How To Beat the Sunday Night Blues

That ‘Sunday’ night feeling can affect anyone, no matter your age, profession or even what days of the week you actually work. We’re talking about the tight knot of apprehension in your stomach that you might feel about the week ahead, or the fear of having to set an early alarm.

If 6pm strikes and you begin to count down the hours until you clock on, we can assure you, you won’t be alone. In fact, it has previously been said that almost two thirds of UK employees don’t look forward to returning to work after a break.  

You might find that the feeling is heightened at this time of year, when the days are generally darker and the festive period is well and truly behind us.

Whatever the reason for you feeling this way, whether it be a dispute with a colleague or being overworked, here at Spencer Clarke Group, we want to help you fight the feeling head on.

Here are our four top tips to fight the Sunday night blues:

Plan for the week ahead

It is understandable that you might want to give as little thought as possible to your working week whilst you are off, however, spending 20 minutes getting prepared for the week ahead can start you off on a much better foot. 

Planning for the week ahead may simply involve deciding what work tasks you will complete each day, or even thinking about what you will have for tea after work, so that you don’t need to worry about this in the evening. 

Either way, having an idea of what the upcoming days will look like, should help your week run more smoothly. Making lists is a great way to organise your thoughts and keep track of jobs to complete. This should also increase your productivity at work and help you to use your time more efficiently. 

It may also be a good idea to plan something fun to do in the evening of your first day back at work. Whether it’s eating out, seeing a friend or paying the gym a visit, this will give you an incentive to get through the day and something to look forward to! 

Spend your weekend doing things you enjoy

If you have spent the whole week wishing for the weekend to come around quickly, then it is important that you don’t waste the time when it does arrive. 

A weekend well spent will set you up for a successful and happy week and whilst you should take the time to relax and recharge, avoid doing absolutely nothing with your days off. This could result in you feeling worse off. 

Even if it is a short walk or a quick trip to the shops, this will keep you feeling physically and mentally active. 

Plan ahead if there is a specific activity you would like to do. Popular attractions get booked up quickly so if you want to visit somewhere like the zoo or a theme park, we advise booking  in advance. 

If the weather allows, try to spend some time outdoors, blowing away the cobwebs will always leave you in a better mindset. Gentle exercise has many benefits, both physically and mentally. It has been found to reduce stress, have a positive impact on depression and anxiety, and to improve memory. 

If you regularly feel anxious the night before you return to work, turn this time into something you look forward to rather than fear. For example, you could make this a time of the week where you watch an episode of your favourite box set, have a phone call with a friend or treat yourself to a nice relaxing bath.   

Reflect on what you have accomplished the week before and set goals for the week ahead

If you are feeling negative about returning to work, think back over the past few weeks and what you have achieved. Self-reflection can be a great way to change your mindset from negative to positive. 

Your accomplishments might vary from exceeding targets to having a colleague seek advice from you. Anything that has given you a sense of pride in the workplace should always be reflected on in order to remind yourself that you are succeeding within your role.

Setting goals is also a great way to motivate yourself at work. This will give you something to aim for and focus on day-to-day. The more you have to focus on through the week, the more positive you might feel the evening before returning to the office. 

Having goals will also give you an increased sense of importance within your company and this could help to decrease any work related anxiety.

Get an early night and put away devices

If you aren’t looking forward to the week ahead, getting an early night might feel like you are wishing your evening away. Remember though, staying up late won’t actually delay how quickly Monday comes around and you will only feel worse for it when your alarm rings in the morning.

Being on devices such as a mobile phone or iPad late into the night, can make it more difficult to sleep which is just one of the shocking reasons why you should reduce your screen time. 

Blue-light is emitted by the screens of such devices and this restrains the production of melatonin which controls the sleep-wake cycle. This means that using devices late at night will make it more difficult for you to fall asleep and wake up the following morning.

Who is Spencer Clarke Group? 

Since 2017, we've been changing the face of recruitment. From our employees, to the way we do business, to the culture within our office, we're determined to make a difference and create a positive impact on everyone around us.

Recruitment to us isn't just about matching candidates and clients; we’re passionate about finding candidates the perfect job which has the ability to boost their salary and standard of living, better their work life balance and improve their mental health. 

Similarly, we understand the impact which an experienced and skilled employee can make to a business and we love seeing clients thrive through the hard work of candidates which we have placed with them. 

We operate in two sectors:

Private Sector

Public Sector 

In eleven specialisms:

Accountancy & Finance

Education & SEND

Construction, Trades & Labour

Healthcare, Social Care & Nursing

Housing

Corporate Functions & Business Support

HR & Workforce Development

IT & Digital

Property & Asset Management  

Planning, Development & Regeneration 

Highways, Infrastructure & Engineering

If you’re searching for a new role, why not visit our job page to take a look at the latest opportunities? Alternatively, upload your CV and one of our experienced consultants will contact you when a relevant opportunity becomes available. 

If you’re struggling to fill a role, why don’t you give us a call on 01772 954200 to see how we can help? One of our consultants will be happy to listen to the challenges which you are facing and advise on the best possible solution for you.