Avoiding ‘The Sunday Scaries’ Comes Down to Culture

We’ve all heard of the Monday Blues but, according to new research, it’s the Sunday Scaries that are affecting our moods the most. 

Named after that anxious feeling we get as the weekend ends and the working week looms, the Sunday Scaries have likely affected all of us now and again. But where do we draw the line between a challenging week ahead and a concerning pattern of dread? And how might we change our routines and environments to make Sundays a bit more bearable?

Sure, we can all play a personal part in lowering anxiety at the close of a weekend. We can meditate, write out to-do lists, get more sleep and…you know…not be totally hungover every Sunday. All these kinds of things will help—but only on a surface level.  

The thing is, how we feel about our jobs - on any given day of the week - really comes down to two things: culture and leadership. 

No amount of sleep or sobriety can dismantle a toxic, negative work environment—one where people are belittled, overworked, underpaid or discriminated against. On the flip side, you’re unlikely to have serious Sunday anxiety if the culture of your workplace is supportive, friendly, fair and open-minded. It might sound obvious, but for some companies, Sunday Scaries are just a part of working life. 

But they don’t have to be. 

It can be hard to gauge how employees feel outside of the office and in their downtime, given that we’re not around to see it. However, if you’re concerned about the well-being of your workforce and think they might be suffering on Sundays, there are plenty of things you can do to improve your culture—and keep those scary thoughts at bay.

Here are some things you can try:

• Run anonymous surveys around employee moods and attitudes 
• Have an open dialogue with employees about workloads, capacity and stress
• Undertake cultural awareness and anti-discrimination training 
• Lead by example: go home on time and work remotely when possible
• Give employees clear routes to promotions and pay rises 
• Foster and encourage positivity, kindness and enthusiasm. It spreads! 

We’re not naive. We know some weeks will be tougher than others. We know a big meeting, pitch or presentation will always make us a little anxious. But work shouldn’t be something we constantly dread. And it certainly shouldn’t be spilling into and spoiling our personal lives. 

At Remotify, we’re on a mission to make work better. For employees and leaders. Whether it’s restoring your work-life balance, helping you grow your business and start your dream team or letting you work from anywhere, we can help you create a great place to work. Want to find out how? Get in touch with us today.