A man sits in a cafe working diligently on his Apple laptop
(Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)It’s Sunday. Do you have the “Sunday Scaries?”
If you have a job that you don’t enjoy, the weekend is never long enough. I love what I do, but there was a brief time when I worded in a different field. I didn’t know what it was called then, but during that period, I experienced the Sunday Scaries.
When Sunday happens, many people get the “Sunday Scaries.” It’s not necessarily a fear of Sunday, but the realization that it’s going to be Monday very soon.
Many of us dread our jobs for several possible reasons. One is that we simply don’t enjoy, or even hate, what we do for a living. Another related symptom is the stress that our job causes due to the pressure involved.
We could be worried about a quota we haven’t met, a meeting we’d like to avoid, or other responsibilities involved in the coming week.
When we think about the impending Monday or the week ahead, we can feel the tightness in our chest. Many people have significant issues getting to sleep because of anxiety.
Needless to say, having to deal with this heavy feeling regularly can cause burnout and, in many cases, significant health issues.
What Causes the Sunday Scaries?
Resume.io surveyed one thousand participants who experienced the “Sunday Scaries.” They examined how often they feel anxiety on Sunday, “how often they feel it, what triggers it, and whether it’s influenced their mental health or career choices.” Other factors were also analyzed.
One thing the study found is that nearly fifteen percent of us are dealing with the “Sunday Scaries” every Sunday. Almost one in three deal with this stress occasionally. The report also discovered, “Staggeringly, for as many as 7%, the anxiety kicks in as soon as the weekend begins.”
The reality is that if you are in a job where you feel this way, you need to find a new job. However, that is much easier said than done. Finding a new job, especially in a different field, is nearly impossible for most of us.
Most times, it requires continuing our education, something that is not feasible or affordable.
What’s worse, and causing more stress, is that more than one in three participants don’t think a change would resolve the problem. They believe they’ll feel this way no matter what they do.
The study also compared how the “Sunday Scaries” affect men and women differently. They also reveal what generation is most affected.
Certified Professional Career Coach Amanda Augustine is a career expert for Resume.io. She says, “The rise in Sunday anxiety is a clear signal that our relationship with work needs a reset.”
If you’re experiencing this feeling or want to learn more, you can check out the full study here.
