or dislike your job to feel the anxiety set in. I love what I do and I love the fresh start a Monday brings, but I still struggle. My entire to-do list runs through my head come Sunday evening and has often lead to a restless mind and therefore restless sleep. Sometimes these feelings pop-up and feel totally out of our control. And while there’s no true cure for the Sunday Scaries, there’s quite a few things I do to properly wind down in the evening. Acknowledging these feelings and taking action to feel better is the first step.
So excited to partner with my friend Lisa, from @adventuresandanxiety. Lisa is an expert in sharing really incredible tips on battling anxiety, so today, we’ve teamed up to share our tips to reset, get organized, find mental clarity, and a state a calm when the scaries hit. Check out her blog for some of her personal anecdotes and suggestions!
We encourage you to read through this list that we’ve cultivated together, while also sharing our own personal journeys, in the hopes that some of these steps help alleviate any anxiety you experience. I also want to note that we are not health professionals, but hope our experience can We are here for you, we get you, and we want to help you have a more productive, blissful week!
OUR TIPS
1. Take time to breathe and reset. When the feelings of doom begin to creep in, it’s important to feel it…then allow yourself a moment to step away from your environment and practice some deep breaths.
After you calm your mind and re-center, try to define what exactly is making you feel this way. Is it a Monday morning meeting at work? Is it all of the laundry you still need to do? Whatever it may be, talk it out with someone, write down what you need to do to alleviate some feelings of pressure, and go from there. And remember – take things one at a time.
2. Disconnect. We both agree that social media can be super toxic. Sometimes, seeing others’ productivity makes you feel like you’re not doing enough. It’s also difficult to wind down when Blue light is shining in your face. Setting an alarm at a certain time is a great way to ensure you get quality time with loved ones, as well as a good night of rest! Reading and journaling during this time instead is also a great way to connect to yourself and free your mind a bit.
Some ideas to successfully disconnect? We highly recommend setting an alarm to put your phone down at a certain time, or if you have an iPhone, just turn it to the Do Not Disturb setting so your notifications don’t pop up on your lock screen. This is something I’m actually working on doing, When I have nights alone I am so bad about not working late or in general scrolling my phone. I’ve noticed lately how much worse I sleep on these nights, too. Lisa is very good at this and will tell me when she’s putting her phone down at night — so i’m trying to follow suit and read or journal like her! For reference, the Do Not Disturb feature is the little moon-shaped icon.
3. Practice Self-Care. What makes you feel good? Do more of that. Self-care is the art of taking time for yourself, to do what feels good for you and your body. Self-care can consist of mindfulness practices like meditation or my personal faves: a nice epsom salt bath, face mask, ginger tea + Hu Chocolate (code BUNUNDONE20 for discount) and an episode of Friends (RIP from Netflix).
If you’re stressing about all of the tasks on your to-do list, we promise a self-care practice (or two) won’t push those back. Once you prioritize self-care, you’ll feel more relaxed, recharged, and refocused to tackle your responsibilities. Giving back to yourself helps you give back to others – your week ahead and work will benefit from this.
4. Give yourself more time. Come Monday morning, hitting snooze may seem like a good idea, but we promise you, setting your alarm just 15 minutes earlier makes a huge difference and will help set a positive tone for the day.
Take this a step further and resist the temptation to check your phone and scroll Instagram right away. Instead, take that time to meditate, stretch, and formulate a morning routine. My ideal wake-up call is: Guided meditation using Headspace, making my bed, making celery juice and taking my vitamins before heading out for a workout :).
Focus on YOU. Make your juice, tea, coffee or smoothie and make your bed. Start the week with your own thoughts without worrying about what else is happening outside your world … Well, until you have to, that is 🙂.
5. Define something to look forward to. Monday is rarely anyone’s favorite day, but why not? Plan something you can look forward to, whether it’s your favorite workout of the week, a new breakfast or meal you’re trying, or even post-work plans with friends or loved ones. Because who says Monday’s can’t be fun? Maybe a Bachelor watch party? If Lisa and I lived in the same city, that’s what we’d be doing!
With some practice, you may genuinely start to look forward to your Monday-morning routine, further easing the pain of Sunday nights. A ton of people we know genuinely look forward to their morning coffee — making them excited to wake up. We know not everyone is a morning person, but that is such a great perspective to have!
6. Remind yourself of your inner strength. How many Sundays have you felt this way, and then how many Mondays + weeks have you then proceeded to CRUSH? You’ve been here before, you’ve felt this way and you’ve succeeded so many times, in so many ways. Don’t let your anxiety tell you otherwise!
There’s also no shame in including products in your regimen (CBD, essential oils, supplements, etc.). There’s nothing wrong with a little bit of help! Whether you take daily medication or herbal supplements, if it works for you, it should become a staple in your regimen. CBD, chamomile tea, magnesium and ashwagandha are amazing options to relieve anxiety and calm the body down. Magnesium is actually proven to help combat depression, and ashwagandha is an adaptogen (that can be taken in pill or powder form) that helps lower cortisol + stress and anxiety levels. We’re both HUGE fans of Garden of Life! You can find all of my go-to products here.
It may seem like everywhere you look people are talking about how bad their Sunday Scaries are. You’re certainly not alone in these feelings and it’s a hot topic with good reason. The day may feel a little heavier than other weekdays, but it CAN get better, and we’re here to help make Sundays more light. 🙂
Love and light,
Morgan and Lisa
