For me, Sundays are pretty much dominated by the thought that Monday morning is looming, with The Fear fully kicking in around 4pm.
It's a combination of sadness about the weekend being over (even though it's officially not) and the realisation that another working week lies ahead. It's also a real drag and a total waste of a perfectly good weekend day.
Those Sunday Night Blues even managed to linger when I was on maternity leave - a time when every day could have been a Saturday for all I knew (apart from when it was Sunday) - which leads me to believe that I just need to change my mindset.
Sound familiar? Here are nine ways to help overcome the Sunday Night Blues once and for all...
1. Get social on a Sunday
The temptation on a Sunday night is to fester on the sofa in front of the TV. Yes, it's good to do something relaxing before the week ahead, but being social doesn't mean you have to go mad. Just catching up with a friend for an hour is the perfect Sunday night tonic.
2. Make a list
As well as writing down what you need to do the following week, make a note of what exactly it is that is bothering you and how you plan to attack it.
3. Unplug
Leave the emails until the morning. Switching off (literally) before you go to bed will do you the world of good when your mind is already on overdrive.
4. Schedule something for the week ahead
Instead of leaving all the fun stuff for the weekends, try and organise something midweek too. We know it's difficult when you've got kids, but even just one evening to catch a movie with a friend, or grab an early dinner after work, will help you realise that there is life outside the weekend.
5. Keep it dry
Tempting as it may be to drown the Sunday sorrows away, alcohol is a depressant and will probably just leave you feeling even worse in the morning.
6. Exercise
Even if it's just a quick walk around the block, a spot of exercise will burn off the anxiety and increase those good mood endorphins.
7. Try this sleep hack
When The Fear is keeping you awake into the wee hours, it's time to try this
simple trick, which will help you fall asleep in just one minute.
8. Have a productive Friday
The words 'productive' and 'Friday' aren't usually seen sitting together, but getting everything in order before the weekend kicks in will make you feel much better about what you've got going on the following week.
9. Make next Saturday the new Sunday
Sunday evenings are bad enough without having to do all the serious sorting for the week ahead. Instead, try doing your chores on Saturday, which will free you up to do more fun things on a Sunday.
