Self-Care Sunday: How to Start the Week Anxiety Free

Sundays can bring on a whole host of emotions. For some people, Sunday can bring on excitement for the new week ahead. For others, anxiety might be the prevalent emotion that arises.

You might be thinking about the week ahead and how much work you have to do. You might dread walking into your office on Monday morning. You might be simply anxious because the weekend is over, and now it’s time to “start again.”

Suddenly, a day that is supposed to be meant for you to relax and recharge is taken away. If this sounds like you, don’t panic! You are certainly not the only person who feels like this on Sundays. In fact, it’s quite common.

That being said, we want to give you tips and tools so you can change how you feel on Sundays, and start the week anxiety free. I’m going to share with you the exact things I do on to combat anxiety as I prepare for the week ahead.

Plan Ahead

One thing that tends to help diminish my anxious feelings is planning ahead. Rather than spending the day trying to ignore the upcoming week if I have a lot going on, I try and tackle it head on and ask myself a couple of questions as soon as possible:

• What can I spend an hour doing today to make tomorrow easier?
• Can I write a task list that will make tomorrow more manageable?
• Should I check my calendar to make sure I haven’t forgotten about any appointments that are coming up?

I find it helpful to get my work bag packed and ready for the week ahead. I even go so far as laying out the clothes I’m going to be wearing, and packing a lunch is something I’ll do so I don’t have to worry about it.

All of these small things ensure that my Monday morning is taken care of, and I can rest easy knowing that I won’t have to scramble right before work to get things together. That leaves the rest of my Sunday free for me to do what I want knowing I’ve prepared and planned the next day.

All of these small things ensure that my Monday morning is taken care of, and I can rest easy knowing that I won’t have to scramble right before work to get things together. That leaves the rest of my Sunday free for me to do what I want knowing I’ve prepared and planned the next day.

Clean Your “Space”

I’m a big believer of “clean space, clean mind.” I will often take Sunday to clean my room, wash my car, or do some sort of material cleanse. Even something as simple as cleaning out your makeup drawer or sorting your closet can really have a positive effect on how you move forward into your week. Once your space is cleaned, then your mind can be clear to welcome the new week ahead in a more refreshed way.

Take a Long, Hot Shower

Taking a shower when I am feeling anxious has become a very cleansing way for me to manage my anxiety, especially on a Sunday afternoon when the new week is looming over my shoulder. Taking deep breaths in the shower is a good way to get you back to a more composed state.

Something I like to imagine is that the hot water is literally washing away my negative emotions. It’s both cleansing and calming at the same time. Washing your body and your hair and holding onto this thought can be very therapeutic.

Read more about water wellness in another one of our Self-Care Sunday blogs right here.

Talk It Out

Rather than holding in the anxiety you might be feeling, and ruining your entire day because of it, the best thing you can do is just talk it out. Whether it’s with a parent, friend or significant other, letting your emotions out is always better than bottling them in.

Admitting to feeling anxious will remove both the power of the emotion and the energy that you’re putting into it. Maybe you have a big presentation on Monday that’s making you nervous. Maybe it’s your first day at a new job or your second year at an old job that you just aren’t enjoying anymore.

Confide in someone about how you’re feeling, and more often than not this person can offer some solutions, and even diminish the anxious feelings entirely by offering you a different way to think about your situation.

Embrace a New Perspective

Sometimes we could all use a healthy dose of fresh perspective.

A lot of people will often say things like “I hate my job,” and that’s the reason that Sundays are so stressful for them because another Monday is just around the corner again. Instead of thinking “I hate my job,” why not think, “I am in a place to learn and grow until I get to the next stage of life.”

Instead of saying “I have way too much going on this upcoming week,” replace it with, “I am grateful for the opportunities and challenges that lay ahead.”

Challenge yourself to flip negative, anxious thoughts into positive, neutral ones.

Go to Bed Early

Finally, my last piece of advice is to go to bed early. Wrap up your day earlier than usual and focus on getting a good night’s rest for the week ahead. Even if you aren’t tired, take the time to lay in bed and indulge in a book or your favorite movie. Take the evening to truly recharge.

You got this. Make sure to check back next week for a brand new Self-Care Sunday!

Related Article: 10 Quick Tips to Unplug from the Digital World