Having the “Sunday Blues” is pretty common as feelings of unrest and anxiety build up in anticipation of the week ahead. Mentally going through your list of things to do, meetings or any projects that will start once you turn off your alarm the next morning.
If you have been seeking ways to lessen icky feelings of anticipation there are a few tips you can try throughout your Sunday. Make sure you wake up on Sunday the same time you will wake up the next day. It is hard not to sleep in, but it will make waking up the next day so much easier.
After you wake up, take a couple of minutes to stretch and do a couple of deep breathing exercises. Next, write down three things you are grateful for. According to positive psychology research, practicing gratitude has been proven to improve mental health and feel more positive emotions.
Starting your Sunday off being thankful makes it easier to go through your day while making the most of it. Write down what you need to accomplish to make the rest of your week a little easier. Meal prepping or creating your schedule sounds like it would be a source of stress, when in reality it the act of preparing for the week ahead can be a relaxing and minimize stressful thoughts.
It is also important to schedule one fun thing you might do on a Saturday to do during your Sunday. Stretching out your Saturday state-of-mind forces your brain to be more in the present moment, rather than subconsciously counting the minutes until you have to go to bed.
One more thing that can help is by creating a Sunday night ritual. Take extra time for yourself to fully get sleepy and relaxed. The cool thing about this is that you can make your own ritual, there is no right or wrong way as long as it makes you feel good.
Take some time to practice self-care by using a weekly face mask or exfoliate and use a deep moisturizer. Drink a lovely herbal tea while listening to classical music or even take a nice long nighttime walk where you pay close attention to how brilliant the stars are at night.
Sundays do not have to be filled with dread, but the perfect day to set your week off or end your week on the right tone.